Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Base
- 6 eggs, large, older eggs preferred
Filling
- 45 g mayonnaise
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 2 ml tabasco sauce
- 1 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Garnish
- 5 g chives, finely chopped
- 1 g paprika, sweet or smoked, for dusting
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 62 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 105 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 95 mg
- Potassium
- 41 mg
- Calcium
- 16 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 4 mg
- Phosphorus
- 52 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 45 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 21 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place eggs in a saucepan in a single layer and cover with cold water by one inch. Bring to a rolling boil at 100C/212F over medium-high heat. Once boiling, immediately remove from heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let sit undisturbed for 12 minutes.
While the eggs sit, prepare a bowl of ice water. Transfer the cooked eggs directly into the ice bath to halt the cooking process. Let them cool completely for 10 minutes.
Tap the cooled eggs gently on the counter to crack the shells all over, then peel them. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half lengthwise.
Gently squeeze or scoop the yolks out of the whites, placing the yolks into a mixing bowl. Arrange the empty egg white halves on a serving platter.
Thoroughly crush the egg yolks with a fork until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Tabasco sauce, salt, and black pepper. Mix vigorously until the filling is completely smooth and cohesive.
Transfer the yolk mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip, or simply use a spoon. Generously fill each egg white half with the creamy yolk mixture.
Sprinkle the chopped chives evenly over the tops. Finish with a light, decorative dusting of paprika. Chill until ready to serve.
Chef's Notes
- For absolute silky perfection, skip the fork and press the cooked egg yolks through a fine-mesh sieve using the back of a spoon or a silicone spatula. It takes one extra minute but yields a professional, velvety filling.
- Piping the filling using a star tip is the secret to making simple deviled eggs look like they came from a high-end caterer. If you lack a piping tip, snipping the corner of a heavy-duty ziplock bag works beautifully.
- To safely transport deviled eggs to a gathering without a specialty carrier, slice a tiny sliver off the rounded bottom of each egg white half so they sit perfectly flat on the platter.
- If your filling feels slightly too stiff after mixing, add just a drop of water or pickle juice rather than more mayonnaise to thin it out without diluting the sharp, balanced flavor profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent a skin from forming on the yolks and keep the whites from drying out.
Troubleshooting
Eggs are difficult to peel and chunks of white are tearing off.
Cause: Eggs are too fresh, or they were not shocked in cold water rapidly enough.
Fix: Try peeling them fully submerged under cold running water, starting from the wider air pocket end.
Prevention: Use older eggs that have been in the refrigerator for at least a week, and ensure the ice bath is very cold.
The yolk filling is lumpy and grainy.
Cause: The yolks were not mashed finely enough before the wet ingredients were introduced.
Fix: Press the mixed filling through a fine mesh strainer with a spatula to smooth out the lumps.
Prevention: Mash the dry yolks thoroughly first, or push them through a fine mesh sieve before adding mayonnaise.
The yolks have a green or grey ring around them.
Cause: The eggs were overcooked, causing a harmless but unsightly reaction between sulfur in the white and iron in the yolk.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once formed, but the mustard and paprika will help mask the color.
Prevention: Strictly adhere to the 12-minute resting time and immediately shock in ice water to stop the cooking.
Cultural Context
The concept of deviled eggs traces back to ancient Rome, where boiled eggs seasoned with spicy sauces served as a customary opening course. The term deviled itself emerged in 18th-century Great Britain to describe foods prepared with hot spices or condiments. Over the decades, they have evolved into a quintessential American comfort food, reigning supreme at Thanksgiving dinners, summer picnics, and holiday gatherings across the country.
