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Pie season is upon us!

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This week folks across the country will be enjoying a slice of pie after their turkey feast. Throughout the South … and on my Thanksgiving table, that adored holiday pie will be a delicious Southern Pecan Pie.

When looking for a fool-proof pecan pie recipe, look no further than that bottle of good old Karo syrup in your pantry.

My grandmother made the best pecan pie in the world. If anyone in the family needed the recipe, she would handwrite it in her elegant genteel Southern script and mail it to us. Years after her death I was working on a piece for a magazine when my editor called me to say “You know that recipe of your grandmother’s is the one on the back of the Karo bottle!” I still giggle every time I make a pecan pie.

Using that base recipe, here are four quick tips that’ll make this year’s pecan pie the best yet.

Mind your eggs.

Extra-large eggs tend to be too much for pecan pie, and medium just isn’t enough. So be sure to use large eggs.

Stir with a spoon.

If you use beaters, the texture will not be correct and your pie could be runny.

Patience is key.

Be sure to allow your pie to cool completely before cutting. A warm pie will not be set, and your slices will not hold a clean edge.

Toast your pecans.

Toasting your pecans adds flavor. I think it's easiest to toast pecans in the oven. Simply spread them in a baking pan and bake at 350° until golden brown, being sure to stir often. Pecans will be toasted in about 6 to 10 minutes.

And if you want to take that classic pecan pie up a notch, sprinkle a splash of bourbon over the top right when you take it out of the oven.

This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Happy Thanksgiving!

Jennifer Chandler graduated at the top of her class from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She is a full-time mom to two daughters in Memphis, Tennessee, and is a freelance food writer, restaurant consultant, and author of four cookbooks The Southern Pantry Cookbook, Simply Salads, Simply Suppers, and Simply Grilling.