The Best Deviled Eggs Are Sous Vide Deviled Eggs
To understand the exquisite texture of a sous vide hard-boiled egg, you've really got to taste the dang thing. If a hard-boiled egg is sparkling grape juice, a sous vide hard-boiled egg is a just-popped Pol Roger. If a hard-boiled egg is a tin of StarKist, a sous vide hard-boiled egg is a garnet lobe of tuna belly from the bar at Shuko. If a hard-boiled egg is the guy who played Nathan from Guys and Dolls in the recent Broadway revue at your neighborhood cultural center, a sous vide hard-boiled egg is Denzel as Troy in Fences, stretching the limits of his craft to unveil new truths about the human condition.
Okay, none of those examples showcases the sort of subtle difference that separates a traditional hard-boiled egg from the Joule-cooked equivalent. But the point is, our friends at ChefSteps could sit here all day trying to describe the difference to you, but if you really want to get it, you have to show up for it. Just fire up your Joule, pop in an egg and wait 15 minutes. Then you'll see what they mean.
(Fifteen minutes later...)
Wait, so you really did it? You made a sous vide hard-boiled egg? Man, you are so cool. So, like, now do you see what we mean? Isn't it good? Don't you want to make creamy, smoky, chef-level deviled eggs with it and 11 of its best buds? Well, then, let's do this.
[Editor's note: ChefSteps cooks sous vide with the Joule, a tool created by its in-house team of chefs, designers, and engineers. Joule is a Wi-Fi-connected device that you control with your smartphone. For more, check out Food Republic's independent review of the device.]FAQ'sWhat is so great about sous vide eggs? Try to explain it to me.
A few things. One, you can achieve textures with sous vide eggs that you could never get with traditionally cooked ones. Think decadently creamy yolks and tender whites with just a little bit of pull. Two, you can dial in times and temps to get the exact yolks and whites you want.
Okay, but what about hard-boiled eggs specifically?
The main improvement is textural — the creamy yolks have none of that chalkiness that often plagues boiled eggs. But another bonus is that you never get that grey, sulfurous ring in the white—meaning the flavor remains sweet and fresh.
Guys. Sunday brunch is in one hour and I don't have any piping bags.
Grab a ziplock-style bag and stuff your filling up in there. Then slice off one corner and pipe filling into the hard-boiled egg whites with that.
Sous Vide Deviled Eggs
Servings: Appetizers for 8
Ingredients
12 large eggs
Pickled onions, optional, to garnish
Ice water, for ice bath, as needed
4 ½ ounces crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
Smoked (or regular) paprika, optional, to garnish, as needed
Fresh herbs, as needed
Directions:
Make pickled onions (optional, for garnish).
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