Coat an 8-by-8-inch pan with 4 tablespoons of the butter. In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in the milk. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Attach a candy thermometer to the saucepan and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the peanut butter, the pecans and the vanilla. Pour the fudge out onto the buttered pan. Let the fudge cool for 20 minutes, then cut it into bite-size pieces.
"Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen" by Trisha Yearwood (c) Clarkson Potter 2008. Provided courtesy of Trisha Yearwood. All rights reserved.