Pie Crust

• 2 cups pastry (or all-purpose) flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 8 tablespoons (4 oz.) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup Crisco vegetable shortening
• 6 tablespoons very cold water
• 2 teaspoons vinegar

Pie Filling

• 6 tablespoons (3 oz.) unsalted butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey (or dark rum)
• 2 cups chopped pecans (roasted)
• 3 large eggs

Roasting the pecans

1. Spread whole pecans onto a baking sheet and roast in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes.
2. Allow the pecans to cool, then chop coarsely

Pie Crust

1. Dice butter into cubes and place butter and shortening in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes
2. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse several times to mix
3. Add the butter and shortening, and pulse 8 to 12 times until the butter is the size of peas
4. Mix the water and vinegar together
5. With the processor running, pour the water/vinegar mixture down the feed tube and pulse until the mixture begins to come together
6. Dump the dough out onto a board and press it together, forming the dough into a disk
7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes
8. Roll out dough on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center out, turning and flouring so the dough does not stick to the board
9. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch pie dish
10. Mold the dough into the pie dish, pushing the dough into the corners
11. Dock the bottom of the crust with a fork to help prevent the crust from puffing up when baking
12. Place the pie shell in the freezer for 30 minutes
13. Line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights (or dried beans)
14. Place the pie dish on a cookie sheet and cook the pie shell for 20 minutes at 375°F (190°C) on the middle oven rack
15. Remove pie weights by lifting out the parchment paper and continue to cook pie shell for another 10 minutes

Pie Filling

While the pie crust is baking, proceed to making the filling.

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter
2. Stir in the brown sugar and salt until combined
3. Add the corn syrup, and bring the mixture up to a boil, stirring occasionally so the filling does not burn on the bottom of the saucepan
4. Continue to stir and allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat
5. Stir in the bourbon, vanilla, and chopped pecans
6. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
7. Beat the eggs and stir them into the cooled mixture a little at a time

Baking

1. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C)
2. Pour the filling into the hot pie crust
3. Place the pie dish still on a cookie sheet back into the oven on the lower 3rd over rack; if you have a pie shield, put it in place to prevent the edges of the crust from getting too brown
4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes, filling should still be slightly jiggly when removed from oven
5. Allow pie to cool on a cooling rack for 2 to 4 hours. Pie will cool to doneness.
6. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream