Pioneer Woman deviled eggs from The Pioneer Woman site fill halved hard-boiled eggs with a mashed yolk mixture of mayo, mustard, and dill pickle juice. And the recipe makes 24 halves for 6 to 8 servings at approximately 150 calories each in just 15 minutes, since the eggs are already boiled before you start.
What sets this version apart is the 2 teaspoons of dill pickle juice stirred into the filling instead of vinegar or relish. So the yolks pick up a tangy brightness without any chunky bits, which keeps the piped filling smooth and easy to squeeze from the bag.
Mashing the yolks thoroughly with a fork before adding the wet ingredients is what makes or breaks the texture. And if you stir everything together while the yolks are still in large crumbles, the filling pipes unevenly and the chunks clog the corner of the bag.
Source: The Pioneer Woman (thepioneerwoman.com)
Pioneer Woman Deviled Eggs
Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes150
kcalPeeled hard-boiled eggs get halved and their yolks mashed smooth with mayo, yellow mustard, pickle juice, salt, pepper, and optional hot sauce. Then the filling pipes from a snipped zip-top bag back into the whites before a sprinkle of paprika finishes each one.
Ingredients
- For the filling:
12 whole hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons dill pickle juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Hot sauce (optional)
- For garnish:
Ground paprika, for sprinkling
Chopped chives (optional)
Directions
- Peel and halve the eggs: Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise and pop the yolks into a bowl.
- Mash the yolks: Then mash them thoroughly with a fork until no large crumbles remain.
- Mix the filling: Once smooth, add the mayo, mustard, pickle juice, salt, pepper, and a few drops of hot sauce if using.
- Stir until smooth: Then stir until the mixture is mostly smooth and well combined.
- Fill the piping bag: Once mixed, spoon the filling into a zip-top plastic bag and snip 1/4 inch off one bottom corner.
- Pipe into the whites: Then pipe the filling evenly into each egg white half.
- Garnish and chill: Once filled, sprinkle with paprika and store in an airtight container in the fridge until serving.
- Serve: Then top with chives and extra hot sauce if you like.
FAQs
What is the best way to boil eggs for deviled eggs?
The source page recommends lowering eggs into already boiling water with a slotted spoon, then covering and simmering for 10 minutes. And plunging them into ice water immediately after stops the cooking and makes the shells peel much more cleanly.
But avoid starting eggs in cold water and bringing them up to a boil, because the timing becomes inconsistent depending on your pot size. And overcooked yolks turn gray-green around the edges, which makes the mashed filling look dull instead of bright yellow.
Can I make deviled eggs ahead of time?
The source page says you can boil and peel the eggs up to 3 days ahead, and assemble the filled halves up to 24 hours before serving. So they are one of the easiest make-ahead appetizers for a cookout or holiday spread.
But do not add the paprika garnish until right before serving, because the moisture from the filling dissolves the powder and it bleeds into the surface. And store them in a single layer in a sealed container so the piped tops do not flatten against each other.
What can I use instead of dill pickle juice?
Pickled jalapeño juice swaps in directly and adds heat along with the tang, which the source page suggests for an extra kick. And white vinegar works too, though it tastes sharper than pickle juice since it lacks the dill and garlic notes.
But sweet pickle juice changes the flavor profile from tangy to sweet, so use it only if you want a sweeter filling. And start with 1 teaspoon of any substitute, then taste before adding more, because the acidity varies between brands.
How long can deviled eggs sit out at a party?
The source page says no more than 2 hours at room temperature, or just 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Since mayo-based fillings are a food safety concern, set the platter on a bed of ice if you are serving outdoors.
And bring only half the batch out at a time, keeping the rest chilled in the fridge until the first round runs out. For a full Pioneer Woman cookout spread, pair these with the pioneer woman sloppy joes and keep the same 2-hour rule for any dish sitting in the heat.
What other variations can I try?
The source page suggests stirring in dill relish or sweet pickle relish for texture, and fresh chopped dill for a spring version. And horseradish deviled eggs topped with crushed barbecue chips are another variation mentioned on the page.
But once you have the base filling down, the same mash-and-pipe technique works with almost any add-in you like. And for another Pioneer Woman recipe that relies on a simple mayo-mustard base, the tangy glaze on the pioneer woman cheeseburger meatloaf uses the same ketchup-mustard pairing that complements eggs just as well as beef.
