When blackberries are in season, you will often find Myron carrying pints of them to snack on as he checks his smoker and pit temperature. He also enjoys the tart flavors and the sweetness of the blackberries in his cobbler, but you can substitute other fruits to your preference.
YIELD: 6–8 SERVINGS • COOK TIME: 1½ HOURS
2 pints (576 g) fresh or frozen blackberries
¾ cup (144 g) granulated sugar, divided
½ cup (110 g) firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp plus ½ cup (70 g) all-purpose flour, divided
1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk or whole milk
¼ cup (55 g) lard or vegetable shortening
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Set up your smoker for indirect cooking at 250°F (121°C).
In a medium nonreactive bowl, stir together the blackberries, ¼ cup (48 g) of the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon (8 g) of the flour, the vinegar and cinnamon. Set aside.
In another medium nonreactive bowl, sift together the remaining ½ cup (62 g) of flour, the remaining ½ cup (96 g) of granulated sugar, the baking powder and the salt. Pour in the buttermilk and use a wooden spoon to stir and combine. The batter should be the consistency of pancake batter. It is fine if there are a few lumps. Set aside.
In a 10-inch (25-cm) cast-iron skillet, melt the lard over medium heat until it starts to brown around the edge and foam. You should hear it sizzling. When you hear the lard start to brown and sizzle, pour the batter into the hot skillet. Do not stir it. Pour the fruit mixture right on top of the batter. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Transfer the skillet into the pit that you have been steadily maintaining at 250°F (121°C). Smoke the cobbler until the crust is golden and crisp-edged, about 1½ hours. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.