Devil's in the Details - 303 Magazine

3 min read

The devil is in the details. Deviled eggs are an Easter menu staple. But, sadly, not everyone makes a good deviled egg. We all start with the same familiar cardboard carton of a dozen eggs. It’s what we do with them after that can result in something beautiful… or something dreadful.

The biggest sin against hard-boiled eggs is that we tend to boil them to death. If an egg is boiled for too long and too hard, the white can become hard and rubbery and the yellow develops the dreaded green ring. That green ring is the result of the sulfur in the egg whites reacting with the iron in the yolk creating iron sulfide. Even scrambled eggs can develop a green tinge if they are cooked for too long at too high a heat. The best approach is a delicate one: lower temperatures and shorter cooking times.

The filling can be touch and go, too. Start with a good quality mustard, such as a Dijon. Throw in some fresh herbs, a dash of lemon juice, quality salt, real mayonnaise, and you are set. A wonderful trick for adding zip is to mince an onion or a shallot with a rasp zester. You’ll get the essence of the onion without the bite. (please… no relish!)

Paprika is passé. Finish your eggs with one of the new flavored and colored salts, such as pink Himalayan.

Be daring. Be different.

Add art to your deviled eggs by soaking them in highly tinted liquids such as beet juice or tea. These tints seep into the cracks of the shell. Once peeled, the eggs will look like marbled works of art. Use a piping bag with a decorative tip to make them even more special.

Improve your chances of boiled egg perfection using the times and tips below:

Slightly older eggs will have a little more air inside making them easier to peel
Eggs at room temperature are less likely to crack when placed in the simmering water
Use a pot that is large enough to allow water in between the eggs
Place eggs in boiling water, then maintain them at a simmer (not at a hard boil)
Use a ladle, slotted spoon, or large strainer to gently submerge and remove the eggs
Simmer eggs, do not hard boil
- Soft cooked: 3 -4 minutes*
- Medium cooked: 8-12 minutes*
- Hard cooked: 12-16 minutes (18 max)*
Remove eggs using a strainer and transfer to a bowl of iced water until cool enough to handle
Gently roll the eggs on the counter to crackle the shell. Start with the fat end as older eggs will have an air pocket there
Peel under running water. Warm eggs are easier to peel than cold
Save the shells and add them to your compost pile
Slice eggs in half using a wet or oiled knife