CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE WITH SALTED CARAMEL

Chocolate Pecan Pie with Salted Caramel on the Yoder Smokers YS640S is a delectable dessert that combines the nutty flavor of pecans and, a rich chocolatey texture with a dash of bourbon under a layer of smooth homemade salted caramel sauce. All Things Barbecue’s Chef Tom shows us how you can present these in mini cast iron skillets for a festive holiday Christmas gathering or you can opt to keep it as a standard whole pie. No matter what you choose, this Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe on the Yoder is one for the books.

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Recipe from Chef Tom Jackson
https://www.atbbq.com

INGREDIENTS

    Pie dough:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed, frozen
  • 2 1/4 cup (12 oz) oz AP flour
  • 3 tbsp (2 oz) sugar
  • 3/4 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tbsp (3/4 oz) cold water

    • Chocolate filling:
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1/2 tsp bourbon (or vanilla extract)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

    • Salted caramel:
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp Tapped Whiskey Barrel Aged Maple Syrup
  • 3 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp bourbon (or vanilla extract)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

    • Topping:
  • 3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted>
  • 1/2 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640S Pellet Grill to 375ºF and set up for indirect grilling.
  2. To make the pie dough, combine the dry ingredients in a Vitamix Food Processor. Add the frozen butter. Process briefly, about 10 seconds, until the butter is broken down into small pieces. Add the eggs, one at a time. After the eggs are incorporated, add the cold water. Mix just until the dough goes from a sandy texture to starting to clump together. Turn out onto a work surface. Press into a one inch thick rectangle. Wrap in plastic. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Roll the dough out until it’s about 3/4” thick and large enough to cover six Lodge 3.5” mini cast iron skillets. Cut into six pieces and press each one into the mini skillet. Trim the excess around the edges, then crimp with a fork. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
  4. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
  5. Scoop about one quarter cup of the filling into each skillet, on top of the raw dough.
  6. Bake the mini pies on the second shelf of the grill until the filling reaches an internal temperature of 170ºF, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the grill and let cool.
  7. While the pie cools, make the caramel sauce. Combine the corn syrup, sugar, maple syrup and salt in a Lodge 8” Steel Skillet over medium heat. Don’t stir, but swirl occasionally to make sure all of the sugar is hydrated and melting. Cook until caramel in color. Turn off the heat. Add the heavy cream, bourbon and butter. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
  8. Neatly arrange the toasted pecan halves on top of the pies. Pour the warm caramel over the top. Let the caramel set up slightly, then sprinkle the salt over the top to finish.