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Southern Deviled Eggs

Southern deviled eggs with creamy yolk filling made by boiling, ice-bathing, and mashing for a smooth, pipeable texture. Finished with paprika and fresh chives, then chilled for clean, slice-and-serve halves.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

12 large eggs
  • 12 large eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 0.5 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste
Paprika and fresh chives for garnish
  • 1 paprika for garnish
  • 1 fresh chives for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and chill the eggs
  1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Look for vigorous bubbling across the surface before moving to the next step.
  2. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and let the eggs stand 12 minutes. The egg whites should look set and the shells should be ready to peel.
  3. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath for 10 minutes to stop cooking and firm the yolks. You should see the eggs fully cool to the touch.
  4. Peel the eggs and halve them lengthwise, keeping the yolks in a single pile. The cut sides should be clean for easy filling.
Make the deviled filling
  1. Mash the yolks with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, white vinegar, and sugar until creamy. The mixture should be smooth with no visible yolk lumps.
  2. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste. The filling should taste balanced—savory with a slight tang.
  3. Pipe or spoon the filling into the egg white halves. Fill until the centers are mounded but not overflowing.
  4. Dust with paprika and scatter fresh chives on top, then chill until serving. For a firmer hold, the filling should look set and cool.

Notes

For the easiest peeling, fully cool the eggs in the ice bath before cutting. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended because the yolk texture can become grainy. For a lower-fat option, use light mayonnaise for a similar creamy filling with less richness.