Smoked Deviled Eggs with Double Smoked Bacon

Deviled eggs are a favorite appetizer any time of the year; add a touch of smoke to them and you’ll want to make them again and again. Be it a basic deviled egg with a sprinkle of paprika or one that’s topped with double-smoked bacon and fresh chives, the possibilities are endless. If you are making a big batch, dice up black and green olives for a topping or sprinkle with fresh herbs like parsley, dill, cilantro or fennel. Deviled egg filling can be perked up with a variety of extras from dill pickles to celery to hot sauce. Just taste as you go and take notes so you can repeat your creation. The smoking is the easy part as eggs only need to be hard boiled and peeled, they can be smoked whole or for more smoke flavor, cut in half before smoking. Smoked eggs can be added to your favorite potato salad recipe, chopped and sprinkled on a green salad or used as a baked potato topper.

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled* smoked** eggs
1-2 slices cooked, smoked bacon***
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Directions:

If left whole during the smoking process, cut smoked eggs in half. Carefully remove the yolk from each egg into a small mixing bowl. Set egg whites in serving dish. Using a fork, mash egg yolks until crumbly. Add mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, garlic and pepper to the yolk mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined. Fill eggs using a spoon or piping device. To make a piping device out of a sealable plastic bag, fill plastic bag with yolk mixture and squeeze out all the air. Cut a small corner of the bag and squeeze yolk mixture into eggs taking care to evenly distribute to all halved egg whites. Dice smoked bacon and sprinkle over the eggs along with the chives. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

  

*TO HARD BOIL EGGS, place eggs in a saucepan in a single layer. Add cold water to about 1-inch above the eggs. On high heat, cook until water comes to a boil, place a lid on the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 more minutes. Place saucepan in the sink and run cold water over the eggs. For best results, peel shells off eggs while the eggs are still warm. Dry eggs on paper towels.

**TO SMOKE EGGS USING THE SMOKE CHIEF, place cooked, peeled eggs on grill grates or plastic screens. Eggs can be whole or cut in half. Smoke 30-45 minutes with pellet flavor of choice. Remove eggs from smoker, place in a sealed container and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before eating as this lets the smoke flavor cure a bit and will mellow the smoke flavor.

**TO SMOKE EGGS USING A BIG CHIEF OR LITTLE CHIEF SMOKER, place cooked, peeled eggs on smoker grates. Eggs can be whole or cut in half. Smoke 30 minutes with chip flavor of choice. Remove eggs from smoker, place in a sealed container and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before eating as this lets the smoke flavor cure a bit and will mellow the smoke flavor.

***TO SMOKE BACON, smoke along with the eggs for 30-45 minutes using the Smoke Chief, Little Chief or Big Chief Smoker. Bacon can be placed directly on grill grates.

SMOKE CHIEF TIPS:
1. When using the Smoke Chief, be sure to start with a clean pellet tube. When pellets are left in the pellet tube between smoking sessions, condensation can build up and pellets can get stuck and will not burn.

2. Use the clean-out tool to keep the smoke tube free of black resin and ash build up.

3. When cold smoking, if too much smoke is escaping from your smoker or grill, place a towel or piece of cardboard over the gap to keep the smoke surrounding the food.

Article and photos by Tiffany Haugen. For a copy of Tiffany’s book, Grill It! Plank It! Wrap It! Smoke It!, go to www.tiffanyhaugen.com.