Deviled Eggs: Traditional and Not

Deviled eggs are a must-have on southern tables for a good reason. They pack a huge amount of flavor into a pretty little package that you can pop right into your mouth. They also look bright and festive on a platter. Whether you opt for the traditional recipe or a creative variation, satisfaction awaits!

Granny Gray’s Deviled Eggs: Prepared and Served with Love

One of my children’s favorite memories of my Granny Gray is her quaint kitchen adorned with deviled eggs at EVERY dinner hosted in her home. I say “hosted” not to suggest it was an uppity affair, but because she welcomed guests so graciously to her table. She loved people through the food that she prepared for them.

Her son, my dad, joined her for lunch every day to find a spread of potato gratin, butter beans or black-eyed peas, fried okra, and potato salad (no, she didn’t have a problem with serving two potato dishes). The main dish was usually stewed meat—it was the cheapest cut, yet the most flavorful meat I have ever tasted. For dessert she would serve an array of pies, some left over and some fresh right out of the oven. 

And of course, there were deviled eggs. At her table they were treated almost like bread; you just have to have them at every meal. 

Inspired by Granny Gray’s version, this deviled eggs recipe is kid-approved. It’s also one of the favorite appetizers at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Are deviled eggs healthy?

Some people do need to be mindful of the cholesterol in eggs and limit to one a day for that reason. So why not make that egg a special treat now and then? Deviled eggs are also a great way to get nutrition into your children. Egg yolks—especially from free range, pasture raised chickens—are one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet! They contain vitamins A, E, B6, B12, and D plus calcium, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, and folate. Maybe this is the reason my Granny’s table was never without them.

What is the secret to the best deviled eggs?  

Here are a few basic tips to make the best deviled eggs.

Start with Older Eggs 

Have you ever noticed that some hard boiled eggs are harder to peel than others? Fresh eggs are hard to peel because the pH level keeps the egg white stuck to the shell membrane. Eggs that are 7–10 days old will peel much more cleanly. If you are boiling fresh eggs, you can add a teaspoon of baking soda to the boiling water to raise the pH and help loosen the membrane.

Use an Ice Water Bath

When you boil eggs, the most important secret is to avoid overcooking. You should cook the eggs about 15 minutes and then put then in an ice water bath. The ice stops the cooking immediately so that you don’t end up with a greenish-gray ring around the yolk. That unappealing green tinge happens when iron from the yolk reacts with sulfur from the white after prolonged cooking. 

Add Minced Celery to the Filling

I loved the simple ingredients of Granny’s recipe for deviled eggs. But in thinking of new ways to jazz up the ordinary deviled egg, I have found that her recipe really isn’t that traditional after all. She did use a good quality mayo, of course. But while most people use sweet pickles, Granny used dill pickle. She also added minced celery to the mix. 

If I had to pick a “secret” ingredient to her soup, salads, deviled eggs, roasts, and other delicacies that I received from her kitchen, it was celery.

What makes the best deviled egg filling?

Many ingredients and toppings are delicious in deviled eggs. Believe it or not, the inspirations for the “toppers” on this playful deviled egg tray are LEFTOVERS. As funny as it may seem, they work perfectly on top of deviled eggs and ensure that healthy food doesn’t go to waste.

There certainly isn’t anything wrong with a basic deviled egg recipe. However, a few additions can take traditional perfection to surprisingly AMAZING.

Here are some ingredients that add an extra pop of flavor and color.

• Leftover ham or bacon from breakfast
• Avocado and tomatoes from a salad
• To add heat: a dash of Tabasco or other hot sauce — or a pickled jalapeño
• The traditional sprinkle of paprika or some chopped fresh dill

Find this and more favorite southern recipes in my cookbook Love Language of the South.

Deviled Egg Recipe

Traditional deviled eggs are always delicious — or you can add toppings for a new spin on this classic.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 10 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons celery heart, very finely chopped (about 1/2 celery stalk)
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard or dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper, a grind or two
• Optional Toppings: avocado and tomatoes, ham and chives, bacon and chives, pickled jalapeño, paprika

Instructions

 

• Place eggs in a single layer in saucepan. Add about 3 inches of water to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the water reaches a boil, turn off the heat, cover the eggs, and set aside to cook in the hot water for about 15 minutes.
• Drain the water from the eggs and replace with cold water and ice. Peel the eggs by tapping them on all sides until the entire egg shell is cracked. Peel under cold running water.
• Slice eggs in half lengthwise and remove the egg yolks. Place egg yolks in medium-sized bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise, celery, relish, mustard, salt, and pepper and mix well. Spoon egg yolk mixture into the egg whites with a small spoon or use a pastry piping bag to pipe the filling into the whites. Sprinkle with paprika and any other seasoning if desired. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

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