Deviled Eggs

(from chunlin’s recipe box)

Deviled eggs are a classic picnic snack prone to an all-too-common problem: a greenish colored yolk and a sulfurous odor. What causes the problem and how do you make perfect deviled eggs every time? Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

  • Don’t boil the eggs. After countless tests, the test kitchen found it best to cover the eggs with an inch of water, bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. After 10 minutes, drain the eggs and cool in ice water. The gentle heat perfectly cooks the eggs—not a chance of the green tinge or unpleasant smell.
  • For the creamiest texture, force the yolks through a fine-mesh sieve before mixing with the filling ingredients.
  • For an elegant appearance, pipe the filling into the egg white shells with an impromptu pastry bag prepared from a zipper-lock bag. Simply place the filling in the bag, squeeze it tightly into one corner of the bag, and snip 1/2 inch off that corner. The filling can also be stored this way, at the ready, for up to two days. Just don’t cut the bag until you’re ready to fill the eggs.

To center the yolks, turn the carton of eggs on its side in the refrigerator the day before you plan to cook the eggs.

Source: Cook's Illustrated May 2007 (from RecipeThing user jerseyjenny)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 12 people

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard (such as Gulden's)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Place eggs in medium saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 dozen ice cubes. Pour off water from saucepan and gently shake pan back and forth to crack shells. Transfer eggs to ice water with slotted spoon and let cool 5 minutes.

  2. Peel eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Transfer yolks to fine-mesh sieve and use spatula to press them through sieve and into bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mashing mixture against sides of bowl until smooth.

  3. Arrange whites on serving platter and fill with yolk mixture, mounding filling about 1/2 inch above whites. Serve immediately.

  4. Make Ahead: You can make the deviled eggs up to 2 days ahead. Wrap the peeled egg-white halves tightly with a double layer of plastic wrap and place the filling in a zipper-lock plastic bag (squeezing out all the air). Refrigerate until ready to fill and serve.

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