Key Lime Pie

Here you will learn to make real key lime pie. Key lime pie is yellow, not green. If you order it at a restaurant and it is green, it's a fake. Or, it is really moldy. The key lime is a tiny, yellowish lime native to Florida.

Fortunately, key lime pie is really easy to make and only takes an hour or less. For this instructable, I will be using "Nellie and Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice", because fresh key limes are hard to come by in Michigan. A local chef gave me this tip. It is almost impossible to tell the difference.

I will make the graham cracker crust, but you can buy one pre-made from the grocery store and that will save you at least half an hour.

Step 1 Gather Ingredients

Crust
16 graham crackers, crushed
1/4 lb. butter, or butter substitute
3 tbls sugar

or, buy a pre-made graham cracker pie crust

Key Lime Filling
1/2 cup "Nellie and Joe's" key lime juice, or the juice of 12 to 15 key limes
4 egg yolks
2 tsp lime zest
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

Comments

[abstract_strawberry]

i've only ever made key lime pie from the sherriff brand adding fresh key limes, i am defiantly going to try this recipe especially considering i have a pound of key limes in my fridge with nothing to make thx for the recipe :DD

[Vinne Gambini]

 Your filling tastes pretty good but real key lime pie has a flaky crust, not graham
crackers. We get The Real Thing, "The World's Greatest Key Lime Pie", From
Kutchie's Key West Cafe. Kutchie Pelaez Makes Authentic Key Lime Pies from
his Grandmother's 1920's Secret Recipe. Only Kutchie, knows the Secret Recipe. Many have tried and just as many have failed to even come close to
Kutchie's Famous Key Lime Pies. It was said that Kutchie's Pie was the one that Kenny Chesney Recorded His Key Lime Pie Song About. We also Heard
that Kutchie's Goody Goody Cheese Burgers are the Ones that Jimmy Buffet
were inspired by to write his cheese borger song..........Of course, It could all
be just rumores. The Fact Is, Kutchie's Key Lime Pie Is The Best Ever. I Think
Every Body Knows That After All These Years!

Vinne Gambini,.... New York

[whiteoakart]

Thanks for the comment, Vinne.  YOU wouldn't happen to know the secret recipe, would you?  Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.

I will have to make my way to Kutchie's next time I am down there.  the truth is, I was never very successful at making a flaky crust. Mine just gets kind of dense.

David

[krowii]

The May/June 2003 issue of the Everyday Food magazine has a nearly identical recipe, with the sole addition of toasted pecans in the crust. Great recipe!

[krowii]

Oh, and also its lemon juice instead of lime. I actually like this version better, especially with the little bits of lime zest!! Delicious!!

[dchall8]

Any lime juice would work. The Mexican limes are what are used here. I have to giggle every time I see Key Lime pie. About a year ago I drive through Kansas and visited a little country restaurant. They had Key Lime pie on the menu so I had to try it. It was made from green Jello pudding and had no lime flavor at all. When I was paying for the meal the lady asked me how I liked the pie. I honestly told her I had never had anything like it. She proudly said, "It's hard to get good Key Lime pie here." I silently agreed with her. Thanks for posting this. Maybe they'll see it in Kansas.

[whiteoakart]

True, dchall8. But if it doesn't have key limes, it's not key lime pie. It's just lime pie.... which is plenty good! :D

[dchall8]

Lime pie is just good.

Here's a little more on "key limes" to help you when shopping.

[whiteoakart]

Thanks, dchall8, for that link. Good info there.

[jakee117]

is there any other brand o fkey lime juice i can use?

[whiteoakart]

degroof recommends "Floribbean" Key Lime Juice in a later post, but I have never had it. I would guess any key lime juice that you can find would probably work well.

[jakee117]

thanks!

[alex-sharetskiy]

looks good! making me hungry, even though i just ate!

[Sharku]

True its yellow if you dont add food coloring,add 2 green and 1 blue you get it very green, though its true that some restaurants just use jello AND this recipe is great, ver similar to the on i already have, bu good :)

[whiteoakart]

As a designer, I don't like the idea of adding an unnecessary ingredient like food coloring. I tend to gravitate towards the natural look of things. But if you prefer green lime pie, have fun. It is a personal thing. Thanks for your input.

[degroof]

I prefer Floribbean over Nellie and Joe's but either will do in a pinch. I made it using actual Key limes once. Lotta work but it tasted good.

[whiteoakart]

I found a fruit market just the other day that carries key limes. I would like to get over there and pick some up. If anyone here is from Michigan, the have key limes at Randazzo's Fruit and Vegetable Market in Westland.

[darkdragon]

Being from the UK, the first time I saw this was on Friends lol This looks lovely Great pictures, nice steps. What would be equivalent to the Key Lime juice in the UK. Would normal lime juice work or is it to bitter?

[whiteoakart]

I have made it before with normal lime juice. It tastes darn good, but not the same. Key limes are tastier. But if that's all you can get, it is well worth making.