Sea Salt Caramel Bacon Pecan Pies
Bryan Bennett
Back Street BBQ Burgers Food Truck
Tulsa, Okla.
Chef Bryan Bennett creates these portable pies to serve out of his food truck, which specializes in barbecue and burgers. The sweet-salty-smoky combination of applewood-smoked bacon with classic pecan pie ingredients is drizzled with a buttery sea salt-caramel sauce. The recipe, which earned Chef Bennett a win in a baking contest for neighborhood eateries, is usually made in larger quantities for catered events, but the pies can also be packed individually to grab and go.
Ingredients
Pecan filling
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups (6 oz.) pecans, chopped
Bacon filling
12 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon
1/8 tsp. hickory-smoked salt
5 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
Crust
10 frozen pie dough rounds
5 tbsp. melted butter
3 tbsp. prepared sea salt caramel sauce
½ tsp. coarsely ground sea salt
Steps
1. For pecan filling, in bowl, whisk corn syrup, sugar, eggs and vanilla; pour into 2-inch deep one-third hotel pan. Stir in pecans.
2. Bake filling in 325 F. convection oven for 25-28 minutes, rotating pans one-half turn after 12 minutes. Or bake in a standard at 375 F. for 30-32 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for bacon filling, cook bacon slices in oven or skillet until crisp; drain and cool. Coarsely chop bacon and sprinkle with hickory salt; set aside.
4. For crust, thaw pie dough, covered, at room temperature 15-30 minutes or until flexible.
5. Place five dough rounds, dry side down, on parchment-lined full sheet pan; remove papers from dough. Spread #10 scoop (5 ounces) pecan filling on each dough round to within 1-inch of edge; top each with 1/3 cup (1 ounce) bacon filling.
6. Remove paper from remaining dough rounds; spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter on moist side of dough to within 1-inch of edge. Place dough, peanut butter side down, onto pecan bacon mixture; press together edges to seal. Cut three small slits in top to vent.
7. Bake pies in 325 F. convection oven for 20-22 minutes, rotating pans after 10 minutes. Or bake in 375 F for 20-33 minutes until golden brown.
8. Remove pans from oven and brush each with 1 tablespoon melted butter; allow to cool 15 minutes. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sea salt; cut into quarters.
Photo courtesy of General Mills Foodservice