Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs Are Bright in Color and Flavor
Is there a more beloved party food than a platter of freshly deviled eggs? The humble and classy appetizer gets sassed up when plunged into a jar of beets, vinegar, brown sugar, and pink peppercorns. This unique twist will turn heads and delight tummies!
As a kid, I feared the hard-boiled egg — the rubbery, lifeless, mealy, too-rich yolk turned me off. I eschewed the ubiquitous plate of party deviled eggs in search of finer snack foods, namely cheese doodles (if super lucky), but I’d settle for crackers of any sort. Then I’d sit on the couch and eat my way through a small stack, systematically whittling down my cracker by nibbling its circumference, enjoying the salty crumbles over a 15-minute period, washing down my forbidden processed glory with a glass of lemonade.
About 25 years later, I tried a deviled egg — what a delight I’d been missing! Gone was the chalky, fatty taste, and hello to a piquant blend of mustard, onions, and pickle. It was party time with me and the eggs, and it was on!
How Are Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs Different?
These beet-soaked darlings are the only improvement or variation I’d recommend over a classic, paprika-dusted standard. Normally, deviled eggs aren’t going to win any beauty contests, but with the beet-brine bath, they take on a striking pink cloak as well as an earthy sour tang. The addition of peppercorns and brown sugar imbues another level of pickled spice. The filling punctuates the tang with the subtle curry spice and freshness of aromatic rosemary.
These eggs are not for the timid, but they are so lively and packed with flavor! Perfect on their own or smashed onto a piece of hearty toast, they make an excellent breakfast or anytime snack. That’s to say you have leftovers, which you won’t. So make an extra batch for yourself.
Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs
Makes 12
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 6
large eggs
- 1
(16-ounce) can or jar pickled beets
- 1 cup
apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup
packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon
whole peppercorns (I used fiery pink peppercorns)
- 1 teaspoon
salt, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 1 tablespoon
mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon
distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon
curry powder
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh rosemary leaves, for garnish
Instructions
Hard boil your eggs and remove the shells. (For perfect hard-boiled eggs, I use this method.) Set the eggs aside.
To prepare the brine, pour a can of pickled beets into a large bowl. Add the cider vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, and salt, and stir to combine. Carefully (that beet juice will stain!) place the peeled eggs into the brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days. The longer you leave them in the brine, the more sour and pink they'll end up. I like just the rim of pink and slight pickled flavor, so I let mine sit about 16 hours.
When brining time is finished, remove the egss from the brine. Cut each egg in half from top to bottom. Scoop out the yolks and place in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, mayonnaise, white vinegar, mustard, and curry powder. Mix and mash with a fork until smooth. Add a little bit of water to the mixture if it's too stiff. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Use a spatula to scoop all the filling into a resealable sandwich bag or piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Press the bag with your hands to push all the filling to one corner and press any air out of the top. If using a plastic bag, snip one corner off with a pair of scissors.
Pipe the filling into the cup of each egg white, filling the cups so that the filling mounds a little over the top. Squeeze the bag from the top to force the filling downward. (Alternatively, scoop the filling into the egg whites with a spoon.) Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and season with salt and pepper.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftover deviled eggs can be kept refrigerated for several days, but may not look as pretty.