Ree Drummond Has A Simple Oven Hack For Crispier Pie Crust
Whether it be made out of graham cracker crumbs or pastry dough, the crust is one of the most important elements of a pie. Not only does it hold the entire dessert together, it also creates a delicious contrast to the soft gooey consistency of the filling. Pie with a soggy crust won't hold its shape when sliced, and let's be honest, it's just not as appetizing.
The biggest culprit of a soggy crust, as you might guess, is moisture. According to King Arthur Baking, when you combine uncooked pie dough and wet pie filling, you'll inevitably end up with a crust that's either partially raw or not fully crisp. An easy way to avoid this, the baking brand shares, is to par-bake the crust before you add the filling. This allows the dough to firm up just enough so that the liquid from the filling doesn't seep into the dough. The problem with this is it can lead to burnt edges because the dough and filling cook at different rates.
Luckily, according to Ree Drummond, there's a better way to go about it that will yield a perfectly crisp rather than borderline burnt pie crust.
Pies crisp up the most on the lowest oven rack
Most recipes that require the oven call for using the middle rack for even cooking. However, when it comes to baking pies, the lowest rack is actually more ideal, Ree Drummond shares (via The Pioneer Woman). Placing your pie at the bottom of the oven more effectively bakes the bottom of the crust and at the same time prevents the tops and edges from burning before the rest of the pie has the chance to finish baking.
The reason this works, Taste of Home explains, is due to the oven's heat transfer properties. On the lower rack, the bottom of the pie is closer to the oven's source of heat. This means that the bottom of the pie will cook through significantly faster than it would if it were on the top or middle rack, ultimately hindering sogginess from occurring. As a result, the crust crisps up properly instead of over browning or burning.
How to make your pie crust even crispier
Baking your pie on the lower rack should be enough to ensure it turns out crispy, but there's one thing you can do to make it even crispier. As Ree Drummond wrote in her blog, all it takes is one additional step. Instead of rolling out your pie dough right after you make it, toss it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before using. If freezing the dough overnight, let it thaw for 15 minutes before assembling the pie, she says. The result? An even crispier pie crust.
"I really love flaky pie crust for my pies, and it's always been a difficult quality for me to achieve," Drummond admitted in her post. It wasn't until she tested a reader's recipe that called for freezing the dough that she was able to really nail the consistency of her pies.
Combine this hack with her oven rack tip and you're sure to end up with the crispiest possible pies.