Come on, baking folk! Lay it on me! I tried the recipe on the back of the bag of pecans, and it was… “eh”. I need a really kick ass recipe!
I like the recipe on the back of the bag, but I think the pie tastes better with bigger and fresher pecans, the kind you get from Texas. My resource is a woman from work who goes to Texas every year and takes orders, brings back pecans by the bushel.
My family also likes Mystery Pecan Pie which is made with cream cheese. It’s one of those miraculous baked things where the layers change place during baking. That never ceases to amaze me. 
My dad used to make a killer one but I don’t know if it’s what you call a pecan pie in the states. From memory he thinks it went like this:
Line a pie plate with pastry (frozen will be fine)
Make up a filling with:
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
1/2 cup of melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup (or a mix of maple/golden syrup)
1/4 cup bourbon or southern comfort or peach brandy(?)
3 or 4 cups of pecans (not sure he used to buy them in a bag)
He says make up the filling, put some of the pecans in the pie plate and pour in the filling. Then use the remainder of the pecans to make an uninterrupted layer on top of the filling, laying them flat and pushing them slightly into the filling. Pour a little of the booze into the container used to melt the butter and brush the exposed bits of pecans with apastry brush. Apparently the layering/brushing is required to get a nice “toasty” nut flavour.
Since it is the only pecan pie I have ever eaten (and even then many years ago) I don’t know how it compares to others. We used to have it straight out of the oven with ice cream. Speaking of which about 30 mins at 350F (180C). Teeth rottingly delicious.
Kahlua be good in pecan pie. Try that instead of the bourbon in dont ask’s recipe.
I have my mom’s recipe for a custard pecan pie that is to die for…unfortunately it’s at home. I’ll try to remember when I get home.
Actually I’m custard-phobic.
Hmm. You’re askeered of pudding?
Sorry, but I don’t have a personal recipe. However, I want to recommend a trio of websites where you can find one:
Allrecipes is my favorite because other people can review the posted recipes and give essential feedback on seasoning, cooking time, etc.
The Doctor
Pudding and custard gross me out beyond belief. I feel like I’m eating phlegm.
Well, tell us how you really feel! 
My dad used to make a terrific pecan pie. I think he just used the recipe on the Karo Syrup bottle.
Ditto Lute and the Karo bottle.
That’s essentially the same as the recipe on the bag of pecans. It came out ok but not great. I’ve had some GREAT pecan pie so I know there is a better recipe out there…
Maybe your problem was the pecans, not the recpie itself.
Don’t know if this is what Opal wants but somebody else might enjoy it. It’s rich as sin but drop-dead easy to make, especially if you use a frozen pie crust.
Pecan Pie with Kahlua and Chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room
temperature
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup Kahlúa or other coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 purchased frozen deep-dish 9-inch pie crust
Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat sugar and butter
in medium bowl until smooth; beat in flour.
Gradually beat in corn syrup, then Kahlúa
and vanilla. Mix in eggs, then chopped
pecans. Sprinkle chocolate chips over bottom
of crust. Pour filling into crust.
Bake pie until filling is puffed around
edges and just set in center, covering edge
of crust if browning too quickly, about 45
minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool
completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
Cover and refrigerate.)
Serves 8 to 10.
I don’t much like pecan pie, but the rest of the family loves it. This is one of the recipes we use.
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans
1 unbaked pastry shell
Beat eggs. Add salt, butter, corn syrup, sugar and vanilla; mix well. Pour into pastry shell and sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
I use the recipe on the Karo syrup bottle too with enthusiastic reviews. I do use more pecans than the recipe calls for, and a little less white sugar.
However often I will subsitute 1/2 a cup of sorghum syrup for 1/2 a cup of the corn syrup.
Sorghum is gooier/chewier than corn syrup with corresponding results in the pie. I usually buy it at roadside stands in the south or midwest.
“Aunt Bee’s Mayberry Cookbook” had a recipe that created the best pecan pie I’ve ever had.
Part of the trick was turning down the oven heat (can’t remember how much) for the last 15 minutes of baking.
BTW, all pecan pie is good pecan pie. Some is just better than others.
I like pecan pies, but they always seem to taste more like corn syrup than pecans. I guess that’s typical, though.
You could try Pappadeaux’s Sweet Potato Pecan Pie with Bourbon Sauce. Despite the fact that it is called sweet potato pie, people immediately start thinking of it as a pecan pie when they try it. It’s a huge hit at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
My only complaint about the recipe is that 1 1/2 hours is never enough time for the pie to cook. I think it might be a typo. In my oven, it usually takes about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours.
And don’t forget the Bourbon Sauce. It’s great on anything!
This is the recipe I use - it got rave reviews from everyone at work when I made it for a potluck (even got me a kiss on the cheek from one fellow!):
Louisiana Pecan Pie
1 cup pecan halves
½ cup pecan pieces
3 eggs
1 cup dark corn syrup
½ cup sugar
¼ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
9 inch deep dish pie crust
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Arrange pecan halves in a single layer on bottom of pie crust. Beat together remaining ingredients (except for pecan pieces) until well blended. Pour mixture over pecan halves, add pecan pieces over top of mixture.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 45 minutes/until knife inserted into center comes out clean.