Experiment #1 in slow-cooked oatmeal: modest failure

[elfs]

Omaha bought a new bag of "steel-cut oatmeal," which is basically chopped groats. I've never had the stuff soften enough to be edible, so I decided to try it in a slow-cooker overnight. It's supposed to be even better for ya than the roller-flattened oats that most people are familiar with. (Actually, I suspect most folkes are familiar with the roller-flattened and then spin-cut stuff marketed as "instant," where all the fiber has been destroyed by the secondary cutting process to make it absorb moisture faster, but the physiology-related nutritional value has been destroyed.)

It worked, at least as far as softening was concerned. But it makes twice as much food, measured by dry volume, as any added sweetener is so fully absorbed as to be undetectable, making today's breakfast very bland. I'll try it again, but next time with half as much oats.

Comments

[skywhisperer.livejournal.com]

I've slow-cooked them, I've cooked them on the stove, and I've done them in the (fuzzy-logic) rice cooker. Then I found this:

http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-living-article/baked-steel-cut-oatmeal/564822

I don't mess with the vanilla syrup; instead; I just add a generous splash of vanilla extract. Easy, creamy, tasty.

[ionotter.livejournal.com]

For myself, I've found a rice cooker to be a more useful way to do steel-cut oats. Mine is a fancy model, with different settings and a timer function. Very handy! I can offset the cooking, so that I wake up to fresh, hot oatmeal, done to perfection.

And yes, the groats will soak up the sweetener. I throw in half a cup of raisins when I set it up, that way they can soak AND cook with the oatmeal. Everything comes out just right, although sometimes I add a little sugar afterwards.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

I have a very simple rice cooker. It makes rice, and nothing else. But it makes awesome rice. Like I said, it was an experiment. There will be more.

Oh, and I love that icon.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[kengr]

Hmm. I'll have to try adding mace to the oatmeal next time I make it. I have big jar of it from when Lin cleaned out her spice cabinet, and not much to use it on.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[wyrdone.livejournal.com]

Add a small pinch (1/8 or 1/16th tsp) of salt to your batch, it will act as flavor catalyst. And use fruit like suggested above, then sweeten to taste after cooking. (I like using a nice dark wildflower honey or blackstrap molassas.)

[phred1973.livejournal.com]

Mmm I dunno, salt keeps the water from getting into the oat and makes for less creaminess. I always add the salt as I'm serving. Sweetener at the end also - usually brown sugar or maple syrup for me, with walnuts/pecans/raisins...etc.

I toast the oats in a big pot first, until they smell nutty, then add the water to cook them - just water. I pour in milk/cream/half&half near the end, let is get to good and creamy, and serve.

Is delicious.

[alicephilippa.livejournal.com]

I've never been quite sure of the problem. Take oats, put in bowl, and milk/water/soy/whatever, dried fruit if wanted, bung in microwave, zap on full power until done, eat.

Simples.

[moiety-tx.livejournal.com]

I'm fond of the water bath method for slow cooker steel cut oats. Find a container big enough to hold your oats and water but small enough to fit in your slow cooker (and be safe in there, of course) Add water into the slow cooker around it to the level the oats+water come to. Turn it on the night before you want to eat. Good, and easier to clean than a slow cooker with burnt-on edges to the oats.

I do find you have to season steel cuts somewhat more heavily than 'old-fashioned'. Our standbys are vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, pecans, dried cranberries or other fruit, flaxseed....mmm.

[jenk]

I've cooked them on the stove or in the slow cooker. Usually I cook them in apple juice or an apple juice/water mix, which both sweetens and flavors them. I've also tossed in chunks of apple if I'm out of juice.

I add cinnamon and nutmeg once it's done.

[srmalloy.livejournal.com]

Have you tried Alton Brown's 'Overnight Oatmeal' recipe? One cup steel-cut oats, four cups of water, half a cup of milk, half-and-half, or cream depending on your taste, and eight ounces of whatever dried fruit you like, cut up if it's something larger like apricots. Set that up before you go to bed in a slow cooker, and it's ready in the morning. I mix in a some cinnamon before I eat, but even by itself I wouldn't call it 'very bland'.

Savory

[(Anonymous)]

I make mine with a pinch of salt and serve with cottage cheese...