Smoked Pecan Pie Recipe

DESSERT

1. 1

   Prepare crust

   In a bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons ice water, a little at a time, until the dough just comes together. Gather into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Roll out crust and par-bake

   On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, trim edges, and crimp. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Bake the crust at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes until just set; remove and cool slightly.

3. 3

   Smoke pecans

   Prepare your smoker or grill for indirect heat at 225-250°F (107-121°C) with wood such as pecan or hickory. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and smoke for 15-20 minutes until fragrant. Remove, cool, and roughly chop.

4. 4

   Make filling

   In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Whisk in light corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. If using bourbon, stir it in now.

5. 5

   Combine filling with nuts

   Stir the smoked pecans into the filling until evenly distributed.

6. 6

   Assemble and decorate

   Pour filling into the par-baked crust. Arrange the extra pecan halves in a decorative pattern on top.

7. 7

   Bake the pie

   Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50-60 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but slightly jiggly in the center. If the crust browns too quickly, cover edges with foil.

8. 8

   Cool and serve

   Let the pie cool completely on a rack, at least 2 hours, before slicing to ensure clean cuts. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.