By Week 504. Year 10. Tommy is 43. Fall. Hunting season approaching. The gumbo cravings starting. LSU football on the TV with Rémy on the couch arguing plays. Colette (17) in high school, painting. The season turning, the roux darkening, the days getting shorter in a way that makes the kitchen brighter by contrast.
Made dove poppers this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. C'est bon, cher.
The dove poppers set the whole tone for the week — smoky, spicy, built for sharing — and when I went looking for something to put alongside them, these jalapeño bacon deviled eggs felt like the natural next move. Same heat, same spirit, same idea that food ought to feel like a welcome when someone walks through the door. It’s the kind of bite that fits right in on a table where LSU’s on the TV and the season’s turning and nobody’s in a hurry to leave.
Jalapeño Bacon Deviled Eggs
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 12 (24 halves)
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 4 strips bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
- 2 jalapeños, 1 minced (seeded for less heat) and 1 sliced thin for garnish
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for garnish
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Hard boil the eggs. Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then remove from heat, cover, and let sit 12 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath and cool completely.
- Cook the bacon. While eggs cool, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8–10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and crumble into small pieces once cooled.
- Peel and halve the eggs. Peel the cooled eggs and slice each in half lengthwise. Pop the yolks out into a medium mixing bowl and arrange the whites on a serving platter.
- Make the filling. Mash the yolks with a fork until smooth. Add mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and minced jalapeño. Mix until creamy and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Fill the eggs. Spoon or pipe the yolk mixture back into the egg white halves, mounding generously.
- Garnish and serve. Top each deviled egg with a piece of crumbled bacon, a thin jalapeño slice, a light dusting of smoked paprika, and chives if using. Serve immediately or refrigerate covered up to 24 hours before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 110 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 180mg