Deviled egg poll: Traditional or gourmet?
Deviled egg season is upon us. Some people make their deviled eggs the same way every time, and maybe that’s the way their grandmother taught them to make it. The traditional Southern version typically is made with a little mayo, a little mustard, some pickle relish, salt and pepper and maybe a dash of paprika on top.
But eggs are so versatile that lots of folks have taken to dressing up their deviled eggs with fancier ingredients. I’m trying to get a sense as to how open folks are to a nontraditional deviled egg. If you’d take a moment to answer my poll question, I’d greatly appreciate it. Feel free to discuss!
March 19, 2013 - 7:09 AM
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I love the traditional deviled eggs but I also came up with an idea for a recipe which is my all time favorite. I got the idea from eating lox and bagels. To my egg mixture I’d add some whipped cream cheese instead of mayo. Then some finely minced red onion. Some finely minced smoked salmon. Mix well and fill the eggs. Then I’d top it with a few capers. It’s truly gourmet.
I am all for playing with versions. I surly hope you will post some of the fancier versions here for all of us to get ideas from.
We like our deviled eggs the traditional way, but I’m willing to try other ways. My husband, not so much. I love chopping up boiled eggs and pimento filled olives, combining them with a little mayo, a little mustard and some fresh parsley, then using it as a spread on toast, english muffins, etc. ( This would also work in deviled eggs.) The hubs hates it. Even though he’s not adventurous, he makes short work of traditional deviled eggs!
My husband is always trying to fancy things up! Me, not so much. But when he suggested adding a little horseradish to deviled eggs, I was skeptical and then surprised. Not bad! I still prefer them simple, old-fashioned. But there are options…
I tend to meet halfway. I’ll use traditional ingredients, more or less, but substitute a Dijon or a Dusseldorf mustard. I’ve been known to use finely chopped, de-seeded pickled okra or nonpareil capers instead of relish. And I will use a dash of cayenne, or smoked Spanish paprika, over the sweet paprika most traditionally used. I’ve been known to slip some Stilton cheese into the mixture, as well.
I love the traditional deviled eggs, but I’m open to new twists.
I love them all ways. Last time i made them I added some siracha to the mix and everyone liked it
I love dressing up deviled eggs! I have added bleu cheese crumbles, wasabi, and horseradish mayo in different versions and they were all divine!
A former co-worker brought some deviled eggs to work one time and she had used ranch dressing instead of mayo. They were really good. She said the recipe called for salad dressing, and that was the only kind she could think of that would be good in the eggs. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that “salad dressing” meant Miracle Whip.
I’ve alway loved deviled eggs, traditional or otherwise. I found a recipe last summer that gives them a bit of a kick with minced pickled jalapenos. These are now my favorite, but I won’t pass up others when offered
Personally I just like mayo, mustard, salt, pepper and paprika.
I’m not a huge fan of deviled eggs, to be clear. However, they are one of those quintessential ‘comfort foods’ that should not be trifled with ‘too’ much. Since the list of ingredients is short initially, there should only be one or two possible changes made to the list.
To me, trying to make deviled eggs ‘fancy’ is like trying to make a hamburger ‘fancy’. Truffles on a hamburger is stupid. So are pretentious ingredients on other simplistic foods like Mac-N-Cheese or… deviled eggs. Make a couple of changes/additions, nothing more. Otherwise – this is the ESSENCE – otherwise you lose the whole concept of deviled eggs.
I love the traditional style, but last July 4 I was inspired by a recipe I found online for pimiento cheese deviled eggs. Pimiento cheese is one of my all time favorite foods, so it seemed like an awesome pairing. They turned out delicious! I’ll keep the recipe for the next time I feel like branching out, but it is hard to veer from the classic.
Pimiento cheese deviled eggs: http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/12/meatless-monday-pimento-cheese-deviled-eggs.html
I made some deviled eggs last weekend and used a different twist I gleened from Sandra Lee, it used the traditional filling, but topping was crumbled bacon and green onions…it was great!
Eastern Shore Deviled Eggs – Instead of Paprika sprinkle Old Bay Seafood Seasoning.
THE OLD FASHION WAY IS BEST,SEE THAT WE LIVE IN THE SOUTH,HOWEVER I WOULD ADD A TEASPOON OF VINAGAR OR BEAT JUICE WITH A PINCH OF GARLIC AND A DASH OF RED PEPPER,I CALL THEM PENTECOSTAL EGGS!!!!!!
I like the traditional recipe, but will often sub the chopped green pimento stuffed olive in for the pickle relish. Fact is, though, my wife makes most of the deviled eggs around here, traditional recipe, always great. I have had more “not so great” experiences with gourmet deviled eggs than with traditional, but I have had good and really bad from both categories. I will say this, though, if they serve it at the local church supper, it’s probably good!
I like to mix in some crab….but whether or not I include the crustacean, I always shake a little Old Bay on top instead of paprika.
I like traditional but no relish… Miracle Whip, yellow mustard and I add a little rice vinegar and a pinch of powdered sugar to sweeten them up a bit. Yum… I think I will make some for dinner tonight!
These are all great comments. Although I’m a traditional deviled egg gal myself (I make mine with Duke’s, yellow mustard, pickle relish, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar) the gourmet versions described here sound delicious. I wouldn’t turn any of them down!
The poll’s been looking interesting throughout the day. I’m going to leave it up this week and we’ll see how it shakes out.
Miracle Whip? Its only Dukes for me.
Whenever I make deviled eggs, no matter how many I make, they are always gone. I can provide testimonials! Start with traditional and add one “secret” ingredient. A very small dollup of anchovy paste will fire up any deviled egg recipe. You don’t want to taste the anchovy, mix it in until it is barely in the backround. When you let them set in the fridge for an hour or two, the flavors meld, and WOW! Try it, you will get rave reviews everytime, from folks who don’t even like anchovies.
Lindsey, for me, Hellman’s trumps Duke, despite the HQ of each product. My heart is in the Ole South, but my stomach prefer Hellmans. Dukes seems to be a little (too much) stronger in vinegar than Hellmans.
I ‘want’ Dukes to be my favorite, but I like Hellmans more. The texture and taste is preferable to that of Dukes. If I could switch it, I would, trust me. That’s a big thing with me. I really, REALLY wish it were the opposite.
Don’t even talk to me about Kraft. I might get crazy, and we all know what that means. A total ghostbusters moment. Dogs & cats, and all that ensues…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S4cldkdCjE
I saw Anne Burrell on the Food Network this weekend, making deviled eggs with truffles for a party. She made the comment that some people look down on deviled eggs as too simple, but they are always the first things to go at gatherings.
I love pimiento cheese, Rebecca. I’ll have to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing it..
I’m soooo stealing Eddie’s idea. That sounds yummy.
I add curry powder to the mayo and leave out the mustard, and they are dead good that way.
I *love* deviled eggs. I can eat the heck out of them.
I like simple eggs with mayo, a little cider vinegar (splash, barely any), salt, pepper, paprika. Done, and done.
My grandma used to mix relish in. That wasn’t so bad either.
I really want deviled eggs now… Sigh
Debbie, I feel the same about pigs in blankets. They can be dressed up and down, and are the first things gone at a party.
I prefer simple, but I will upgrade those ingredients. Mayo for sure, but spicy brown mustard instead of yellow. I season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and instead of paprika I use a bit of chili powder. With that and the brown mustard, it gives them that little bit of “hmmm, what’s that?” First time I made them that way was because I was out of the yellow mustard and paprika. I made 40 egg halves for a birthday party and they were gobbled up within the first ten minutes.
I personally don’t care for the texture of relish in my eggs, but I may add a bit of pickle juice to the mix for moisture if needed.
how about a little local competion. bring your best eggs and lets have a showdown. maybe raise some money for the spca or another chairity. have a couple of guest judges and crown a winner.
I like them the “regular” way, but I love to try new stuff. Some of the ideas here are awesome.
BTW, How did “deviled” eggs get their name?
How about adding a little Mexican flavor. Mix a little sour cream and chili powder with a little mayo, then add some diced green chili’s.
I always wonder why people like crooked road will even bother commenting when they don’t even like deviled eggs. Then they comment on how stupid it is to fancy different dishes up. I’ve had gourmet burgers, lobster Mac n cheese and as Brenden commented even deviled eggs with crab. Yum!
WOW… all of these different recipes sound delicious. I can’t wait to try them all. I’m a little “iffy” on the sugar, though???
Oooh, Debbie, I like the way your mind works! Will have to try with sour cream, chili powder & diced green chilies! Thanks for the idea!
Kim, the sugar in my recipe is only a pinch and it doesn’t make them taste sweet. To me, it just brings out the other flavors a little bit.
Both! I love my wife’s traditional deviled eggs, but I like making them with other ingredients as well. Chipotles in adobo, Sriracha, curry, smoked salmon, balsamic, etc. These are all sorts of combinations that I enjoy. Not at the same time, but individually.
Also check this out. Very timely!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/emofly/unexpected-deviled-eggs-flavors
i love deviled eggs, sometime i add paprika makes a good difference.
Lindsey, mine have to be made with Duke’s and a pinch of sugar, too. Anything else just wouldn’t respect my deviled eggs! Sorry, couldn’t resist stealing the line from the Duke’s commercial and changing it to suit the food!
Debbie, I had a house made pimento cheese last night out of town that was to die for. I love it, but usually it looks like a bag of shredded cheddar mixed with mayo and then pimentos stirred in. This was very pink, spicy, and creamy…as though they’d put the pimentos, mayo, and a little hot sauce and puréed it in the food processor before adding some the cheese and quickly pulsing. It was killer, and I’m definitely going to try to reproduce it.
Yum, Kristen. I love jalapeno pimento cheese too.
It looks like keeping it simple has won this deviled egg poll, although a healthy number of voters said they don’t mind the idea of making deviled eggs more sophisticated than the traditional version. Check out my Front Burner column in Wednesday’s Extra for more information about this humble yet beloved dish and for some great fancy deviled egg recipes and tips!
Kristen, I was at my mom’s house one day and saw a container of pimento cheese in her fridge. I looked at the ingredients and nothing in it was natural except the pimentos. I don’t remember what brand it was, but the cheese wasn’t even real. It was sickening. I told her to please buy real cheddar cheese and make her own. It’s not difficult and at least she would know what she was really eating.
Looking forward to it, Lindsey. I have no problem with jazzing things up sometimes.
On a different note, the pimento cheese fritters from Metro are heavenly!
Kristen and Debbie: We share similar tastebuds. I love my pimiento cheese to have a little kick. I add crushed red pepper to mine.
One other thing that makes a huge difference in my opinion is shredding your own cheese from a block instead of buying it pre-shredded. I don’t think the pre-shredded stuff mixes in as well. The texture of freshly shredded cheese makes it all really come together for me.
Also: Pimiento or pimento? I’ve seen it both ways. I usually see the actually pepper spelled “pimiento,” so I tend to go with that. Oh well, it’s all delicious.
I think the last pimento cheese recipe I made was out of Joy of Cooking. I used my food processor and it turned out as Kristen described above. As I recall, the recipe was shredded cheddar, cayenne, S&P, mayo and some lemon juice (I can’t be sure on that last one). I brought some to work and used our panini press to make sandwiches with pimento cheese, bacon & tomato. YUM!
It’s mostly spelled “pimiento” if you’re talking about the sweet peppers that go in pimiento cheese. A “pimento” is a tree that grows allspice, but I think you can get away with either spelling for pimiento cheese, as you said, Rebecca.
I totally agree that shredding cheese from a block achieves a different result than pre-shredded cheese. I am the queen of using pre-shredded cheese but I recently used freshly shredded cheese in some recipes and realized it is better. My mother ALWAYS grated her own cheese and I think she still does. I believe it delivers a stronger cheese flavor, but maybe it’s just my imagination.
Pimiento is the correct spelling, and pimento is the Americanized spelling. If you want to respect the heritage, you include the ‘i’, if you want to Americanize and bland it down, you eliminate the ‘i’.
Same theory as wrongly pronouncing the sandwich ‘Jie-Roe’ instead of the proper ‘Yee-Roe’.
Lindsey and Rebecca, interesting on the pre-shredded v. freshly shredded. I always used pre-shredded for pimento cheese mix, but I have to shred for fondue because I can’t find shredded Swiss or gruyere in a bag and had no choice. The shreds are much smaller and more tender, as opposed to the bags of shredded when they seem like slightly hard little rectangles.
And this weekend I found bags of mixed Swiss and Gruyere shredded at TJs. I don’t mind shredding except that I usually end up shredding my knuckles. :/
I always shred the cheese too, and occasionally use diced up roasted red pepper instead of pimientos/pimentos. As for the spelling, I don’t sweat the small stuff as Crooked Road seems to.
I do know how to properly pronounce gyros.
l’d love to know how Metro makes their pimento (their spelling) cheese fritters. The outside was so perfectly crisp, and the cheese inside, delicious with a little bit of a spicy kick.
A little bit of heaven on a plate. http://deuxmaisons.com/2011/09/06/pimento-cheese-fritters/
Southern Living magazine had a colorful idea for deviled eggs. Devil ones that have been soaked in pickled beet juice.
Here’s an interesting tidbit on the “To Shread or Not To Shread” Topic:
(I knew there was a reason I prefer block cheese)!
1. Pre-shredded cheese costs more than a block of cheese.
2. You can get almost 4 C. of shredded cheese if you shred an 8 oz. block yourself, but if you buy an 8oz. bag, you only get 2 C.
3. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t taste as good or melt as good as a block of cheese you grate yourself.
4. As soon as you shred cheese, it begins to lose nutritional value.
5. If you store a block of cheese in aluminum foil in the refrigerator, (no plastic) it will last for weeks – as opposed to a bag of pre-shredded that only lasts 3-5 days.
6. PRE-SHREDDED CHEESE HAS AN INGREDIENT: CELLULOSE……… A NON-CAKING AGENT THAT IS IN A LOT OF FOOD – THAT IS MADE FROM WOOD PULP – BASICALLY COATED IN SAWDUST………
Cellulose is found in plants as microfibrils. These form the structurally strong framework in the cell walls. Cellulose is mostly prepared from wood pulp.
Salemite, that is all very interesting information. Where did you come across it? I have always wondered whether shredded cheese in the store actually comes from a block or is somehow formed into shreds at the factory. Whatever the case, the shreds are harder and waxier than freshly shredded cheese.
The only part of that info that sounds off to me is #5. I have found that shredded cheese lasts forever in the refrigerator. Of course, so does a block of cheese and you can just trim off any mold that forms on a block.
I don’t understand the “nutritional value” part. On the other hand, I’m pretty sure I’m not eating pimento cheese for it’s “nutritional value”.
Plus 1, Kristen. Cheese has calcium, but I think that’s the only nutritional thing it has going for it. I know dietitians aren’t real big on it.
Debbie, cheese is pretty much my fav food group, along with pasta, sushi, and shellfish. Can’t live forever! We’re sticking a couple pimento cheese and ham sammies in the Foreman grill tonight, nutritionists be damned.
Lindsey, I searched online for articles, I think it was somewhere in this one, but I don’t remember exactly:
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com
There seems to be quite the lively debate going on about this on the web…interesting!
There are additives and chemicals in shredded cheese. Cellulose is added to many of our foods, including shredded cheese. One disturbing point I read was that it is added to boost our fiber…great!
For me, I will stick to being able to control any added chemicals and additives to my food; so I will always buy block and grate.
It seems like a no-brainer.
I like the way you think, Kristen!
I’m certainly rethinking my use of shredded cheese. It doesn’t take that long to shred cheese if you have the right tools.
Lindsey, if it’s just going to be melted I don’t think it matters, but if you’re going to eat the actual shreds, freshly shredded is probably a lot better. Plus it increases your cheese options.
I used to buy pre-shredded cheddar all the time until I realized the difference in the cost between blocks of cheese & the pre-shredded. The only pre-shredded cheese I buy now is mozzarella for use on pizza or pasta dishes. I do find that the freshly shredded tastes better. Whenever I have a recipe that calls for shredded cheese, I give that job to my husband! He learned a good trick from a co-worker for shredding cheese – spray the side of the box grater that you are using with Pam and the cheese will shred easier and the grater washes easier as well.