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Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie In a Jar

Source of Recipe

From "Not Your Mama's Canning Book" by Rebecca Lindamood


Recipe Introduction

"There's a great deal of debate over how to pronounce 'pecan pie,' and almost as much disagreement over whether the syrup portion of the filling should be boiled first or merely stirred together. I'm a big proponent of the boiled method, despite the extra step of work, because I think the finished pie is more well-rounded. Our Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie in a Jar front-loads the work so that whipping up a pie is as easy as opening a jar, stirring two common pantry ingredients and pouring it into a pie shell to bake. No matter where you fall on PEE-can versus peh-CAHN and boiled versus stirred, I think we can agree this as easy as, well, pecan pie!"

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ pounds pecan halves
â—¦ 3 cups light brown sugar
â—¦ 2 ¼ cups dark maple syrup
â—¦ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ 6 tablespoons good-quality bourbon
â—¦ 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract


Recipe

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread the pecan halves over rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Toast each baking sheet for 5 minutes, or until fragrant and hot. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop the nuts.

In a large preserving pot or stainless steel stockpot, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup and salt and stir while bringing to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and carefully pour in a little of the bourbon and vanilla at a time, being careful with each addition as the syrup will boil violently and may spit a bit.

After all of the bourbon and vanilla have been added, stir in the chopped pecans, return to the burner over low heat and heat gently for 5 minutes. Use a ladle to scoop the filling into pint jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles and then adjust the level with additional pie filling if necessary.

Moisten a paper towel with vinegar and wipe the rims of the jars clean. Place lids on the jars and fasten appropriately, whether it's turning a ring to fingertip tightness or fixing clamps in place.

Use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a canner full of boiling water that covers the jars by 2 inches. Put the lid of the canner in place, return the water to a boil and let it process for 15 minutes. Carefully transfer the jars to a towel-lined counter or wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely, preferably overnight, before removing any rings, wiping the jars clean and labeling. Store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, the filling will be good for up to 3 weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

Makes about 4 pints



Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

"A good pecan pie is usually considered the territory of a Southern grandma. My Southern grandma made a great one, to be sure. That being said, there's no reason a Yankee can't have a pecan pie as good as one made by a Southern grandma, and when you start with your homemade Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie in a Jar, the hardest part is waiting for it to bake and cool. The only way it gets easier than this is to buy a pie!"

â—¦ Dough for 1 single pie crust or a single uncooked refrigerated pie crust
â—¦ 1 pint Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie in a Jar
â—¦ 3 eggs, beaten
â—¦ 5 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Gently press the pie crust into a standard-sized pie plate, folding excess dough under and crimping the edge of the dough with a fork or your fingers. Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

In a mixing or batter bowl, stir the Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie in a Jar, eggs, and melted butter together until evenly combined. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and place on the center rack in the oven.

Bake 45 to 60 minutes, or until the pie is set around the edges and only slightly loose, but not jiggly, in the center. The pie filling should be puffed up and the internal temperature when taken with an instant-read thermometer at the center of the pie should be 200° F. If you find your crust is browning too quickly, you can wrap a piece of foil around the edges of the pie or use a removable pie shield to keep it from getting too dark.

Remove the pie from the oven and cool it completely on a rack before slicing and serving.

Makes one standard-sized pie