By Cami Glosz
The Egg Nutrition Center partnered with Cami Glosz, MS, RD to write this blog post.
Deviled eggs make a simple and delicious brunch dish or appetizer for a party or family gathering. While some people love the mayonnaise-egg yolk combo in traditional deviled eggs, many may prefer a lighter approach. That’s why I created these soft-boiled, deviled-ish eggs that have just a dollop of the deviled goodness. The jammy yolk provides a creamy center, while a variety of crunchy toppings, like quick-pickled shallots and green onions, round out the textures and flavor profile.
The inspiration for this recipe came from a combination of my endless quest to perfect my soft-boiled egg technique, along with my desire to lighten up classic deviled eggs. While the phrase ‘deviled eggs’ is said to have originated around 1800, as the verb ‘to devil’ typically meant to make something spicy, the deviled eggs we know today, using mayonnaise as the binder, weren’t popularized until the 1940’s. Deviled eggs may also be referred to as mimosa eggs, stuffed eggs, dressed eggs, or salad eggs.
So, how do you achieve the jammy texture of soft-boiled eggs? I like to start with boiling water, and then add the eggs in. Some recipes may have you start from cold water, but I have discovered that with this method, the eggs can turn out very differently based on your stove strength and type (gas vs. electric), the type of pot you use, and even the altitude where you live, which all have an effect on how quick the water comes to a boil.
Once you have your pot of boiling water, add a splash of white vinegar, which helps to prevent the egg from cracking in the water. Gently lower in the eggs, one at a time, using a slotted spoon. Then cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, while maintaining a gentle boil, and set a timer for 7 minutes. If the eggs are crowded in a pot, or you are making more than four eggs, then 7.5 minutes may be better. However, all stoves and pots may result in different timing, so you may need to remove and peel a “tester” egg to see if it has reached your desired consistency. You want the egg whites to be firm and set, while the yolk should be slightly runny with a jam-like consistency.
In my opinion, the most important step is the ice bath when the timer goes off. Prepare this ahead of time in a bowl and place it next to the stove so you can gently remove the eggs with the slotted spoon and immediately add to the ice bath. I find the best results come when the eggs are in the ice bath for 5 minutes or more. This stops the cooking process and makes it super easy to peel the eggs, as well.
If you would like to add a dollop of traditional deviled egg mixture on top of your jammy eggs, you’ll want to keep 1 or 2 eggs boiling in the water for 2 more minutes. Once boiled, peel the egg, slice in half, and scoop out the yolk and mix with mayonnaise, mustard, and paprika.
Get the full recipe for my jammy, deviled-ish eggs here!
