Food & Drink

Mama’s Egg Salad

The secret ingredient? Durkee sauce, a tangy sandwich spread. “You’ll never open my refrigerator without finding a jar of it,” says Augusta, Georgia, caterer Vera Stewart

Photo: Courtesy of Very Vera


The caterer Vera Stewart grew up in Macon, Georgia, where her mother’s classic egg salad was a staple. “We ate it between two slices of bread for an everyday lunch, scooped it with crackers for a snack, or made tea sandwiches out of it for an afternoon gathering,” Stewart says, adding that she and her mother both swear by a secret ingredient: Durkee Famous Sauce.

“Mama Betty” with Vera and her siblings on Easter, 1960.


Ingredients

    • 8 large eggs

    • ¼ cup mayonnaise (plus more for a fluffier texture)

    • 1 heaping tbsp. Durkee Famous Sauce

    • ⅓ cup sweet pickle relish, drained of juice

    • ¼ tsp. kosher salt

    • ¼ tsp. ground black pepper


Preparation

  1. In a medium saucepan, cover the eggs completely with water and cover. Cook over high heat until the water comes to a complete boil and you can hear the eggs “dancing.” Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 20 minutes. At the end of that time, take off the lid and run cold water over the eggs until they are cool to the touch. Peel immediately.

  2. Roughly chop the eggs. (They should still be chunky.)

  3. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the chopped eggs and gently mix until incorporated evenly.

  4. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

  5. Serve as a spread, or on a sandwich with toasted white bread, bacon, and tomato.


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