Set separate racks in the center and lower third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Put a piece of parchment paper or foil over the pie shell and fill with dried beans or pie weights.

Bake on a baking sheet on the center rack until the dough is set, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and lift sides of the parchment paper to remove the beans. Continue baking until the pie shell is lightly golden brown, about 10 more minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and place them in the oven, bake for 10 minutes, tossing halfway till pecans are toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool.

While the crust is baking make the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and stirring constantly, continue to boil for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts, bourbon, and the vanilla. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. (If the crust has cooled, return it to the oven for 5 minutes to warm through.)

Whisk the beaten eggs and orange zest into the filling until smooth. Put the pie shell on a sheet pan and pour the filling into the crust.

Bake on the lower oven rack until the edges are set but the center is still slightly loose, about 40 to 45 minutes. (If the edges get very dark, cover them with aluminum foil half way during baking.) Cool on a rack. Serve slightly warm or room temperature.