Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/2 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 (5 1/3-ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

  • In a large saute pan, melt the butter and then add the brown sugar, salt, and pecans, in that order, with a stir between each.
  • Stir on medium-high as bubbles form, and continue to stir until the sugar is dissolved as much as possible and the coating on the pecans becomes sticky, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and spread the mixture onto a baking sheet to cool.
  • Refrigerate for about 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, buttermilk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract.
  • Use a spatula to release the pecans from the cooled sheet.
  • Add the cooled pecans to the bowl and stir.
  • Make the ice cream one of the following ways:
  • 1.
  • Get fancy and put it in your home ice cream maker and prepare according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Place in an air tight 2-quart container and freeze for at least 5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours, then every hour for 3 more hours.
  • 2.
  • Add 2 cups ice and 1/2 cup coarse sea salt to a large plastic storage container.
  • Pour the ice cream mixture into a 1-gallon plastic storage bag and seal, squeezing out as much air as possible.
  • Place this bag in the plastic storage container and cover with the lid.
  • Shake vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Add more ice and salt if needed halfway through the spin cycle.
  • Depends on your shakin'!
  • Once the shaking is done and you've checked for the right texture for your ice cream, remove the bag from the container and rinse off quickly in cold water.
  • Open and scoop ice cream out, or cut a hole in the corner of the bag and squeeze it out.