How to Prevent a Soggy Bottom Pie Crust
Last week, I took a night off and watched Oh Brother Where Art Thou? You may have seen the movie years ago. Music is a big part of the movie and is such a reminder of our American roots. George Clooney’s character sings in a group named the Soggy Bottom Boys, and of course this led me to thinking about questions I have received from pie makers about how to prevent a soggy bottom pie crust. Here are a few ideas that just might help you to get a nice crisp crust on the bottom of your pie.
- If you have a pizza stone, preheat it (30 minutes atleast) and place the pie directly on it.
- If no pizza stone, preheat a sheet pan and place the pie directly on it.
- Some place the pie pan directly on the oven floor for the first 20 minutes or so to get a good bake on the bottom crust. This of course only works if your heating element is on the bottom of the oven.
- Some folks swear by pre-baking, also known as blind baking, the pie shell if they are making a custard pie.
- Use a pie pan that doesn’t take as long to heat up; Pyrex or metal. Some pottery or ceramic ones can be so thick on the bottom that the bottom crust melts rather than sets up.
- Avoid shiny pie pans. Shiny deflects heat. Opt for the pie pan that is darker or has a matte finish.
- Some paint the bottom of the unbaked pie shell with egg white wash as a barrier for the filling.
And while you’re waiting for your beautiful pie to bake, enjoy listening to one of my favorite songs from the movie that was “sung” by the Soggy Bottom Boys. Here’s the band that George was lip syncing to.
Well now, what a good idea – baking pie on a pizza stone! Kind of a ‘Duh’ moment here. 🙂 Thanks Kate.
Thanks for the timely crust reminders and the revisit to the Soggy Bottom Boys. That is one of my all-time favorite films because of the music. Clooney was pretty funny, too.
We got tired of eating soggy bottom pizza crusts and pies too. We had pizza the other night I turned a cookie sheet over on the bottom rack let it heat up with a 475 oven then baked our pizza on a piece of parchment ( makes it easier to pull out. It was perfect nice crispy brown bottom crust done in 10 minutes. I realize you wouldn’t have such a hot oven for a pie but this should still be the answer. I wouldn’t turn the sheet pan over for a pie though just the normal way. That’s now my answer to a soggy pizza and pies, hope this helps.