Virginia Willis' Deviled Eggs Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Anyway, I don't have problems booking eggs. I liked the filling; there is anything infinite universe of deviled egg fillings out there.

GigiR February 23, 2023

Hi kids. Love the recipe. It’s the spelling of the title word devilled that I’m reviewing though.
Devilled is spelled with 2 L’s. Otherwise, with one L, it would be pronounced dee-vile-d. Not sure you want that pronunciation.
Delicious sounding recipe. Happy Lenting.
Thank you.

These are excellent instructions and proportions. Our family's slight change is to replace the salt, pepper, and cayenne with Old Bay. Use Old Bay to season the mixture to taste and then garnish the finished eggs with another light sprinkle of Old Bay on top for color and zing.

The ingredient that all of these recipes left out is curiously the ingredient that gives its name: deviled ham!!! This ham is canned and usually you can find it in the Canned meat aisle of the supermarket. Without it, they are not truly deviled eggs, only filled eggs or whatever other name!!!

I’ve adopted downshiftology.com method for “perfect-soft-and-hard-boiled-eggs. So easy. Bring water to boil. Gently lower eggs into boiling water. Continue to boil for 14 minutes for hard boiled. (Website gives perfect time estimates along with pictures of several stages of cooked yolk; from runny soft to a full hard boil.). Put immediately into a bowl of cold, running water to stop cooking. You can use icy water, too. I hold them under the water in the bowl and peel immediately.

I combined this recipe with Food52’s recipe for Momof*cku’s soy sauce eggs. Virginia’s filling for eggs was extra special with the rich, creamy mouth-feel added by the butter. By using Momof*cku’s soy sauce/sherry vinegar/dilute sugar marinade for the hard boiled eggs for a couple of hours before slicing them the usually flavorless whites took on a rich umami flavor. Guests st the Mother’s Day party gave out with immediate “Mmmm! I love these” responses. I did have to explain why the whites had brown edges a couple of times. But one taste cleared up that resistance 😏

I've always been embarrassed at my weak ability with deviled eggs but this recipe was the best. Thanks, Virginia, whoever you are for telling me how to make foolproof deviled eggs. I took them to a party where everyone brought appetizers and mine was the one with rave reviews! Delicious just exactly as written.

I peel my eggs by banging them around in the pan they cooked in. The shells fracture nicely and the peels come off easily. When I made this recipe, I used my food processor to achieve an ultra smooth filling. However, depending on the mayonnaise you use, add salt sparingly. The only substitution I made was to add a pinch of Aleppo pepper and eliminate the cayenne. It created a subtle heat. I had the leftovers (there were only 2) for lunch the next day with a salad. This is a keeper.

Interesting, but ultimately a failure I think. Too rich, and too subtle. I am realizing that hard boiled eggs should probably not be done with subtlety. The egg itself is so overpowering a flavor that a strong flavor, like pickle, goes well with it best. Interestingly, a colleague told me it reminded him of the way his mom made hard boiled eggs, and he is from the South.

I don’t remember where I read this but the trick to easy peeling eggs is to boil the water first and then slowly lower in the eggs using a slotted spoon. Once cooled, Gently crack the shell and push off the shell with the tip of your thumb. Works every time

I too had problems peeling boiled eggs like nancy j, but then a miracle happened. One day going through various recipes sites. I heard from a chef, a man, and so help me Hannah, I can't remember his name, said to "steam" your eggs, drop them into cold water, crack all of them immediately and peel them from the fat end where the air pocket is alwaying you to grasp the membrane. It works!! one warning, speaking from experience here, they aboslu*tely MUST be peeled immediately! Had a bad headache once & failed to do so and they were absolutely postitively as difficult to peel as boiled eggs. I use a lot of eggs, so I used my big steamer, But you can use a tiny basket steamer in a saucepan. My pans have glass lids so I time them for 19 minutes from them time the lid shows steam beginning (I use extra large eggs for boiled and deviled eggs)It takes almost a full minute for the steam to begin to show. Once it shows I turn the heat down so the water beneath the steamer does not boil away. Thanks Hannah for the info on the smaller eggs, now I know 14 for small and 15 for large!
I've never tried sour cream in them, but I do use mayonnaise, a dash of spicy brown to taste, a dash of liquid smoke, a dash Worcestershire sauce, a small bit onion, minced very fine, a dash of cayenne & I too, like a dash of smoked paprika on the top. If you are one that likes horseradish, then leave out the bit of onion a try a tiny bit of Boarshead mustard with horseradish in it, a bit at a time to taste. Sitting here typing, after scrolling down through everyone's delicious versions of the "incredible, edible egg", I googled how deviled eggs began and here's the link, in case anyone else is curious. http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/the-ancient-history-of-deviled-eggs
Thank you all for all your delicious ideas! Margo

Rob August 11, 2017

Try this for the best blend of sweet and tangy: good english mango chutney, sweet pickle relish, grainy mustard, a dollop of sour cream to smooth the flavors, salt and pepper -- and a sprinkle of paprika on the finished eggs. I think it beats just about any other egg you can have!

I wanted to confirm that steaming fresh eggs, a few days old from my chickens, really does work to help them peel beautifully. I cannot peel these eggs even at 2+ weeks old when they are boiled. Everyone should know this. I did 14 minutes for small and 15 for large and it worked perfectly. Looking forward to making deviled eggs for Easter.

I just found this unnecessarily rich. I might try it with half the amount of butter.

I've added butter for years...and old Julia Child trick. And my team likes a thin slice of green olive or a caper on top. No paprika here!

The secret of peeling a hard boiled egg is a PRICK. Before you put the eggs in the water prick the fat side, where the air pocket is, with a pin or sharp instrument. When the eggs are cooked take them out of the water and let them cool. Now, roll the egg on the counter to crack the shell. The shell just comes right off with no effort at all.

Thank you for the photos!!!! I have made hard boiled eggs for years, often with varying steps that are sworn to work the best. The photo here of the real rolling boil is THE most helpful tip anyone should appreciate. I'm going to finish this recipe off in the morning for our block party's brunch.

I still make mine the way my mom did years ago. mayo, minced onion ,pickle relish mustard ,salt an pepper everyone in our family loves them. I will try adding a little butter sometime though . making them for our family get together on 4th. don't use a recipe either just taste as u go.

I think a deviled egg is a required taste of how we were brought up. In my family that originated from Oklahoma but found home in Oregon, I think this recipe might be a Southern thing. We like our deviled eggs tarty and flavorful. After boiling the eggs I keep the cold running water running over the eggs in the pan as I'm peeling the eggs under the cold running water keeping your hand wet with the cold water the shell just slides off. Once peeled cut eggs in half and dump yolks into a small bowl and lay whites on a plate line with paper towels. Once you get the yolks in a bowl I then put white vinegar on the eggs, not sure how much just enough to where they start to swell then mix with a fork till blended. Then start tasting and adding salt, pepper, and I like jalapeno's in mine, mix it up more with a tad mustard and mayo Best Foods. By now there should not be no lumps. Put into the whites and sprinkle with smoky paprika. Not sure why but that really does make a difference. I go by taste not measurements, sorry. It's how I have learned from my grandma.