The Secret Ingredient Alton Brown Swears By For Balanced Pecan Pie

Pecan pie tends to be one of those love-it-or-hate-it foods, with supporters going fully feral for a slice and detractors choosing any other dessert from the Thanksgiving table. One of the reigning complaints? That pecan pie is too cloying in its sweetness, making it a divisive choice in pie ranking. Even pecan pie lovers can agree that being heavy-handed with corn syrup is a one-way ticket to a saccharine mess that loses all nuance and balance. After you put all that hard work into de-shelling your pecans, the last thing you want is to ruin them with cheap sweetener.

Alton Brown takes this into consideration with his version of pecan pie. When adding alcohol to the dessert, most reach for bourbon first, which tends to have a caramel-like, vanilla flavor. Instead, follow Mr. Brown's advice and reach for the rye. This whiskey avoids the sweetness inherent in other alcohols that use corn and wheat. Its taste is often described as being similar to cloves or black pepper, making it spicy and dry compared to others of its kind. The end result is an experience rather like eating spiced nuts: complex, nutty, savory, and sweet all at once. The sugar takes a back seat and lets other flavors shine.

Alton Brown doesn't stop the alterations at rye, though. He also reports that adding a healthy dash of bitters to the mix does well in balancing out the sugar while echoing his fondness for a good Old Fashioned drink. As the name implies, most bitters have a sharp flavor profile and are, well, bitter. Though "bitter" isn't exactly a beloved taste for many on its own (medicine throwbacks, anyone?), it does do a perfect job when it comes to striking good balances in savory and sweet dishes alike. It levels out the extreme sweetness in corn syrup and brings about a more rounded flavor.

You don't have to stick to traditional pecan pies when making use of these two versatile ingredients, either. Try adding rye and bitters to these miniature pecan pies, so everyone at your next gathering can sample its goodness first-hand without committing to a whole pie. The only dangerous thing about this hack? When your pecan pie isn't so ridiculously sweet, you may be unable to stop at just one slice. But that's a sacrifice most pecan pie lovers, including this one, are ready and willing to make.