Most people who store wheat for long periods of time store the entire kernel, otherwise known as the wheat berry, rather than storing wheat flour. The unrefined wheat germ inside each wheat kernel contains polyunsaturated oil. Though this oil goes rancid very quickly once the kernel is cracked or crushed, it is highly nutritious when fresh. Likewise, cereal made from whole wheat kernels is more nutritious than cereal made from refined wheat. Both slow-cooked wheat berries and cracked wheat porridge make good breakfast cereal. Because they take time to cook, slow cook them in a crock pot overnight.
Slow-Cooked Wheat Berries
Step 1
Put 1 cup of wheat berries and 3 cups of water in a crock pot. Add 1/2 tsp. salt.
Step 2
Set the crock pot to low just before you go to bed.
Step 3
Cook the wheat berries overnight for eight to 10 hours. Most of the water should be absorbed by morning. If any water remains, you can drain it using a colander.
Step 4
Put the cooked wheat berries in a cereal bowl. Add fruit, spices or yogurt to taste.
Cracked Wheat Porridge
Step 1
Crack the wheat berries in a grain mill. Use the coarsest setting. The wheat should look like like the steel-cut oats used to make Irish oatmeal.
Step 2
Put the cracked wheat in the crock pot. Add water. Depending on the hardness of wheat and how mushy you like your porridge, use between 2-1/2 and 4 cups of water for each cup of wheat. Harder wheat takes more water. Add salt to taste.
Step 3
Set the crock pot to low and turn it on before you go to bed. Cook the porridge for seven to 12 hours.
Step 4
Spoon the porridge into a cereal bowl and top it with your favorite toppings.
Tips and Warnings
- You will need to experiment with the amount of water and length of time you cook your cereal. Crock pot temperatures vary. Hard wheat takes longer than soft. Coarse-cracked and whole kernels take longer than a finer crack. A porridge cooked to the consistency of a puree takes longer than a more toothy porridge. Wheat berries can be either sweet or savory. For sweet wheat berries, cook them with fruit or honey. For savory wheat berries, cook them in broth with onions and vegetables.
- Make sure your mill will crack grain. Some will only grind flour. If yours does crack grains, set the coarseness of the grind to the coarsest setting. If the crack isn't fine enough, you can always run the wheat through the grinder again. If your mill doesn't grind grain, try using your blender or try a few quick pulses with a coffee grinder.
Things You'll Need
- Wheat kernels
- Crock pot
- Water
- Salt
- Colander
- Cereal bowl
- Spices (your choice of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, etc. -- optional)
- Fresh fruit (optional)
- Yogurt (optional)
- Grain mill or high-powered blender
- Milk or cream (optional)
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