Classic Pecan Pie

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Melt butter in heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from skillet and stir in sugar and salt until butter is absorbed. Whisk in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla until smooth. Return bowl to hot water and stir until mixture is shiny, hot to touch, and registers 130 degrees. Off heat, stir in pecans.
2. Pour pecan mixture into warm prebaked pie crust. Bake pie until filling looks set but yields like Jell-O when gently pressed with back of spoon, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let pie cool on wire rack until filling has set, about 2 hours; serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

BUTTERMILK PECAN PIE WITH RAISINS
To make a buttermilk chess pie, omit the nuts and raisins.
Substitute 1-1⁄2 cups (10-1⁄2 ounces) granulated sugar for brown sugar and 2⁄3 cup buttermilk for corn syrup and vanilla. Reduce pecans to 1⁄2 cup and stir into pie filling along with 1⁄2 cup raisins, chopped fine.

MAPLE PECAN PIE
More liquid than corn syrup, maple syrup yields a softer, more custardlike pie. Toasted walnuts can be substituted for pecans.
Reduce butter to 4 tablespoons and pecans to 1-1⁄2 cups. Substitute 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar for brown sugar and 1 cup maple syrup for corn syrup and vanilla.