The Ultimate Smoked Blueberry Crumble: A Cast Iron Skillet Recipe for Your Weber Kettle Grill
There’s nothing quite like a warm, comforting fruit dessert, and a crumble stands out for its delightful simplicity and incredible texture. Unlike pies or cobblers that rely on traditional dough for their crust, a crumble features a unique topping made from a simple yet magical combination of flour, oats, sugar, and butter. This creates a wonderfully crisp and crusty layer that perfectly complements the sweet, plump, and juicy fruit beneath. When you bring this classic dessert to the grill, specifically a Weber Kettle, and bake it in a sturdy cast iron skillet over smoldering coals, you unlock an entirely new dimension of flavor: a subtle, irresistible smoky essence that elevates the humble blueberry crumble to an impressive and truly unforgettable culinary experience.
Imagine the vibrant blueberries bursting with flavor, nestled under a golden, crunchy topping, all infused with a hint of wood smoke. This isn’t just a dessert; it’s an adventure in outdoor cooking that promises both enjoyment in preparation and pure delight in every bite.
Why You Should Indulge in This Smoked Blueberry Crumble Recipe
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s both easy to make and guaranteed to impress, look no further. This smoked blueberry crumble offers a unique twist on a beloved classic, making it a standout choice for any occasion. Here’s why you absolutely must try this recipe:
- An Exquisite Symphony of Flavors and Textures – The primary reason to dive into this recipe is the sheer sensory pleasure it delivers. Picture the incredible sweetness and vibrant juiciness of the blueberry filling, perfectly contrasted with the crunchy, nutty goodness of the crumble topping. Each mouthful offers a delightful explosion of flavor and a satisfying play between soft and crisp textures, making this blueberry crumble a truly exquisite and delightful guilty pleasure to savor. The gentle infusion of smoke from the Weber Kettle adds an extra layer of complexity, transforming a simple dessert into something extraordinary.
- Effortless and Enjoyable Preparation – Forget complicated baking techniques. This smoked blueberry crumble recipe is designed for simplicity. With just a few basic ingredients for both the fruit filling and the crumble topping, the preparation process is incredibly straightforward and fun to follow. You’ll find yourself looking forward to assembling this dessert again and again, not just because of its delicious outcome, but because the cooking process itself is so rewarding and stress-free. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy outdoor cooking without intimidation.
- No Advanced Baking Skills Required – Are you a novice baker or simply someone who prefers the grill over the oven? Do not despair! This recipe requires absolutely no prior baking expertise. There’s no need to fuss with making and rolling out delicate pie dough. Instead, you simply mix the crumble ingredients, sprinkle them generously over the prepared blueberries, and voila – your incredible, rustic dessert is ready for the grill. It’s truly a testament to how easy delicious can be.
- The Unmistakable Appeal of Smoky Flavor – What sets this recipe apart from any oven-baked crumble is the subtle, alluring hint of smoke that permeates the entire dish. Cooking on a Weber Kettle with a touch of wood smoke adds a layer of depth and outdoor charm that’s simply impossible to achieve indoors. It’s a gourmet touch that makes this blueberry crumble truly special and memorable.
- Perfect for Outdoor Gatherings – Impress your family and friends with a unique dessert cooked right on the grill. This smoked blueberry crumble is ideal for backyard barbecues, camping trips, or any outdoor event. It’s a conversation starter and a crowd-pleaser that showcases your grilling prowess beyond just savory mains.
Essential Ingredients for Your Weber Kettle Grill Blueberry Crumble
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to creating this mouthwatering dessert. We’ve kept the lists simple, focusing on fresh, high-quality components that truly shine when cooked on the grill.
For the luscious blueberry filling:
- 2 pounds fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained: Opt for plump, firm berries for the best texture and flavor.
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the blueberries and adds a lovely tart counterpoint to the sweetness.
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest: The zest provides an intense aromatic citrus burst that elevates the fruit filling.
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour: This acts as a thickener, ensuring your blueberry filling is perfectly set and not too runny.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar: Sweetens the blueberries to perfection, balancing their natural tartness.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: A classic warm spice that beautifully complements blueberries and adds depth to the filling.
For the irresistible crumble topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour: The foundation of our crispy topping.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar: Contributes to the overall sweetness and helps achieve that golden-brown crust.
- 1/3 cup brown sugar: Adds a deeper, caramelized flavor and a slightly chewy texture to the crumble.
- Pinch of salt: Essential for balancing flavors and enhancing the sweetness.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: Complements the fruit filling and adds warmth to the topping.
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) COLD unsalted butter, cut into small cubes: Crucial for a flaky, tender crumble. Cold butter creates pockets of steam, leading to a lighter, crispier texture.
- ½ cup quick-cooking oats: Adds a rustic texture and a subtle nutty flavor to the topping.
- 1 cup sliced almonds, divided by two: Provides a delightful crunch and nutty aroma. Dividing them ensures some are incorporated into the crumble and some are added later for extra crispness.
- 2 tablespoons of butter, one for the skillet, one for the almonds: For greasing the cast iron skillet and sautéing the almonds.
Step-by-Step Directions for Crafting Your Weber Kettle & Cast Iron Skillet Blueberry Crumble
Creating this smoked blueberry crumble is a straightforward and rewarding process. Follow these steps carefully to ensure a perfect, smoky, and delicious dessert every time.
1. Set up your Weber Kettle for indirect smoking – Begin by preparing your grill for indirect cooking. Fill your charcoal chimney fire starter with enough charcoal briquettes to create two piles of coals. Once the briquettes are fully lit and covered in a light grey ash, carefully empty the chimney into the center of your charcoal grate. Using long-handled tongs, move the hot charcoal to both sides of the Weber Kettle, creating two equal piles. This creates a hot zone on the sides and a cooler, indirect cooking zone in the center. To infuse a wonderful smoky flavor, add three more unlit charcoal briquettes and one small piece of wood (like apple, cherry, or hickory for a subtle sweetness) to the top of each hot coal pile. This allows the wood to slowly smolder and release its aromatic smoke throughout the cooking process.
2. Prepare the blueberry filling base – In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the fresh, rinsed, and drained blueberries with the invigorating lemon juice and fragrant lemon zest. Toss them together thoroughly, ensuring each berry is coated. The lemon juice and zest will awaken the natural flavors of the blueberries, adding a bright, zesty counterpoint to their sweetness.
3. Complete the filling and prepare the skillet – In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. This dry mixture will help thicken the blueberry filling as it bakes. Pour this dry mixture over the blueberries in the large bowl and mix thoroughly until all the berries are evenly coated. Next, take your cast iron skillet (a 12-inch skillet works perfectly for this recipe) and rub the inside generously with one tablespoon of butter. This prevents sticking and helps to create a beautiful caramelized bottom crust. Finally, pour the prepared blueberry mixture into the buttered cast iron skillet, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
4. Craft the perfect crumble topping – Now, let’s make that irresistible crumble. In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and cinnamon. Pulse these dry ingredients a few times to ensure they are well combined. Then, add the very cold unsalted butter, which you’ve cut into small cubes. This is a crucial step: cold butter is key to achieving a light and crisp crumble. Pulse the food processor in short bursts until the butter pieces are roughly the size of small peas. Avoid over-processing; you want a coarse, crumbly mixture, not a smooth dough.
5. Finish the crumble topping preparation – Transfer the crumble mixture from the food processor into a medium bowl. Add the quick-cooking oats and half of the sliced almonds to the mixture. Using your hands, gently mix these ingredients together, pressing lightly to form larger, chunky clusters. These larger pieces will bake into deliciously crisp nuggets, adding wonderful texture to your dessert.
6. Apply the crumble topping – With the blueberry filling spread evenly in the cast iron skillet, take your prepared crumble topping and, using your hands, evenly sprinkle and spread it over the blueberries. Ensure an even layer from edge to edge; this will give you that beautiful, golden, and crunchy crust across the entire crumble.
7. Begin the smoking process on the Weber Kettle – Carefully place the cast iron skillet directly onto the cooking grate in the center of your Weber Kettle, positioned over the indirect heat zone (between the two piles of charcoal). Close the lid of the Weber Kettle, ensuring the top vent is at least half-open to allow for proper airflow and smoke circulation. Cook the blueberry crumble for approximately 40 minutes. Monitor the charcoal throughout this period; if the coals start to burn down too much and the temperature drops, use tongs to add a few more charcoal briquettes to each pile, if necessary, to maintain a consistent cooking temperature.
8. Add the finishing touch: sautéed almonds – About 30 minutes into the smoking process, while the crumble is cooking, prepare the remaining almonds. In a small skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the reserved sliced almonds and sauté them, stirring frequently, until they turn a beautiful golden brown and become fragrant. These will add an extra layer of toasted nutty flavor and crunch. After the crumble has smoked for 30 minutes, carefully lift the lid of the Weber Kettle and sprinkle the freshly sautéed almonds evenly on top of the crumble. Close the lid and continue smoking for another 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the almonds to further toast.
9. Determine when your blueberry crumble is perfectly done – Knowing exactly when your crumble is ready is key to a perfect dessert. The blueberry crumble is finished cooking when you observe the blueberries bubbling vigorously around the edges of the cast iron skillet. The crumble topping itself should be a beautiful golden brown and feel firm to the touch, indicating its crispness. For an internal check, gently push a butter knife into the center of the blueberry crumble; if it comes out hot to the touch, the filling is thoroughly cooked through and bubbling hot. This ensures the fruit is tender and the flavors are fully developed.
10. Rest and serve your delicious crumble – Once cooked to perfection, it’s time to remove the hot skillet from the grill. Using sturdy oven mitts, very carefully remove the cast iron skillet from the Weber Kettle and transfer it to a heat-safe surface, such as a trivet on your kitchen stovetop. It is crucial to let the crumble rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the fruit filling to set properly, preventing it from being too runny when you scoop it out. Be extremely careful, as the cast iron skillet will retain a tremendous amount of heat and will be super hot!
Creative Variations and Smart Substitutions for Your Weber Kettle & Cast Iron Skillet Blueberry Crumble
While this blueberry crumble recipe is fantastic as is, part of the joy of cooking is experimenting and adapting. Here are some ideas to make this dish uniquely yours.
A brief history and the unique charm of the crumble – The crumble is a fascinating and somewhat recent addition to the baked fruit dessert family, offering a delightful alternative to its older cousins, pies and cobblers. Traditionally, a pie features a rolled or pressed dough on both the bottom and top, while a cobbler typically has only a top crust, often made from biscuit-like dough. The crumble, however, distinguishes itself by having no traditional dough at all. Instead, it boasts a simple, rustic topping made from a mixture of flour, sugar, oats, and butter, creating a wonderfully crisp and crumbly texture when baked. While pies and cobblers have graced tables for centuries, dating back to the beginnings of baking, the crumble gained widespread popularity during World War II. During this time, flour was heavily rationed in many countries, including the United States, making it scarce and expensive. Resourceful home cooks, still craving their beloved fruit desserts, innovated by developing the “crumble.” It required less flour and was incredibly easy to assemble, quickly catching on and becoming a popular and enduring favorite. Its simplicity means you truly don’t need any special baking skills to master it, making it accessible to everyone.
Experiment with other delicious fruit fillings – The beauty of this crumble recipe is its versatility. Any fruit filling that works well in a traditional pie can be brilliantly adapted for this smoked crumble. Consider classic options like sweet apples, juicy peaches, tart blackberries, vibrant strawberries, sweet cherries, or tender pears. Each fruit brings its own unique flavor profile and texture. For example, an apple crumble might benefit from a touch of nutmeg or allspice, while a peach crumble could be enhanced with ginger. Remember that with a blueberry crumble, the fruit preparation is minimal—just wash and drain. This is precisely what makes this specific recipe so incredibly simple and fun to create. There’s no time-consuming slicing, peeling, or pre-cooking of the fruit, making it perfect for a quick, yet impressive, dessert.
Explore different topping ingredients for unique flavors – The crumble topping is ripe for creative substitutions and additions, allowing you to customize the flavor and texture to your liking. Since the base crumble is so straightforward, it lends itself beautifully to inventive twists. To enhance the texture, try adding crushed graham crackers for a subtle honey note, more rolled oats for extra chewiness, or even chocolate chips or peanut butter chips for a decadent treat. For a more sophisticated savory or spiced touch, consider incorporating a pinch of ground ginger, cloves, allspice, or freshly grated nutmeg into the crumble mixture. And, of course, any type of nut can transform the topping: pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or even macadamia nuts would all make a wonderful and inspiring addition, offering different levels of crunch and richness. Don’t be afraid to mix and match to find your perfect combination!
Expert Tips and Tricks for Your Weber Kettle & Cast Iron Skillet Blueberry Crumble
Mastering this smoked blueberry crumble is even easier with a few insider tips. These suggestions will enhance your grilling experience and ensure a consistently delicious result.
Optimize your grilling with a Weber Kettle hinged grilling grate – For any indirect cooking on your Weber Kettle, a hinged grilling grate is an absolute game-changer. The hinged portions on both sides of the grate conveniently lift up, allowing you to easily add more charcoal or wood chips as needed during a longer cook. This simple feature saves you from the hassle of lifting off the entire hot grill grate every time you need to replenish your fuel, which not only makes the process safer and more efficient but also helps maintain a more consistent internal temperature within the kettle. This consistency is crucial for baking delicate desserts like crumbles.
Why a cast iron skillet is the perfect vessel for this blueberry crumble recipe – The synergy between your Weber Kettle and a cast iron skillet is truly masterful for this recipe. The Weber Kettle is expertly designed to function much like an outdoor convection oven, especially when configured for indirect grilling. In this setup, the kettle and its lid become incredibly hot, circulating heat evenly. By adding a cast iron skillet filled with the blueberry crumble ingredients, you introduce another element that efficiently absorbs and retains this heat. Cast iron is renowned for its exceptional heat distribution and retention capabilities, ensuring that your crumble bakes evenly from the bottom up, resulting in beautifully caramelized fruit and a perfectly crisp crust. This powerful combination of fire, kettle, and cast iron skillet allows the blueberry crumble to cook efficiently, consistently, and relatively quickly, while also imparting a rustic charm to your presentation.
The ultimate serving suggestion: don’t forget the accompaniments – We’ve saved the absolute best tip for last, because what’s a warm crumble without its perfect pairing? Can you say, “Ice Cream?” I thought you could! A generous scoop or two of creamy vanilla ice cream, slowly melting over a warm slice of this freshly smoked blueberry crumble, is truly a match made in heaven. As the cold ice cream begins to melt and seep into the warm, fruity, and crunchy crumble, the resulting flavor combination and temperature contrast are nothing short of an incredible treat. The richness of the vanilla perfectly complements the tart-sweet blueberries and smoky notes. And for those who prefer another classic, can you also say, “Whipped Cream?” I thought you could! A dollop of freshly whipped cream adds a light, airy, and equally delicious finish. Don’t hesitate to elevate your dessert experience with these simple, yet profoundly satisfying additions.
Smoked Blueberry Crumble
Equipment
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1 Weber Kettle Grill
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1 Cast Iron Skillet (12″ diameter)
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1 Charcoal Chimney Fire Starter
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1 Pair Oven Mitts
Ingredients
For the blueberry filling:
- 2 pounds fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the crumble topping:
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 stick, 8 tablespoons COLD unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ½ cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup sliced almonds, divided by two
- 2 tablespoons butter, one for the skillet, one for the almonds
Instructions
Directions For Making Weber Kettle & Cast Iron Skillet Blueberry Crumble
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Set up your Weber Kettle for indirect smoking – Fill your charcoal chimney fire starter with charcoal briquettes, and when ready, empty the chimney in the center of the charcoal grate. With tongs, move the charcoal to both sides of the Weber Kettle, creating two equal piles. Add three more charcoal briquets and one piece of wood to each pile.
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For the filling, mix the blueberries with the lemon juice and lemon zest – In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the blueberries with the lemon juice and lemon zest.
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Combine the rest of the filling ingredients with the blueberries – In a small bowl combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon, then pour over the blueberries and thoroughly mix together. Rub the cast iron skillet with butter and pour the blueberries into the skillet.
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For the crumble topping, combine in a food processor – Place the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse the food processor until the butter is the size of peas.
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Place the topping mixture in a bowl – Place the crumble topping mixture in a bowl and add the oats and half of the almond. Mix them together with your hands to make a chunky topping.
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Spread the crumble topping over the blueberries – In the cast iron skillet, using your hands, evenly spread the crumble topping over the blueberries.
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Place the cast iron skillet on the Weber Kettle – Place the cast iron skillet in the center of the Weber Kettle and close the lid. Cook the blueberry crumble for approximately 40 minutes. Add more charcoal briquets to both piles of coals as the coals burn down, if necessary.
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Sauté the remaining almonds – In a small skillet, add a tablespoon of butter and sauté the remaining almonds until golden brown. After the crumble has smoked for 30 minutes, sprinkle the sautéed almonds on top of the crumble. Continue smoking for another 10 minutes.
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How do you know when the blueberry crumble is done? – The blueberry crumble is finished cooking when the blueberries are bubbling around the edges of the skillet, and the crumble topping is golden brown and firm to the tough. Push a butter knife in the center of the blueberry crumble, and if it comes out hot to the touch, then it is cooked through.
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Remove the cast iron skillet from the Weber Kettle – With oven mitts, carefully remove the cast iron skillet to your stovetop in the kitchen and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Be very careful, as it will be super hot!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.