ArjaysPies | Bacon Bourbon Pecan Pie with White IPA Crust.

One of the first pies I learned how to make by myself was the Pecan Pie. Now I have been baking pies since I was a kid, Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. These I would make with my grandma using her recipes and they always came out delicious. When I wanted to make my first pie it was the pecan. I started out with a simple recipe on Allrecipe. I changed up a few things splitting the sugar between white and brown and substituting Light Karo syrup instead. I continued with this version for a while and I love it but then I read Teeny's Tour of Pies where she features her Bacon Bourbon Pecan Pie. I loved the idea of this and quickly adapted it to my own recipe. The crust is my spin on it. I like to use IPA's in the crust for two reasons. First the Alcohol bakes off more quickly giving a light flaky this is the same principal for the pie makers out there who like to use Vodka in the crust. Unlike Vodka the IPA leaves behind a taste of hops or at least it should it Theory. The IPA i'm enamored to is Lost Coast Brewery Sharkinator White IPA. It has a really great intensity and you get notes of the Hops and Citrus in the final crust. For the pie shown I had to substitute with their Great White, which is actually a witbier. For the recipe through I recommend the Sharkinator I have tested several IPA's and the Sharkinator holds a candle to all of them.


 Ingredients

Crust

  • 3 Cups AP Flour
  • 1 Cup Shortening 
  • 1/2 Cup or more Sharkinator White IPA, or similar IPA. 
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Pinch of Sugar

Filling

  • 1 cup white Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 cup light Karo syrup
  • 1/4 Butter
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 Cups toasted pecans
  • 1 cup + 1 Ts chopped cooked bacon. 
  • 1 Pony(oz) Bourbon

Procedures

Step 1: Make the Crust

Start by adding the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl, cut in the fat until it is around the consistency of   Peas. Finally add the Beer it might take more than the 1/2 Cup, add the beer slowly as it is easy to overwater your pie dough. 








Wrap the crust in Plastic wrap or seal it in a air tight container for at least half an hour but preferably overnight.

Step 2: Make the Filling. 

Start by adding the Sugars, Karo Syrup, water and cornstarch and heat throughout.












Once the butter has melted take off heat and add to the other ingredients.












Mix together and reserve some of the bacon for garnish later.

Step 3: Rolling the Dough

Start by preparing a surface for rolling. Coat the surface in AP flour and dust your pin with flour also.  Roll our half the crust to a 13'' Diameter. The crust is meant to be soft and flaky so extra care is needed for handling just remember that patching a pie crust is just part of the experience. 

Step 4: Assembly and Baking 

Place the 13'' circle in to a pie pan holding the ends over to form the crust. For Pecan I prefer a fork crimp to emulate the shape of the Pecan but fill free to use whatever crimp you like. Add the filling to the pie crust. Pecan is an Open faced pie so there is nothing to decorate here. The crust for pecan tends to burn a little prevent this by making a pie guard with tin foil this will keep the crust from over cooking and for keeping the crust clean if the pie bubbles over. Place the pie on a Baking sheet and place in a 400 degree oven for about 45 to 60 minutes. 


Step 5: Cooling and Serving

Check the pie by inserting a knife into the center of the pie. If the tip comes out clean the pie is properly cooked. Take the pie out of the oven and let in cool for about half an hour. I served this slice with Umpqua's Blackberry Reveal but I nice dollop of whip cream will work just as well.

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