Prepare the Oven and Pie Dish: Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (204°C). Take your prepared pie crust and carefully place it into a 9-inch pie dish.
Mix the Filling: In a large bowl, start by beating the eggs until they're frothy. This introduces air into the eggs, helping the pie filling to have a lighter texture. Next, stir in the melted butter. The butter should be cooled to room temperature to avoid cooking the eggs.
Add Sugars and Flour: Add both brown sugar and white sugar to the bowl, along with a tablespoon of flour.
Incorporate the Remaining Ingredients: Gently fold in the milk and vanilla extract into your mixture. Lastly, stir in the chopped pecans, distributing them evenly throughout the filling.
Fill the Pie Crust: Pour the pie filling into your prepared pie crust. Make sure to spread it out evenly, so the pecans are well distributed throughout the pie.
Bake the Pie: Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for about 45 more minutes.
Protect the Crust: Around 20 minutes into the baking time, remove the pie from the oven briefly to cover the edges of the crust with a piece of aluminum foil or a pie crust shield. This prevents the edges from burning while the rest of the pie finishes cooking.
Cool the Pie: Once the pie has baked and the center is set, remove it from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. This allows the pie to firm up and makes it easier to cut. The pie cools, the filling will settle, and the crust will become flaky.
Serving: After the pie has cooled completely, it's ready to be served.
