Hard-boiled eggs can seem ordinary, but this culinary nibble has a rich history dating back to the ancient Romans. In Rome, wealthy citizens traditionally served boiled and seasoned eggs as a starter. The Spanish started splitting and stuffing eggs. Yet instead of mayonnaise and mustard, they used fermented fish sauce, onion juice, cilantro, coriander, oil, salt and pepper. The trend spread across Europe, where they were stuffed with a variety of regional ingredients ranging from raisins and cheese to cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
According to the Smithsonian, the term “devil” became part of cooking lingo in the 18th century to describe highly seasoned foods, such as deviled ham, deviled tongue and deviled crabs. Deviled foods appeared in American cookbooks in the mid-19th century. The modern-day version of deviled eggs was first seen around World War II when mayonnaise became commercially available. This was around the time they also became a 4th of July food favorite.
Despite this lengthy history, making these egg delicacies isn’t always foolproof. The Internet features multiple hacks for making the best hard-boiled eggs such as using vinegar, salt and even baking soda. Based on decades of experience, Gemperle Farms doesn’t believe making hard-boiled eggs should be so problematic. Follow their tips and simple steps below to make the perfect hard-boiled eggs that can be turned into a mouthwatering deviled egg.
Follow these Gemperle Farms tips to produce the perfectly smooth, beautiful and easy to peel hard-boiled egg for Independence Day:
- Older eggs are better than fresh eggs. 7 to 10-day-old eggs are best because the air sack inside the shell expands, helping the egg to separate from the shell.
- To avoid rubbery eggs, don’t overcook. Overcooking leads to a tough and chewy texture and can create a grey or greenish ring between the white and the yolk.
- Put cooked eggs in an ice bath to cool them quickly to avoid over cooking.
- Peel eggs immediately after they’ve cooled in the ice bath to achieve a smooth hard-boiled egg.
posted by Andrea Gonzalez 6/10/15