Are you looking for a delicious and easy-to-make recipe for your next potluck or cookout? These southern deviled eggs topped with bacon will be a crowd favorite! Perfect for a keto-friendly snack too.
Do you love a good deviled egg?
Me too!
In fact, my husband and I love ordering them at any restaurant that serves them just to see how different chefs add special touches to take them to a new level.
One of our favorites was a deviled egg recipe that included horseradish so I made and shared my copycat version.
If you’re anything like me, then you agree almost everything is better with bacon!
These southern-style deviled eggs with bacon are gonna knock your socks off.
Not to mention, I’m diving deep into all things deviled egg and sharing everything you need to know about making, storing, topping, transporting, and serving them.
Let’s go!
- What Are Deviled Eggs?
- What’s the Best Way to Hard Boil Eggs?
- Why Should You Put Hard-Boiled Eggs in an Ice Bath?
- What’s The Best Way to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs?
- How Many Deviled Eggs Should You Make?
- Can You Make Deviled Eggs In Advance?
- What’s The Best Way to Store Leftover Deviled Eggs?
- What Can You Do With Leftover Southern Deviled Eggs?
- What Do I Need to Make Southern Deviled Eggs?
- What Are Some Other Garnishes or Toppings for Southern Deviled Eggs?
- How Do You Get Southern Deviled Egg Filling Smooth?
- The Easiest Way to Pipe Filling Into Deviled Eggs!
- What’s the Best Way to Transport Deviled Eggs?
- Shopping Links and Resources
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What Are Deviled Eggs?
Deviled eggs are the quintessential appetizer and side dish at almost every spring and summer cookout!
They’re made from hard-boiled eggs, with the yolks scooped out and jazzed up.
Classic deviled egg filling has mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and some seasonings blended into the yolks.
These simple finger foods can be traced all the way back to ancient Rome! You can learn all about their history from the NC Egg Association here.
The term “devil” is a British culinary term from the mid-1700s that meant making something spicy.
During the time of the Puritans, many people started calling them stuffed eggs, dressed eggs, or salad eggs.
No matter what you call them, they’re delicious!
What’s the Best Way to Hard Boil Eggs?
There are three popular ways to cook hard-boiled eggs, and only one of them uses boiling water!
Over the years I’ve tried all three, but one is a clear winner for me because the eggs are so easy to peel.
1. Oven Method to Hard Boil Eggs
This method is super easy, but it also takes the longest.
Simply place an egg in each cup of a muffin tin, and bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
Immediately transfer the eggs from the muffin tins to an ice bath, then peel as usual.
2. Stove Top Method to Hard Boil Eggs
Growing up, this was the way my mom always made hard-boiled eggs on the stove.
Simply place the eggs in a saucepan and fill it with enough cold water to cover the eggs, plus about an inch more.
Heat the water to boiling over medium-high heat, then remove the pan from the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 8-10 minutes.
I prefer the yolks a little less done so they don’t get crumbly so I do 8 minutes.
Then, either drain the water and add cold water and ice or transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water.
This method can be a little tricky though!
Too much water will make the water take longer to boil and can cause the eggs to be overcooked.
Too little water means some of the eggs will be exposed and may end up undercooked.
And if you put too many eggs in the pot, they won’t cook evenly.
Which is why my favorite way to make hard-boiled eggs is the third option.
3. Instant Pot Method to Hard Boil Eggs
From the first time I peeled a hard-boiled egg that was cooked in an Instant Pot I was sold!
Not only is this method the fastest way to boil eggs, but the eggs peel like a dream.
Simply place the eggs on the steaming rack or in a steaming basket like this one.
Add one cup of water to the pot.
Put the lid on and seal it, then set the manual timer to 5 minutes.
When the timer completes, let it sit for 1-3 minutes, depending on how firm you like the yolk, then quick release the rest of the pressure.
Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
Why Should You Put Hard-Boiled Eggs in an Ice Bath?
Have you ever had a hard-boiled egg with a dark green ring around the outside of the yolk?
It probably smelled really strong.
And the yolk was dry and crumbly.
Then you’ve had an overcooked egg.
Their flavor is strong and sulfury too.
The key to the perfect hard-boiled egg is not just cooking it for the right amount of time.
It’s important to stop the egg from cooking too!
Even though you remove an egg from the heat source, it continues cooking while it cools down.
You can stop that cooking process quickly by placing the eggs in an ice bath.
Delicious deviled eggs start when you boil them!
What’s The Best Way to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs?
Did you know that hard-boiled eggs are actually steamed instead of boiled in an Instant Pot?
The steaming process makes them so much easier to peel!
In fact, I can often peel them with just one hand and the shell comes off in just two or three pieces.
Score!
There are lots of different ways to peel hard-boiled eggs.
Some people like to shake them all together in the pot after they cool down to get them all cracked at once.
I prefer doing them one at a time.
First I tap the pointiest end. Then I tap the round bottom end. Next, I roll the side of the egg on a paper towel.
Getting the shell well-cracked really helps it peel easily!
Most eggs have an air bubble at the top of the egg, and if you start peeling it there, you break through the membrane and the rest of the shell just pulls away.
Another trick to make your eggs peel more easily is to use older eggs. It’s a chemistry thing about the pH level of the egg whites.
So either buy eggs that are getting close to their sell-by date or let them sit in your fridge until closer to the sell-by date before boiling them.
How Many Deviled Eggs Should You Make?
The general rule of thumb is to make 2-3 deviled eggs per person or 1 to 1-1/2 eggs.
But.
If you want to make your plate as pretty as possible, you may want to cook a few extras.
One of the nice things about cooking eggs in the Instant Pot is they don’t bang into each other and crack while boiling.
However, sometimes eggs have hairline fractures in the shells and they’ll crack a little from the pressure leaving you with a wonky-looking egg.
Sometimes eggs don’t peel perfectly, despite all your efforts.
By cooking some extra eggs you can be choosy about which ones you serve.
You can chop the ones that don’t make the cut and serve them over a salad, or make them into egg salad!
I prefer deviled eggs that have a little more filling, so I use one extra yolk for every 6 whole eggs.
Can You Make Deviled Eggs In Advance?
Can you make deviled eggs in advance? Yes, and no.
Deviled eggs don’t look great after they’ve been in the fridge overnight.
Case in point:
But don’t despair! You can still make deviled eggs a day or two before you serve them!
Just wait to assemble them.
Store the egg whites in the fridge in one container.
Store the filling mixture in another container.
Prepare your garnishes and store them separately too.
Then fill the egg whites the day you’re serving them and put them back in the refrigerator with a lid that protects them.
However, always wait to garnish them just before serving.
The condensation from the moisture of the eggs will cause your garnishes to wilt in the refrigerator.
What’s The Best Way to Store Leftover Deviled Eggs?
Store deviled eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
They’ll be food-safe for 4 days, however, they’re not going to look as nice as when you served them (scroll up to see that picture if you missed it!)
The natural moisture in Hard-boiled eggs causes condensation when you store them in the refrigerator.
The condensation causes seasonings to look melted into the whites of the egg.
What Can You Do With Leftover Southern Deviled Eggs?
Just because the leftover deviled eggs don’t look as pretty doesn’t mean they don’t still taste amazing!
You can enjoy them as is for a quick snack or breakfast.
Or try slicing up the deviled egg and putting it on top of a green salad or in a wrap.
I love chopping up the leftover deviled eggs for a super easy and flavorful egg salad!
Here I’m enjoying it on toasted keto bread. But you can also scoop it with raw veggies or serve it over a bed of greens.
What Do I Need to Make Southern Deviled Eggs?
The first thing you need to make this Southern deviled egg recipe is pretty obvious: eggs! Preferably eggs close to their sell-by date for easier peeling.
To make the filling, you’ll also need:
- Mayonnaise (if you live in the South, then you know Duke’s is the only kind to use…) IYKYK
- Yellow mustard
- Dill pickle juice
- Sweetener (either a low-carb sweetener or sugar)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Butter
My secret ingredient to make my deviled egg filling extra creamy and delicious is butter.
In addition to flavor, it also helps the filling hold its shape longer when you pipe it into the egg whites.
The garnishes I use to make these bacony Southern deviled eggs are:
- Crispy cooked bacon
- Coarsely chopped whole peppercorns
- Smoked paprika
What Are Some Other Garnishes or Toppings for Southern Deviled Eggs?
You can have so much fun with the garnishes you use for this Southern deviled egg recipe!
I chose bacon, cracked pepper, and smoked paprika for a savory and smoky flavor profile with a little heat.
Some other options that would work beautifully with this filling are:
- Sliced pickled okra
- Sliced dill pickles
- Roasted red peppers (pimentos)
- Sliced green onion or chives
- Fresh parsley or dill
- Sweet Hungarian paprika
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Capers
- Sliced olives
This list is far from exhaustive! Get creative and have fun with the toppings.
How Do You Get Southern Deviled Egg Filling Smooth?
Have you ever had a deviled egg where the filling is a little lumpy?
Me too.
It still tastes good, but the texture is a little icky and it sure doesn’t look pretty!
Some people swear by using a mixer to get the yolks smooth, but my method is fail proof.
I press the yolks through a fine mesh sieve.
Yes, it takes a little extra time.
Maybe five extra minutes.
But the yolks are so fine that the filling becomes perfectly smooth.
The Easiest Way to Pipe Filling Into Deviled Eggs!
Sure, you can spoon the filling into the egg whites and it will taste amazing.
But if you want your deviled eggs to look eggstra special, take the time to pipe the filling.
It’s so much easier if you follow this simple trick!
Start with a tall drinking glass and either piping tip. The tips that work best are an open star tip or a large round (plain) tip.
If you happen to have disposable piping bags lying around, you can use one of those, or you can use a quart or gallon-sized zip-top bag.
Of course, you can use a regular pastry bag or a decorating gun if you have one too! This hack works great for pastry bags too.
Cut a hole in the bottom corner of the bag that’s just big enough for the piping tip to fit through, then place the tip into the tall drinking glass.
Fold the top of the bag over the rim of the glass to keep it open, then spoon the filling into the bag using a rubber spatula.
Take the bag out of the glass and make sure the filling will go through the top of the piping tip.
Use even pressure to pipe the filling into the wells of the egg whites.
If you have extra filling, just place the tip in the center of the filling of eggs that don’t have as much and add some more.
You can see the double filling bump in some of the eggs pictured above, however, once the garnishes are added on top no one will notice!
What’s the Best Way to Transport Deviled Eggs?
You have a few options to safely transport deviled eggs if you’re bringing them to a potluck or cookout.
To ensure the eggs look their absolute best, bring the egg whites in one container, the filling inside the piping bag, and the garnishes in individual containers.
If you’ve cooked the bacon in advance, be sure to crisp it up before using it as a garnish.
Then assemble the deviled eggs when you get there.
Another option is to use a specialized container that has wells to hold the eggs securely.
This wood tray is another attractive way to safely transport deviled eggs because it has a lid too.
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Southern Deviled Eggs with Bacon
These delicious and easy-to-make classic Southern deviled eggs are topped with bacon to transport them to a whole new level of yum! Perfect for any BBQ, potluck, cookout, or as delicious snack, these keto-friendly deviled eggs are sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
- 7 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon dill pickle juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Pyure sweetener*
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- dash hot sauce
- 4 strips of cooked bacon, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- smoked paprika
Instructions
- Place eggs in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them plus about an inch more. (see notes for Instant Pot method) Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water boils, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 8-10 minutes.
- Immediately remove the boiled eggs to a bowl filled with ice water and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- While the eggs cook and cool, cook 4 strips of bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and then chop coarsely. Set aside for garnish.
- Coarsely chop or crack the whole peppercorns and set aside for garnish.
- When the eggs have cooled, peel them and dip them in water to remove any bits of shell. Gently pat them dry.
- Slice each egg in half, wiping off the knife after each egg. Remove the yolks and place them in a mesh sieve. Wrap up two of the egg white halves and refrigerate them for future use.
- Use a spoon to press the yolks through the mesh sieve into a mixing bowl until they're all pressed through. Use the spoon to scrape all the egg yolks off the underside of the sieve. This method takes a bit more time than mashing the yolks, but it results in perfectly smooth deviled egg filling and is worth the effort!
- Add the softened butter to the egg yolks and stir until completely combined. Then add the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, sweetener, salt, ground pepper, onion powder, and a dash of hot sauce (2-4 drops). Mix well.
- If you're making the deviled eggs ahead of time, refrigerate the egg white and the filling separately until you're ready to serve them.
- You can spoon or pipe the filling into the eggs. To pipe the filling in, cut the corner from a quart or gallon-sized plastic bag and insert a pastry tip to pipe the filling. An open or closed star tip or a plain round tip is best. Place the bag in a tall glass and fold the edge over the lip. Spoon the filling into the bag and then remove it from the glass.
- Pipe the filling into the opening of the 12 egg whites until you've used it all. Since the filling includes one extra yolk, you'll have enough for it to mound nicely above the whites.
- Sprinkle the eggs with the chopped bacon, then the coarse cracked peppercorns, and finally with smoked paprika, and serve.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Other garnish ideas: Sliced pickled okra, sliced dill pickles, and fresh dill
Notes
*You can use any preferred sweetener equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
Place eggs on the steam rack insert. Add 1 cup of cold water to the pot. Seal, and set the cook time to 5 minutes on manual mode. Once the 5 minutes are up, wait one minute and then manually release the steam.
Immediately remove the boiled eggs to a bowl filled with ice water and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 86Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 116mgSodium 171mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 5g
Please note that we are not medical or nutritional professionals. We include nutrition information for our recipes as a courtesy to our readers. However, due to wide variations in brands, nutrition data is subject to change for every user. Nutrition data is calculated using My Fitness Pal Pro. All sugar alcohols are subtracted from the final carb count. Please refer to our complete Nutritional Disclosure for more details.
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