July 12th is National Pecan Pie day and if you weren’t in the mood for a slice of pie, you might be now!
Pecans are often overlooked in favor of other nuts, but here are few things you might not have known such as the fact that pecans are the ONLY nut that is actually native to the United States, or their zinc content which in turn boosts testosterone. By the way, this is the same essential mineral found in oysters that give them their aphrodisiac qualities!
If you’re from the north, chances are you call’em Pee-Cans, but if you’re from the south, you call them Pee-cawns. Whatever you call them, they’re certainly tasty! Here’s our favorite tried and true southern Pecan pie recipe.
Traditional Southern Pecan Pie
You’ll Need:
1 cup Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1-1/2 cups pecans
1 (9-inch) unbaked or frozen** deep-dish pie crust
Preheat the oven to 350F
In a large bowl beat eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and vanilla together until well blended. Fold in the pecans, mixing lightly, then pour the filling into a prepared pie crust (an unbaked piecrust, in this case!).
Cover the edges of the crust with a pie crust shield to prevent over-browning. If you don’t happen to have a pie crust shield, you can cover the edges with tinfoil.
Be sure to remove the shield during the last 15 minutes of baking.
Bake for 60 minutes, until the center of the pie is fully set. If you’re the type of cook who prefers an exact temperature, the center should be 200° F.
For those in higher altitudes, Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and increase butter to 3 tablespoons. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F.
More Pecan Pie Recipes from our Members:
Here are a few other interesting tidbits you might not have known…
- “Pecan” is actually an Algonquin Native American word meaning “nuts requiring a stone to crack”.
- Pecan trees were first planted in Long Island, NY in 1772
- Pecan tree cultivation can be traced back to as early as 1711 by Spanish colonists
- When pecans grow naturally they are considered to be “Groves”, however, when they are cultivated (planted by people) they are considered to be “Orchards”.
- Pecans became commercially propagated during the 1880s
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / mflippo
