Deviled eggs are one of those foods nobody admits to getting excited about until somebody puts a tray of them on the table.
Then suddenly everyone's standing around the kitchen eating six of them and pretending they only had two.
We're not here to reinvent the deviled egg. It doesn't need reinventing. We're just giving it a little help from The Right Hand Rub—because that's what a good right hand does.
A little savory. A little smoky. A little tangy. And dangerously easy to eat while you're supposedly making them for everyone else.
What You'll Need
Makes 12 deviled egg halves
- 6 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dill pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill pickles
- 1 teaspoon The Right Hand Rub
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Black pepper to taste
- The Right Hand Rub, for finishing
Optional toppings: crumbled bacon, chopped chives, thinly sliced jalapeño, or whatever else causes an argument at the cookout.
Let's Get Cracking
1. Cook the eggs.
Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, remove from the heat, cover, and let the eggs sit for about 15 minutes.
Transfer them immediately to an ice bath and let them cool completely.
2. Do the dirty work.
Peel the eggs and slice them lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks and place them in a bowl.
Try not to destroy the whites.
Nobody likes an ugly deviled egg.
We still eat them. We just judge them first.
3. Make the filling.
Mash the yolks with the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, pickle juice, chopped pickles, Worcestershire sauce, and The Right Hand Rub.
Mix until creamy.
Taste it.
This is important. Mostly because you're the one standing next to the bowl.
Add a little more mayo if it needs to loosen up or another pinch of The Right Hand Rub if it needs more attitude.
4. Fill 'em up.
Spoon the filling back into the egg whites—or use a piping bag if company is coming and suddenly appearances matter.
5. Finish the job.
Give the tops a light dusting of The Right Hand Rub.
Add bacon, chives, jalapeño, or leave them alone.
Then put them in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. Keep them chilled, especially if they're headed outside for a cookout.
Or eat one over the sink.
We don't make the rules.
Smoke Notes
Want to take these a little further?
After the eggs are hard-boiled and peeled, put them on a smoker at a low temperature for a short smoke before slicing them open. The whites will pick up some smoke and color without turning the entire recipe into an all-day project.
We'll be experimenting with this version too.
Because apparently regular deviled eggs weren't enough work.
Worth Repeating?
That's the whole point.
Simple enough for a Tuesday. Good enough for the cookout. And familiar enough that nobody asks what you did differently until they've already eaten three.
The Right Hand Rub isn't here to turn a deviled egg into something it isn't.
It's just here to lend a hand.
Rub Responsibly.
—D. “Smoke” Sparks