Old Fashioned Deviled Eggs and Easter Egg Natural Dyeing

Happy April Fool’s Day! But today’s collection is no joke. Today I am sharing a bunch of things to get you ready for Easter Sunday … a recipe for Old Fashioned Deviled Eggs, how to cook the eggs on the stove and in an Instant Pot, and how to naturally dye your eggs if you want to try something different and fun!

Easter is right around the corner and will be here before we know it. I want to give you time to get everything you want gathered and ready to naturally dye your Easter eggs and the tools to cook them properly.

Many Americans celebrate Easter by hiding colorful hard boiled eggs either in the house or outside in the yard and having an egg hunt, and then everyone sits down to a large family dinner. The meal varies depending on our heritage and family traditions, but once dinner is over, we have to figure out what to do with all those hard cooked eggs! Of course, you can simply peel and eat them, but my two favorite ways to use them are in egg salad and making deviled eggs.

The biggest mistake people make when boiling eggs, is actually boiling them. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t boil hard-boiled eggs, you simmer them! There are two problems with boiling eggs. First, they bang into each other and crack the shells and second, the whites get tough and rubbery and the yolks dry out. Egg whites solidify at 180°F and water boils at 212°F. Keeping the water just below the boil allows them to come to temperature without overcooking for more tender eggs.

To help shrink the egg away from the shell, it is important to chill the eggs as soon as they are done. Place them in a bowl of water with ice cubes and leave them there until completely cool. Then store the eggs, unpeeled, in the refrigerator. When you are serving hard-boiled or deviled eggs, always keep them chilled until just before serving. And if you are outside, place the plate of eggs on top of a bed of ice to keep them as cool as possible.

If you want to learn more about optional ingredients and other information, there is a website dedicated just to deviled eggs! And if you are the kind of person who learns best by seeing things demonstrated, here is a video showing how to properly boil eggs on the stove.

Traditional deviled eggs are quite simple, but there are many variations if you want a change of pace. I have listed quite a few below, but if you want to, get creative and come up with your own combinations. I use a blend of half butter and half mayonnaise in mine. They are extra rich and creamy. But if you want to make them with only mayonnaise, that is fine. And I always use “light” mayonnaise. None of us need the extra fat and I promise you won’t miss it.

Egg salad is simply a blend of chopped hard cooked eggs with a little mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and if you like a bit of crunch, some minced celery. Old Fashioned Deviled Eggs are similar, but it is only the yolks that are blended with a little mustard and mayonnaise and then placed back into the center of the whites. What I never realized growing up was that hard cooked eggs didn’t have to be hard and rubbery with a green ring around the yolk. They can actually be tender and moist!

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Every grocery store at this time of the year has displays full of Easter egg coloring kits. These are little tablets of concentrated coloring that we dissolve in a blend of water and vinegar. But it can be fun to experiment with dyes made with items from nature. The Artist loves this method because he has done similar studies in art school, utilizing the same materials that artists have used for centuries to create paints. Check out the chart below the recipe and see how many colors you can create out of ordinary items.

Naturally dyed eggs have a matte finish. If you want them to shine, rub each one with a little oil and wipe off the excess. When you do this, they almost look like they are made from marble and have a lovely sheen. You will find the ingredient chart below the recipe.

Have a wonderful Easter and enjoy coloring eggs with your children, family, and friends. And if you have friends who raise chickens, they may be willing to share some naturally colored eggs with you! I hope you like the Old Fashioned Deviled Eggs recipe and that it becomes a tradition in your family like it is in mine!

Did you enjoy this article and recipe? Let me know in the comments, I love hearing from you!

 

 

How To Cook Eggs on the Stove:

Bring a pot of water to a low boil. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the eggs into the water until the bottom is filled with a single layer. Bring back to a boil then reduce the heat to hold the water at a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Then use the slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a large bowl of water with ice cubes and let soak until cool to the touch. To peel, gently roll the egg with the palm of your hand across the counter to break up the shell and make it easier to peel.

 

How To Cook Eggs in an Instant Pot:

Place a rack in the bottom of the inner pot of your 6-quart Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup of cold water. Set the eggs on the rack, stacking them if you want to cook more at once. Cook on High heat for 6 minutes, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then release the remaining pressure. Carefully remove the lid and transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill for 5 minutes. Perfect eggs every time!

 

Key Ingredients for Old Fashioned Deviled Eggs:

• Hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise, softened butter (optional)
• Spicy brown mustard, salt and freshly ground pepper, paprika

 

PRO Tip:

Whenever you are serving food, garnishes on the plates should be edible and have something to do with the recipe. In the case of deviled eggs, placing something on the top of the finished eggs will let your guests know what you have added. For example, if you mix chopped shrimp into the yolks, top the egg with a small bay shrimp. If you use dill, place a small sprig of dill on the top. If you are making several different styles on one tray, this helps your guests identify which is which.

 

How to make Old Fashioned Deviled Eggs:

1. Cook and cool the eggs, then peel and rinse under cool water; slice in half lengthwise and pop the yolks into a bowl
2. Mash the yolks with a fork until fairly smooth, then mix in the mayonnaise, butter (if using), mustard, salt, and pepper to taste until completely smooth
3. Transfer the yolk mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip or you can use two spoons to scoop the filling into the indentation in the whites; sprinkle with paprika, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve

 

PRO Tip:

If you have access to farm fresh eggs, there are hens that lay beautiful naturally colored eggs. They can come in shades of tan, green, and blue. Filling a basket with those is just as lovely as dyed eggs and there is no mess or smell from dying. If you can’t find those, decorating with a mix of white and brown eggs is also an option that I love. Add some brightly colored flowers to the baskets and the simplicity of the eggs is charming.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Saucepan or Instant Pot
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Platter
• Mixing bowls
• Piping bags
• Large piping tips

 

PRO Tip:

When you hard-boil eggs, the yolks are often close to the edge. This makes the white on that side very thin and easy to tear. There is a trick to getting the yolks to stay in the center of the whites. The night before you plan on cooking them cut the lid off the egg carton and set the eggs on their sides on top of the cups in the bottom half of the carton. The yolks tend to settle in the center and then if you carefully transfer them to the pan of water, they are more likely to have perfectly centered yolks when cooked. Another trick is to gently stir them often while they are cooking, helping to keep the yolks in the center.

The goal is to have the yolks perfectly centered in the cooked eggs, but if you wind up with the yolk closer to one edge you can roll the egg so that the thin part is on one side and slice through the egg at the thicker part. The thin part of the whites then will be on the bottom of the deviled eggs and easier to hide.

 

PRO Tip:

For the easiest peeling, gently roll the eggs on the counter under the palm of your hand, cracking them all over. Place them in a bowl of water and let sit for about 5 minutes. The water will work its way between the shell and egg, loosening it and making the eggs easier to peel. If you have any trouble, peel them under running water.

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

Hard-boiled eggs and egg salad are naturally gluten-free. Just be careful if you use any pre-mixed seasoning blends. They occasionally may have additives that can cause a reaction. And of course, if you are making egg salad sandwiches, be sure to use gluten-free bread. My favorite commercial brand is Canyon Bakehouse.

 

 

Variables and Additions to Old Fashioned Deviled Eggs:

• Mayonnaise and/or soft butter
• Prepared mustard (different types – Dijon, coarse, yellow, spicy brown, dry)
• Finely minced celery, bell peppers, onions, green onions, chives, or shallots
• Finely chopped olives (black or green) or sweet pickle relish
• Hot sauce, paprika, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce or prepared horseradish
• Finely minced cocktail (bay) shrimp or crab meat (canned is OK) with lemon juice
• Fresh herbs such as oregano, dill, parsley, or thyme
• Minced cooked bacon or Deviled Ham
• Black caviar

 

Natural Easter Egg Dyes

From: http://chemistry.about.com/od/holidayhowtos/a/eastereggdyes.htm

Rub the eggs with white vinegar to help the shell take up the dye. Try both fresh and frozen produce. Canned produce will produce much paler colors. Boiling the colors with vinegar will result in deeper colors. Some materials need to be boiled to impart their color (name followed by ‘boiled’ in the table). Some of the fruits, vegetables, and spices can be used cold. To use a cold material, cover the boiled eggs with water, add dyeing materials, a teaspoon or less of vinegar, and let the eggs remain in the refrigerator until the desired color is achieved. In most cases, the longer you leave Easter eggs in the dye, the more deeply colored they will become.

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in March 2012. The article was updated in 2022.