Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / American

Mark O’Brien’s pecan pie made with toasted pecans and sweet shortcrust pastry

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Pecan Pie

Mark O'Brien brought this pecan pie to our American BBQ Classics masterclass. Toasted nuts over a soft filling of brown sugar, cream and butter, baked in Charlie until golden. Rich, sweet and crunchy, with no need to complicate matters.

Mark O'BrienChef
Bake
Prep20 minutes
Cook15 minutes plus blind baking
Serves8 to 10
DifficultyEasy
Oven temperature180°C (355°F)
RackPie dish on the upper rack, for indirect heat
CharcoalAbout half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/blogs/charcoal-recipes/pecan-pie-recipe-american-bbq-classics

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Ingredients

For the pastry case

For the pecan pie filling

Method

Set up your Charlie Oven

  1. Light the Charlie Oven and bring it to 180°C (355°F) and set it there. Place a rack near the top of the oven for indirect baking, away from the direct heat of the charcoal.
  2. You can also bake the pie case in a conventional oven at 180°C (355°F).

Method

  1. Roll out the sweet shortcrust pastry and use it to line a 23cm or 9-inch pie dish.
  2. Blind bake the pastry following the packet instructions, until the pastry case is lightly golden. Leave it to cool slightly.
  3. Toast the pecans in a dry frying pan over a medium heat or in the oven. Watch them carefully as they can catch quickly.
  4. Mix the caster sugar, light brown sugar, milk powder and salt together in a large bowl.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter, double cream and egg yolks.
  6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.
  7. Arrange the toasted pecans inside the blind-baked pastry case.
  8. Carefully pour the filling over the pecans, allowing it to settle into the gaps.
  9. Bake at 180°C (355°F) for around 15 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges with a slight wobble in the centre.
    15 min timer
  10. Leave the pie to cool and set before slicing.

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The cook

Mark O'Brien

Chef

Mark O’Brien was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 and the first Irish chef to reach the final. After more than a decade in top London restaurants, he now runs Snake Oil Barbecue in Margate, bringing serious chef skills to his love of American BBQ and cooking over fire.

More recipes by Mark O'Brien

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I bake pecan pie in a Charlie Oven?

    Yes. Bring the Charlie Oven to 180°C and place the pie on a rack near the top of the oven for indirect baking.

  • Can I bake this recipe in a conventional oven?

    Yes. Bake the pie in a conventional oven at 180°C for around 15 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges.

  • Do I need to blind bake the pastry?

    Yes. Blind baking helps the pastry stay crisp once the pecans and filling are added.

  • How do I know when pecan pie is ready?

    The filling should be set around the edges but retain a slight wobble in the centre. It will continue to firm up as the pie cools.

  • Should pecan pie be served hot or cold?

    Allow the pie to cool before slicing so the filling has time to set. It can be served at room temperature or gently warmed.