Deviled eggs for 12: 24 halves with a classic mayo and mustard filling, made the day before and served on ice at the lot. Pack the whites in a mini muffin pan and the filling in a zip-top bag, pipe them when you're parked, and nothing slides around on the drive. About 30 minutes of work and about 70 minutes in all.
Feeds: 12 (24 halves) · Hands-on: about 30 min · Total: about 70 min
Home gear: a 24-cup mini muffin pan, plastic wrap, a gallon zip-top bag and a large bowl of ice water
Pack for the lot
- Muffin pan of egg whites, wrapped, flat in the cooler
- Bag of filling, in the cooler
- Paprika and chives
- Scissors
- A rimmed tray or pan big enough to fill with ice under the muffin pan
- Bag of ice
- Napkins
- Trash bags
Lot notes
- Fuel: none. No grill needed, so they work in any lot, including ones that don't allow fires.
- Holding them cold: eggs and mayo need to stay at 40°F or below. Keep the pan on ice and out of the sun, and toss anything that's been out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's over 90°F.
- The no-slide trick: each half sits in its own muffin cup, so they can't tip or slide on the drive. If you'd rather fill them at home, they still ride well in the pan with the plastic wrap pressed down over toothpicks so it doesn't touch the filling.
- Cleanup: the bag and napkins go in the trash. The muffin pan goes home.
Can you make deviled eggs ahead of time?
Yes. Boil, peel and halve the eggs and make the filling up to 2 days ahead, stored separately in the fridge. Pipe them at the lot so the whites stay firm and the filling stays fresh.
How do you keep deviled eggs cold at a tailgate?
Keep them in the cooler until you eat, then serve them from a pan set on a tray of ice, in the shade. Toss anything left out after 2 hours, or 1 hour over 90°F.
How do you transport deviled eggs without them sliding?
Set each white in a cup of a 24-cup mini muffin pan and carry the filling in a zip-top bag. Pipe them at the lot, or fill them at home and cover the pan with plastic wrap held up by toothpicks.
How many deviled eggs do you need for 20 people?
Plan on 2 or 3 halves each, so 40 to 60. Double the recipe: 24 eggs, 1 cup of mayonnaise, 4 tsp of mustard and 2 tsp of vinegar makes 48 halves, in 2 mini muffin pans.