This dish might have a funny name, but there’s no joke about the flavor of Blueberry Grunt! Fresh blueberries are cooked on the stovetop and topped with a biscuit-like layer that is tender, buttery, and oh-so-delish.
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What Is Blueberry Grunt?
Blueberry Grunt is a Canadian East Coast favorite usually made with the abundant local blueberries that come into season each summer.
This is a typical Nova Scotia Blueberry Grunt Recipe. It’s an easy dish to make, and it’s got the benefit of cooking on the stovetop, so you won’t heat up your kitchen. With fresh blueberries, it’s a hit the whole family will love.
What You Need To Make this easy Blueberry Grunt Recipe
- Large skillet with a tight-fitting lid
- Fresh blueberries – frozen will also work (see below)
- White sugar
- Lemon juice
- Cinnamon
- Butter
- and for the biscuits…
- All purpose flour
- White sugar
- Baking powder
- Butter
- Cream – see below
- Salt
What Kind of BlueBerries Should I use?
I used fresh blueberries, but you could also use frozen. Frozen fruit is of a such high quality these days that swapping frozen for fresh is a no-brainer in this recipe. You shouldn’t even need to add any extra cooking time for this recipe, Blueberry Grunt is forgiving! Just add them frozen to the skillet, and off you go!
What Kind of Cream Should I use?
I used heavy whipping cream in this grunt dessert because that’s what I had on hand. You could also use anything from milk to half-and-half or spring for the full-fat whipping cream if that’s what you got.
How to make This blueberry Grunt recipe
You make this easy blueberry dessert in two steps. 1) Make the blueberry filling while that is cooking 2) make the biscuit topping.
- Cook the berries in an uncovered large skillet with the water, white sugar, lemon juice, and butter for about 15 minutes until thickened.
- Meanwhile, make the dough. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and mix well.
- Using a pastry blender cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbles.
- Add the cream and mix well with a fork, but don’t overmix it.
- When the blueberries have thickened, drop 8 portions of dough to the top of the blueberries.
- Cover the skillet tightly and turn it down to low, letting it simmer for about 15 minutes without peeking!
- Serve warm – and with a scoop of ice cream!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- I know I said “no peeking” when the Blueberry Grunt is cooking with the biscuit dough on top, but a quick peek won’t hurt it. The actual biscuit cooking time is going to depend a lot on the size of your pan, the size of your dumplings, and how cold the batter is.
- You know your biscuits are done when they aren’t gooey in the middle.
- Don’t worry if the biscuits get covered over by blueberry sauce – this is a rustic dish!
Recommended
How TO Serve Blueberry Grunt
Dish up a biscuit and blueberry sauce and put it into a bowl or onto a plate. Blueberry Grunt is best served warm, and if you have it, add a scoop of ice cream or even some lightly sweetened whipping cream. I love eating this blueberry dessert after a great meal of tasty eats like gozleme with spinach and feta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can freeze this recipe. Chill it thoroughly, then wrap it tightly in a freezer-safe container or plastic. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, pop servings into the microwave until warm.
You can make this tasty blueberry dessert with Bisquick instead of scratch-made biscuits. Simply prepare the blueberry filling, then follow the directions on the box to make biscuits. Add the biscuit dough to the top of the blueberry filling, and continue to cook with the lid on until the biscuits are cooked through.
There’s not a lot of difference between a grunt and a cobbler, with the primary difference being that grunts are made on the stove top, and cobblers are baked in the oven. Also, the grunt features a biscuit-like topping, while a cobbler’s top is cakeier.
Step by Step Process
Blueberry Grunt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups blueberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
For the biscuits:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp butter ice cold
- 1 cup cream or milk
Instructions
To make the filling:
- Add the blueberries, water, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, butter, and salt to a large skillet with a tightly fitting lid.
- Simmer the blueberries on low heat for about 15 minutes or until thickened.
To make the biscuits:
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Blend well.
- Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add the cream, mixing well with a fork.
To finish:
- Once the blueberry mixture has thickened, drop spoonfuls of biscuit batter to the top of the blueberry mixture. I aim for 8 biscuits.
- Pop the lid on and turn the heat to low, so that the mixture is gently simmering. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked in the center.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
