Rhubarb Grunt is an old-fashioned East Coast comfort dessert with bubbling rhubarb filling and soft biscuit dumplings steamed right on top.
A Grunt is similar to Cobbler, with the difference being that Grunt is steamed and Cobbler is baked in the oven.
I have cooked plenty of cobblers but this a first for cooking grunt and my family loves it! It’s soft and fluffy and the fruit goes lovely with the dumplings.
Let’s get to it!
We had lots of rhubarb to use, so we picked it and decided we’d make this old fashioned dessert. Rhubarb has large leaves which are toxic but the stems are delicious in desserts, muffins and loaves and canned as fruit like my gramma always did. Rhubarb is high in oxalic acid so be sure to consume occasionally.
I picked a bunch of rhubarb before a big summer storm so potential hail wouldn’t bruise the rhubarb.
Time to wash it, trim the ends and chop it up.
In a deep skillet or saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, water, and cornstarch. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes until juicy and slightly thickened.
Here’s the rhubarb – it’s tender and thickened so it’s time for the biscuit dumplings!
In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk just until dough forms.
Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough over hot rhubarb mixture.
Here’s the dumplings. You could also drop the dough onto the fruit using a cookie scoop.
Cover tightly with lid and simmer on low heat 15 to 20 minutes without lifting lid.
Biscuits should be fluffy and cooked through. After 20 minutes I lifted the lid and checked them – the top should spring back and if a knife inserted in the centre of the biscuit should come out clean.
Enjoy this delicious dessert while hot! It looks and smells amazing!
Scoop into bowl and enjoy with ice cream.
This rhubarb grunt is so yummy – I’ll definitely be making it again and trying it with different fruit!
Rhubarb Grunt
Rhubarb Filling
5 cups chopped rhubarb
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch
Biscuit Topping
1-1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold butter
1/2 to 1 cup milk
In a deep skillet or saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, water, and cornstarch. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes until juicy and lightly thickened.
In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk just until dough forms. Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough over hot rhubarb mixture. Cover tightly with lid and simmer on low heat 15 to 18 minutes without lifting lid. Biscuits should be fluffy and cooked through.
