Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and you may be needing some last-minute appetisers for your spread of food. Look no further than deviled eggs. The term “deviled” refers to the spicing or seasoning of the dish. In cooking, when a dish is described as “deviled,” it means that it is highly seasoned or spiced.
Deviled eggs are hard-boiled eggs that have been cut in half, and the yolks are mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, and other seasonings. The filling is then piped or spooned back into the egg whites. The seasonings often include ingredients like mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, paprika, and black pepper, which give the eggs a flavorful and slightly spicy kick.
The history of deviled food
The first known use of the term “deviled” in a culinary sense dates back to the 18th century. It was a popular technique for preparing highly seasoned and spiced dishes, and recipes for deviled dishes began to appear in cookbooks of the time. Deviled ham, deviled kidneys, and deviled eggs are examples of the dish.
The concept of stuffing boiled eggs with a seasoned filling has ancient origins, but the term “deviled eggs” became more widely recognized in the 19th and 20th centuries. The classic deviled eggs, featuring a filling made from egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, and other seasonings, gained popularity in the United States.
FAQs
To devil means to "combine a food with various hot or spicy seasonings such as red pepper, mustard, or Tabasco sauce, thereby creating a 'deviled' dish," according to the Food Lover's Companion, the definitive guide to all things food and cooking.
Why are deviled eggs called by that name? ›
In the 19th century, the adjective "deviled" came to be used most often with spicy or zesty food, including eggs prepared with mustard, pepper, or other ingredients stuffed in the yolk cavity. Similar uses of "devil" for spiced foods include deviled ham and fra diavolo sauce (from the Italian word for "devil").
Why are deviled eggs called deviled eggs in Yahoo? ›
Originally introduced as a culinary term in the late 1700s, the term "deviled" isn't just used for eggs. Deviled crab, salmon, ham and chicken all refer to dishes that are heavily spiced with paprika, pepper or mustard powder, or are very spicy.
What is a fun fact about deviled eggs? ›
If we rewind time, we find deviled eggs in ancient Rome, where boiled eggs flavored with spicy sauces were so commonly served as an appetizer that a Roman saying, “ab ovo usque ad mala,” meaning “from egg to apples,” referred to the expected bookends of a meal.
Why do they call it deviled ham? ›
Far from evil, the word “deviled” is a culinary term that means “adding spices” — usually hot ones like cayenne pepper, Dijon mustard, or chopped chili peppers — to foods like ham, eggs, turkey, or even lobster.
What did Katy Perry call deviled eggs? ›
Growing up, Perry and her siblings were not allowed to eat the cereal Lucky Charms as the word "luck" reminded their mother of Lucifer, and were also required to call deviled eggs "angeled eggs". Perry primarily listened to gospel music, as secular music was generally discouraged in the family's home.
Why are deviled eggs wet? ›
While proper cooking techniques are the first step to avoiding weeping, experimenting with certain deviled egg ingredients, unfortunately, can result in a watery, sloppy appearance on the plate. Ingredients with a high water content, like tomatoes or cucumbers, can help create this wet scenario.
What do religious people call deviled eggs? ›
But depending on the culture or geographical area, they were also referred to as dressed eggs, mimosa eggs or stuffed eggs to avoid the association with the devil.
What is so devilish about deviled eggs? ›
"Deviled" goes back to the late 18th century as a way to refer to something that's spicy or grilled with spice. Deviled eggs are "deviled" because they're generally made with paprika and black pepper.
Why are deviled eggs only good for 2 days? ›
Hard-cooked eggs should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking and used within a week."2 A similar time frame applies to deviled eggs, but because of their perishability and the ingredients included in the filling, the length of time prepared eggs can be stored in the refrigerator is shorter, often just a few days ...
In some regions of the South and the Midwest, deviled eggs are also called salad or dressed eggs when they are served at a church function, to avoid the term "deviled."
What did the Romans call deviled eggs? ›
For National Deviled Egg Day, we're taking it back to Ancient Rome…. where serving deviled eggs was often referred to as “ab ova usque ad mala.”
What is devil's meat? ›
Deviled ham is ground ham mixed with spicy seasonings, such as chili peppers, cayenne peppers, or mustard. The William Underwood Company, founded in Boston in 1822, found success providing canned foods to the U.S. Army during the Civil War and to settlers who needed long-lasting food products for their trip west.
Is it Deviled Egg or Devilled egg? ›
Deviled is the accepted spelling in the United States and Canada for an adjective describing food that is seasoned with horseradish, mustard, paprika or pepper to impart a strong flavor. In other English-speaking countries, the spelling is devilled.
Why are deviled eggs lumpy? ›
The eggs may be overcooked or undercooked. Sometimes, hard-boiled eggs are impossible to peel, and fillings can turn out lumpy or gloopy with too much mayonnaise.
Why is it called a hard-boiled egg? ›
Hard-boiled is documented as being first used by Twain in 1886 as an adjective meaning "emotionally hardened." Apparently, Twain and others saw the boiling of an egg to harden the white and yolk as a metaphor for other kinds of hardening.
