A short time in the smoker gives deviled eggs a golden color and a light smoky taste. The trick is to cook the eggs all the way first and keep them cold the rest of the time. They're a fast appetizer that disappears at any cookout.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp yellow or Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or pickle juice
- 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish (optional)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Smoked paprika or all-purpose BBQ rub, for topping
- Crumbled cooked bacon or chopped chives, for topping (optional)
- Smoking wood: apple, cherry or pecan (light smoke)
Steps
- Place the eggs in a pot in a single layer and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a full boil, then cover, turn off the heat and let sit 12–14 minutes.
- Move the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill at least 10 minutes. The whites and yolks should both be fully firm, with no runny parts.
- Peel the eggs. Keep them in the fridge while you get the smoker ready.
- Set up your smoker for 180–225°F with a mild wood like apple, cherry or pecan.
- Place the whole peeled eggs right on the grate or on a rack. Smoke 30 minutes, just until the outside turns light tan. Don't go longer.
- Put the smoked eggs straight into the fridge or an ice bath and chill them for at least 30 minutes, until cold all the way through.
- Slice each egg in half the long way and pop the yolks into a bowl. Mash the yolks with the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, relish, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Spoon or pipe the filling into the whites. Dust with smoked paprika or rub and add bacon or chives if you like.
- Serve right away or keep covered in the fridge until serving. Don't leave them out more than 2 hours total, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F outside.
Egg safety comes first
Deviled eggs mix cooked eggs and mayonnaise, and they spoil fast when warm. Follow these rules:
- Cook the eggs fully. Both the white and the yolk should be firm. Don't use soft-boiled or jammy eggs here.
- Keep them cold. Chill the eggs right after boiling, keep them in the fridge before they go in the smoker, and chill them again right after.
- Count the smoker time. The time on the smoker counts toward the 2-hour limit eggs can be out of the fridge. Keep the smoke short, and chill the eggs as soon as they come off.
- Watch the serving time. Don't leave deviled eggs out more than 2 hours total, or 1 hour on a day above 90°F. Serving the tray on a bed of ice helps.
Why this works
Smoking the peeled eggs whole lets the smoke reach the white without drying out the yolk. A short smoke at a low temperature is enough, because egg whites pick up flavor fast. Too much smoke turns them rubbery and bitter.
Best wood
Use a mild fruit wood like apple or cherry, or pecan. Strong woods like mesquite can overpower eggs. See our wood pairing chart for more options.
How to tell they're done
The outside should be a light golden tan. That's it. You aren't cooking them more, just adding flavor.
Make ahead / storage
You can smoke the eggs and make the filling up to a day ahead. Keep the whites and filling covered in the fridge, apart from each other, and fill them just before serving. Eat leftover deviled eggs within 2 days.
Variations
- BBQ. Top with a pinch of all-purpose BBQ rub instead of paprika.
- Pulled pork. Add a small bite of cold smoked pulled pork on top just before serving.
- Spicy. Add a dash of hot sauce to the filling and top with a jalapeño slice.
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