Perfect Easy-To-Peel Hard Boiled Eggs & Deviled Eggs Recipe (with some help from my Pressure Cooker)

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday, as we did. I think I've burned myself out with my all the sugar and carbs that crossed my lips. I'm ready to get back to healthier dinner fare with a lot more vegetables and fruits, that's for sure!  That plan might have to wait until after New Year's Eve, however. The last day of 2014 will be our last chance to party a bit more, and enjoy appetizers and champagne. So here's an appetizer that is sure to please your guests, and I've got some great tips to share.

Every Christmas Eve, my mother always made a tray of deviled eggs.  They always looked perfect.  I never quite got the knack of making them the way that she did.  I tried the ice bath trick, but most of my egg shells would stick, and my eggs looked like a cat's claws peeled them. They weren't a pretty sight.

Last Easter,  I discovered a really cool way to cook eggs in my pressure cooker on Frieda's blog "Frieda Loves Bread". (Incidentally, if you don't own a pressure cooker, America's Test Kitchen has a stovetop technique that works great, and I'll provide those directions as well.)

Since using her technique, this the only way that I cook hard boiled eggs.  It's fool-proof, as I've done this more than once.  I like that I don't have to babysit the pot, on the stove.  Frieda's suggestion that I use the cardboard egg carton to prevent any of the eggs from breaking is absolutely brilliant!  So far, not one egg has broken.

In my pressure cooker, I place a trivet and then add one cup of water.  I cut the cardboard egg carton to fit inside my pressure cooker (mine is an 8-quart oval shape, so I can hold up to 15 eggs).  NOTE: Sadly this particular model of pressure cooker is no longer made and I dread the day it might actually break. (I perish the thought.)

Place the lid on the pressure cooker, lock it and set the pressure to HIGH for  6 minutes.  Release the pressure and immediately place the cooked eggs in an ice bath (use tongs, as they are HOT!)

If you don't own a pressure cooker, here's how to cook perfect hard boiled eggs on the stove:
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 sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray of ice cubes (or equivalent). Transfer eggs to ice water bath with slotted spoon; let sit 5 minutes. Peel and use as desired. (Source: America's Test Kitchen, Season 1)

To peel the eggs, I give a gentle "smack" on the bottom, then roll them around on my counter.  Here's what I've never tried before, and it works!  Peel the eggs under a slow stream of cold water.  Not one single egg was mangled! Thanks, Frieda, for the great egg cooking tips!

To make the deviled egg filling, I had an idea.  What if I use my potato ricer instead of a masher or forks? Would it work?

The answer is "yes"!   There are so many variations in making deviled eggs.  For mine,  I use mayonnaise, being careful to start with a little bit-- adding a little more, until it's creamy but not dripping in mayonnaise.  I season the egg filling with salt and pepper, to taste.  Sometimes I add a small pinch of curry (about 1/8 tsp), but sometimes I leave it out.

To kick the flavor up a bit, I add a dollop of mustard-- either yellow or brown and a dash of white wine vinegar.  Mix it up, and the potato ricer yields  a nice creamy filling without a bunch of lumps! From now on,  the potato ricer technique is also going to become my way of making the filling.   I like to use a piping bag, with a large star tip to fill each egg with the filling.  (You can always use a zip-loc bag, with a small corner cut off, if you don't have a piping bag.)

To garnish the deviled eggs, I sliced some cornichons and dusted these with paprika, for color.   Capers, or sprigs of dill or parsley are nice, too.

This egg tray dates back to the '60's and holds many wonderful memories of my Mutti's deviled eggs.  I set two trays of these eggs out on Christmas Eve. They were the first appetizers to be devoured by my guests.   Once the eggs had cooled in the ice bath, it only took about 20 minutes for me to make the deviled eggs, from start to finish, too! I love that.

Pressure cooking eggs along with potatoes is a clever way to make Classic American Potato Salad, too. 

TASTING NOTES:  Perfectly cook eggs... success! Creamy filling with a slight acidic bite from the vinegar... delicious.  I hope you enjoy these tips and that you can make perfectly cook eggs the way I can now!

Thank you for making my 2014 year of food blogging such a rewarding one.

Happy New Year!

 

Here's the printable recipe card: