This slow cooker 6-ingredient poor man berry grunt is one of those humble, cozy desserts that feels like a hug at the end of a long week. It leans on canned gelatinous mixed berries and cheap lard to keep costs down, but when everything melts together low and slow, you end up with a sweet, jammy berry base and rich, tender dumpling-like bites on top. It’s the kind of Midwestern, make-do dessert our grandparents would have thrown together from the pantry, and somehow it still turns into the dish everyone asks for at Sunday supper.
Serve this warm right out of the slow cooker, scooped into bowls. It pairs wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped topping, or even a spoonful of plain yogurt if you like a little tang. A hot cup of coffee or tea on the side makes it feel extra homey. If you’re feeding a crowd, you can set the slow cooker to warm and let everyone help themselves, with a small bowl of extra sugar and cinnamon on the table for sprinkling.
Slow Cooker Poor Man Berry GruntServings: 6
Ingredients
2 cans (about 15 ounces each) gelatinous mixed berries in syrup
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup cheap lard, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup milk (any kind you have on hand)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker crock with a tiny bit of lard or cooking spray to help prevent sticking.
Open the canned gelatinous mixed berries and pour them, syrup and all, into the bottom of the slow cooker. Use a spoon to spread them into an even layer.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar evenly over the top of the berries to sweeten and help them turn jammy as they cook.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
Pour in the milk and stir just until a thick, sticky dough forms. It should be soft but not runny; add a tablespoon more flour if it seems too thin or a splash more milk if it’s too dry.
Using clean hands or a spoon, pinch off small chunks of the dough and gently drop them over the top of the canned berries in the slow cooker. It’s fine if there are gaps; the dough will puff and spread a bit as it cooks.
Take the 1/4 cup of cheap lard and cut or pinch it into pea-sized pieces. With your hands, drop the chunks of lard evenly over the dough and exposed berries. This step is what gives the grunt its rich, old-fashioned flavor and keeps the topping tender.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 4 to 4 1/2 hours, until the berry layer is bubbling around the edges and the dough chunks on top are cooked through and no longer doughy in the center.
Once done, turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the dessert sit with the lid slightly propped open for about 10 minutes to let some steam escape and the sauce thicken a bit.
Spoon the warm berry grunt into bowls, making sure each serving gets some of the soft dumpling topping and plenty of berries. Serve right away with your favorite creamy topping.
Variations & Tips
If your family prefers things less sweet, you can cut the sugar back by a couple of tablespoons or choose berries packed in juice instead of heavy syrup. For a little brightness, stir a teaspoon of lemon juice or a pinch of lemon zest into the canned berries before adding the topping. If you don’t have cinnamon, you can swap in pumpkin pie spice or just use a splash of vanilla in the dough. To stretch this for a bigger crowd, add an extra can of berries and increase the dough ingredients by half. For picky eaters who don’t like visible fruit chunks, lightly mash the berries with a fork in the slow cooker before topping so the texture is smoother. You can also sprinkle a spoonful of oats over the berries for a bit of texture under the dumplings. FOOD SAFETY TIPS: Keep the canned berries at room temperature only as long as it takes to assemble the recipe; once opened, they should either be cooked or refrigerated. Make sure the slow cooker reaches a steady simmer and that the dough pieces in the center are fully cooked (no raw, gummy spots) before serving. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking, and reheat thoroughly before eating. If you prefer not to use lard, you can substitute an equal amount of vegetable shortening, though it will change the flavor slightly.
