If your only experience with oatmeal has been those pasty, sugar-laden, ready-in-less-than-a-minute microwave packets that your mom forced on you when you were a kid, cooking up a pot of oatmeal from steel cut oats will seem like a revelation. Steel cut oats, also known as Scotch oats or Irish porridge, are whole oat groats that, unlike rolled oats, haven't been steamed, pressed, rolled and dried. The only processing steel cut oats go through is that they are cut into two or three pieces to make cooking simpler. Oatmeal made from steel cut oats requires more cooking time than rolled oats -- about 30 minutes instead of 15 minutes -- but they are less likely to become mushy and offer a stronger pure oat flavor.
Step 1
Heat 3 cups of water and 1 cup of milk over medium heat in a large saucepan until the mixture just reaches a simmer. Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in a skillet and add the steel cut oats. Cook the oats until they are golden and give off a toasted smell, stirring constantly, about two minutes.
Step 2
Transfer the oats from the skillet to the simmering liquid in the saucepan. Stir for three minutes, until the oatmeal has thickened slightly. Turn the heat to low and allow to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the oatmeal reaches the consistency of gravy. Stir the oatmeal from the bottom of the pan frequently to prevent sticking.
Step 3
Stir in the salt, raisins, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oatmeal is creamy and nearly all of the water and milk has been absorbed.
Step 4
Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, undisturbed, for five minutes. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons or brown sugar or drizzle with maple syrup, if desired, before dividing the oatmeal into three to four servings.
Tips and Warnings
- Uncooked steel cut oats should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent them from becoming rancid.
Things You'll Need
- Large, heavy saucepan
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup milk
- Medium skillet
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- Brown sugar or pure maple syrup (optional)
References
- "The Joy of Cooking"; Irma S. Rombauer, et al.; 1997
- "The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook"; The Editors at America's Test Kitchen; 2006
- Slashfood: Steel Cut Oatmeal - A Slow Cooking Breakfast
- Leslie Beck, RD: Oats
Member Comments