You would be remiss if you laid a table featuring a bunch of classic American desserts and didn’t include the rich and buttery flavor of a classic pecan pie. This indulgent slice of heaven makes the perfect finale to a cozy dinner no matter which nostalgic recipe you’ve used to make it. Having said that, you could elevate your favorite pecan pie further with one slight ingredient adjustment that Ree Drummond swears by. According to the cookbook author and TV personality, you should finely chop your pecans into smaller pieces to make cleaner slices.
Drummond’s recipe for pecan pie veers from the norm as most recipes for this rich dessert call for halved pecans, which are either stirred into the filling or scattered over the top. Either way, when it comes time to slice the baked pie, the chunky pecans make it tricky to cut seamless, pretty wedges. While a messy slice of pie isn’t the worst thing in the world, a neat wedge does look more Insta-worthy when serving to guests at a dinner party. Plus, chopping the nuts into smaller nuggets ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the filling, resulting in uniform slices where every bite has a balanced ratio of filling to nuts. This move also results in a pie with lots of textural crunch running through it, which lends it a better mouthfeel and satisfying quality.
Serve extra toasted pecans on the side
The thought of making a pecan pie with finely chopped nuts might be unthinkable to those who swear by their grandma’s family recipe. Lovingly decorated with pretty halved pecans placed neatly on top in concentric circles, these pies are a visual masterpiece. However, there’s no harm in giving Drummond’s tip a try; after all, the key ingredients are all still there from the brown sugar and melted butter to the crisp pie crust. If you’re still not sold on the idea, you could always serve a handful of toasted whole pecan nuts on the side after you’ve sliced your pie — that way you’ll get all that characteristic crunch along with your immaculately sliced wedge of caramelly goodness. You could even soak your pecans in bourbon first to intensify their natural flavor. It’s best to leave them in the alcohol overnight but even 20 minutes will imbue them with a boozy personality.
Looking for more ways to elevate pecan pie? Consider using bacon fat to make your pie crust! While this may sound odd, the savory saltiness of the bacon fat balances out the rich sweetness of the filling, resulting in a pie with complex sweet and savory flavors. You could also oven roast your chopped pecans before adding them to your filling to lend them a moreish, toasty aroma and flavor.
