One thing I have noticed over the years. There are cake people and there are pie people. Well, my husband falls into the latter. There isn’t a cake around that will tempt him to eat it. However, put a pie in front of him and he will certainly take a bite! Among his most favorite pie recipes to devour is my Bourbon Pecan Pie. I have to admit it is one of my favorites too! With Father’s Day coming up in a few weeks, there is no perfect time to break out my recipe and share it with you as I promised in my last blog (which can be read here).
This recipe is super easy to make and so super tasty you will wonder where its been your whole life! My hubs will often bring it to work and inevitably it does not last long. Now, I will let you in on a little secret- I cannot make pie crust from scratch. I know, I know- I can hear the pie Gods cursing my name. But it’s not for the lack of trying. All butter, all lard, half butter half lard, hand held pastry blender, food processor, cold bowl, frozen bowl, cold counter, frozen butter, cold hands, etc. I tried all the tips and tricks and still, I can never get the darn thing to roll out easily.
But not all is lost since there are some phenomenal commercial pie crusts available at the local grocery store. I buy them all the time because as a working mom and wife, I do not have any interest in spinning my wheels on a crust. Instead, I would rather concentrate on making the inside of the pie the tastiest it can be. And that starts with some great quality Bourbon.
Now don’t worry about this being a Drunken Pecan Pie leading to drunken behavior. Although not all the alcohol cooks off, using such a small amount spread out over the entirety of pie, will not cause any issues in that regards. Only in the case of religious beliefs or allergies will this be a factor. Choosing the right bourbon is the make the pie or break the pie kind of deal. The important thing to remember when selecting a bourbon is its taste. If it is a smooth sipping bourbon with lots of rich vanilla, oak and caramel undertones, then it is the perfect bourbon to use in this pie.
Some bourbons can be very expensive and if you do not typically drink bourbon it may not be worthwhile to purchase a full bottle to use just a few tablespoons. Therefore, one budget idea is to 
ask a friend for a few tablespoons. Often bourbon is part of most home bar set ups and many friends will not have a problem with donating a few tablespoons. Especially if it means they may be the beneficiary of a piece of this pie! Another budget idea is to peruse your local liquor store. There are a few good quality bourbons available in the 50 mls ‘nip’ size.
Second of importance to the bourbon are the pecans. Now, being from the Northeast, I pronounce it Pee-can. Understandably, there are a few other regional ways to pronounce the word pecan. Here is a link to a great article depicting the regional dialects of the pecan pronunciation. Regardless of how you pronounce it, make sure you have a variety of pecan styles in the pie.
One mistake is to have all halves, all pieces or all whole. Have a variety of chops to add to the texture and ‘meatiness’ of the pie. I usually start with whole pecans. I keep 1/3 whole, chop 1/3 into half sized pieces and the final third into small pieces. You can use the whole pieces to decorate the top of the pie by laying them in a pattern before baking. Again, as a working Mom, that is not on my priority list. It will still taste the same with or without a fancy pecan pattern!
For the recipe, I am including it on a free download available below.
I hope you consider giving this recipe a try and that you enjoy this recipe as much as me and my family do.
Leave me a comment below on how you pronounce pecan.