I love deviled eggs because they’re full of tasty, old-fashioned goodness. They’re great year round but I think of them lots during summer when I’m boiling up eggs for Franco-Viet beet and potato salads, one of my favorite hot-weather dishes. I often boil a few extra to keep around for an instant deviled egg fix or to add to a bowl of chicken pho, like my mom used to do when we were kids. Boiled eggs are good protein for instant ramen too.
A while back when buying eggs from a local farmer, she volunteered these terrific tips:
1) To center the yolk so that when the egg is halved, the egg does not look lopsided, place the egg on its side overnight. The yolks get repositioned because they’re no longer sitting up, but rather lounging sideways. I tried it out twice and it worked! Check out those yolks at the top.
2) Use medium eggs for deviled eggs because the size is not overwhelming. Their moderate appearance makes them more attractive on a plate. (My thought was: How many more deviled eggs do I get to eat if they’re made from medium eggs?!)
Admittedly, these are cosmetic tips but deviled eggs are such a simple preparation, the devil is in the details!
8/12/11 UPDATE: After my success with centering the yolks, I lost my mojo. Few of my eggs got centered yolks during a several days of experimenting on making perfect hard-boiled eggs. Shirley Corriher suggested storing the eggs on their sides too. I also read about cooking the eggs upright or twirling them during cooking; those ideas were too fussy.
After cooking, peeling and cutting lots of eggs, what I realized is that if the eggs are cooked right, itdoes not really matter if the yolk is lopsided. An egg that's cooked well has a tender (not chewy/rubbery) white and you can often feel the yolk underneath if it's terribly off-center. My remedy was simple: Halve the egg at a thicker area to avoid showing the thin rimmed area. Let the thinner part of the white be the bottom of the deviled egg. Guests will never know when they bite into that deviled egg.
Related posts:
FAQs
1) To center the yolk so that when the egg is halved, the egg does not look lopsided, place the egg on its side overnight. The yolks get repositioned because they're no longer sitting up, but rather lounging sideways. I tried it out twice and it worked!
How to make egg yolk center? ›
Place eggs in a saucepan of water. Boil over medium-high heat, stirring. The constant stirring will keep the yolk centred.
Is it okay to make deviled eggs with medium boiled eggs? ›
Also, these are easier to make. Each medium boiled egg gets a little dab of shallot-infused mayo. Top each off with a little sprinkle of paprika and dill and you've got my favorite version of deviled eggs!
What can I put in the center of a deviled egg tray? ›
The center of your deviled egg tray is also ideal for serving homemade sauces, seasoning blends, fresh green onions, or crispy pan-fried bacon bits for added crunch.
Why is egg yolk not in center? ›
If raw eggs sit in one position too long, the yolk may settle to the bottom of the egg next to the shell.
What holds egg yolks in the center in high quality eggs? ›
In a fresh egg, we can see white cords attached to the yolk sac. These two cords, called chalazae, are made of twisted strands of mucin fibers that are a special form of protein. The chalazae hold the yolk in the center of the egg.
How do you get the perfect yolk? ›
Perfect Soft Boiled Egg Tips
It all comes down to the consistency of the yolk. I like mine to be gooey and jammy, with some parts runny and some parts starting to solidify. To achieve this texture, I cook mine for 7 minutes. If you prefer a runnier yolk, cook your eggs for 6 1/2 minutes.
What keeps the yolk in the Centre of the egg? ›
Chalazae. Opaque ropes of egg white, the chalazae hold the yolk in the center of the egg. Like little anchors, they attach the yolk's casing to the membrane lining the eggshell. The more prominent they are, the fresher the egg.
What is a centered yolk? ›
The best idea involved placing the carton of eggs on its side in the refrigerator the day before the eggs were to be cooked. Evidently, this moves the yolk away from the large end of the egg—which is where the yolk generally settles after packaging—to the center.
Is it better to make deviled eggs day before or day of? ›
Prep deviled eggs too far in advance, and you'll have dried out filling and stinky boiled egg whites. For the best results, prep your deviled eggs up to two days in advance and keep the egg whites and filling separate until you're ready to serve. This prepping method also applies if you're not even leaving the house.
This recipe for Deviled Eggs Without Mustard tastes just like classic deviled eggs but with apple cider vinegar in place of dijon mustard. They're a creamy, delicious appetizer everyone should try!
Is it better to use old or new eggs for deviled eggs? ›
Fresh eggs, with their smaller air sacs, are more likely to have a smooth ovoid shape when peeled, which looks more appealing in applications as deviled eggs. OFF-CENTER YOLK: Fresher eggs are more likely (though not guaranteed) to have centered yolks, again leading to more attractive deviled eggs.
How do you center egg yolks for deviled eggs? ›
Two Tricks For Getting Perfectly Centered Egg Yolks for Deviled Eggs. According to Yearwood, the trick is to flip your eggs upside down the night before you plan to boil them. Yearwood got the trick from her mother, who in her eyes always made perfect deviled eggs.
What to use when you don't have a deviled egg tray? ›
Mini muffin tins or ice cube trays.
How to avoid grey ring on hard boiled eggs? ›
This process happens at 77°C for ovalbumin. But above 70°C, the sulphur also forms hydrogen sulphide that reacts with iron in the egg yolk to form iron sulphide, and this gives it a greenish grey colour. You can prevent this by running the eggs under the cold tap to lower their temperature as soon as they are cooked.
How to boil eggs and keep yolk yellow? ›
As soon as the water begins to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Leave the eggs in the hot water for anywhere from 10-12 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. The 10-minute eggs will have vibrant, creamy yolks, while the 12-minute yolks will be paler and opaque, with a chalkier texture.
What causes grey in hard boiled eggs? ›
A greenish-gray ring may appear around a hard-cooked egg yolk. It's unattractive, but not harmful. The ring is caused by a chemical reaction involving sulfur (from the egg white) and iron (from the egg yolk), which naturally react to form ferrous sulfide at the surface of the yolk.
How do you fix undercooked yolks for deviled eggs? ›
If you need to cook yolks more, they can be steamed to desired doneness. If they are spherical and firm, just place them in the steamer basket. If they are soft, put them in another vessel, like a ramekin, and steam them.
How do you hard boil eggs so the yolk stays in the middle? ›
Simple! Put the eggs in the pot and stir the water around as it heats. The egg or eggs will roll around the pot and as they roll, the yolk will be centred in the egg by centrifugal force. You don't have to stir hard or fast, or constantly, but just enough for the eggs to roll.
