# Cooking oatmeal on the stovetop:



## crankin (Dec 2, 2007)

I am making oatmeal on the stovetop and the container says to mix 1 cup of oats with 4 cups of boiling water and simmer for 30 minutes (steel cut oats in this case). Question: if I halve the ingredients and do just 1/2 cup oats and 2 cups water, do I also halve the cooking time to 15 minutes or does it still need the full 30 minutes?


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## Bilby (Dec 2, 2007)

I would imagine it will still need most of the thirty minutes, if not all.  You are really trying to get them to a certain consistency - soft and edible without being mushy (unless that's how you like your porridge!).

Not sure what steel cut oats are but when I do traditional oats - which I admit is not very often - I soak them in water to soften them a bit before cooking.  Also reduces cooking time. My mum likes to cook hers in hot milk.  I like to have toast!!


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## GB (Dec 2, 2007)

I would not think you would change the cooking time either, but with steel cut oatmeal there is a range of doneness. If you like them a little on the crunchy side then you would cook then less. If you like them softer then you would cook them longer. Give them a taste every once in a while and when they seem done to you then they are done.


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## danpeikes (Dec 2, 2007)

*I would not cut the cooking time*

I would not cut the cooking time, or not in the same ratio.  In this case the cooking time is not a factor of the amount, it is a factor of the product.  Steel Cut Oat from my understanding, mind you I have never cooked them my self, take a while to cook.  Also, just like most grain products you will get a gritty cereal taste if you do not cook them long enough.


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## crankin (Dec 2, 2007)

I gave it a try and you guys are correct, it needs the same amount of time. At fifteen minutes they were still too firm.


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## GB (Dec 2, 2007)

Taste them again at 20 and 25 minutes just to get a good idea to see how much it really takes.


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## robgrave (Dec 2, 2007)

I've never tried the steel-cut (whole grain) oatmeal, but if I did, I'd probably go for the quicker cooking product.  McCann's makes a "Quick and Easy Irish Oatmeal" that reduces the cooking time from 30 to 5 minutes.

I'll take the loss in nutritional value for the sake of convenience, provided of course that the stuff is noticeably more satisfying than rolled oats.  Anyone tried it?


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## DramaQueen (Dec 2, 2007)

robgrave said:


> I've never tried the steel-cut (whole grain) oatmeal, but if I did, I'd probably go for the quicker cooking product. McCann's makes a "Quick and Easy Irish Oatmeal" that reduces the cooking time from 30 to 5 minutes.
> 
> I'll take the loss in nutritional value for the sake of convenience, provided of course that the stuff is noticeably more satisfying than rolled oats. Anyone tried it?


 
*I too use the McCann's 5 minute oatmeal and love it.  I prefer my oatmeal on the creamy side so I use half water, half milk to cook. *

* I learned something from Martha Stewart a couple of years ago about toasting the oats before cooking them.  She said the flavor was wonderfully nutty and the toasting brings out the flavor of the nuts and makes it more intense and interesting.  She was right.  I toast the oatmeal in a skillet for about 5 minutes, tossing often just til they turn a nice golden brown. Then proceed as directed. The flavor is just like eating a bowl of toasted nuts. Much better. *
*I add 2 tsp. of brown sugar and a few shakes of cinnamon along with some dried cranberries.   Awesome!  Who knew oatmeal could taste so good?*


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## robgrave (Dec 2, 2007)

Strong endorsement, DramaQueen.  I'm bound to try it now.


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## Katie H (Dec 2, 2007)

I love steel-cut oats and prefer the longer cooking version.  What I do is to put the oats in the required amount of water the night before, cover the pan and cook as directed in the morning.  It helps to reduce the cooking time a bit.

I've tried McCann's quick-cooking oats and feel they lack flavor and I don't care for the texture.


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## VeraBlue (Dec 2, 2007)

robgrave said:


> I've never tried the steel-cut (whole grain) oatmeal, but if I did, I'd probably go for the quicker cooking product.  McCann's makes a "Quick and Easy Irish Oatmeal" that reduces the cooking time from 30 to 5 minutes.
> 
> I'll take the loss in nutritional value for the sake of convenience, provided of course that the stuff is noticeably more satisfying than rolled oats.  Anyone tried it?



I've used both McCann's products...the regular steel cut and the quick cooking.  The regular steel cut is a superior product, but the quick cooking is not bad and superior to anything that Quaker makes.   I have not tried the instant McCann's and never will.


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## robgrave (Dec 2, 2007)

VeraBlue said:


> I've used both McCann's products...the regular steel cut and the quick cooking.  The regular steel cut is a superior product, but the quick cooking is not bad and superior to anything that Quaker makes.   I have not tried the instant McCann's and never will.


I'm convinced, giving "quick and easy" McCann's is worth a try.  I'm a sucker for convenience, frankly.  Like, I use Betty Crocker mix for my corn muffins.  Purists may cringe, but that's just me 

BTW, I notice that Quaker has come out with a regular steel-cut oats of their own.  The whole-grain trend is a growing one, I guess.


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## Andy M. (Dec 2, 2007)

robgrave said:


> ...BTW, I notice that Quaker has come out with a regular steel-cut oats of their own. The whole-grain trend is a growing one, I guess.


 

Not to mention the money to be made from it.


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## redkitty (Dec 3, 2007)

I cook steel cut oats almost every morning!  I use 1/4 cup dry oats with 1 1/2 cups water and cook for about 25ish minutes.  My favorite thing for brekkie!


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## sparrowgrass (Dec 3, 2007)

I hated oatmeal until I tried steel cut oats.  I haven't tried toasting them yet--next batch I will.

Yep, they take longer to cook, but I do them while I wash the supper dishes, and I cook enough for 3 or 4 days, reheating in the microwave in the morning.

Try them with maple syrup.


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## robgrave (Dec 4, 2007)

OK, I bought a box of McCann's (quick version), tried it this morning, and my conclusion is: good, marginally better than rolled, but not nearly enough to justify the difference in price.

I'll have to try the regular steel-cut someday, of course.  From all that's been posted here,  the extra cooking time appears to be worth it, even if it means getting up a half-hour or so earlier to make breakfast.


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## GB (Dec 4, 2007)

Don't limit yourself to just breakfast. Have some nice steel cut for lunch or dinner. That way you can sleep in


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## robgrave (Dec 4, 2007)

GB said:


> Don't limit yourself to just breakfast. Have some nice steel cut for lunch or dinner. That way you can sleep in


Oatmeal for dinner would be a new trick for an old dog.  Now grits, that's another thing.  Eggs, hash browns, and a side of grits, that's a dinner breakfast if there's going to be one.

Anyway, it wouldn't hurt me to get up a bit earlier.  Maybe even make a batch of biscuits or corn muffins while the oatmeal cooks


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## xmascarol1 (Dec 12, 2007)

What a lovely idea to toast the oat meal.  Leave it to Martha.  We eat lots of oatmeal here at our house.  I pop it into an oversize glass bowl (2to 1 water to oats) a little salt, a handful of dried cherries, a few snips of candied ginger and maybe some dried cranberries. I let it cook for 6 min.while we start the fire and tend to the animals.  Then I serve it with a handful of toasted walnuts, and a couple tablespoons of ground flax seeds.  What could be more delicious.  Sometimes I do the same thing with Red River Cereal or Pettijohns.  I put a little cream on mine, but hubby likes it just plain.   
When the kids were little (30 years ago) I put the oatmeal in the crock pot  with raisins before bed and they helped themselves in the morning.It was like the old method of putting it on the back of the woodstove overnight.  MMMMM.


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## Jeff G. (Dec 13, 2007)

The long cook oats I have found to taste significantly better than any "instant" or "fast" oatmeal.  Good Steel cut is the best!
Alton Browns recipe is the best!!!!


1 tablespoon butter  
1 cup steel cut oats 
3 cups boiling water 
1/2 cup whole milk 
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk 
1 tablespoon brown sugar 
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large saucepot, melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for 2 minutes to toast. Add the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer for 25 minutes, without stirring. Combine the milk and half of the buttermilk with the oatmeal. Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with remaining buttermilk, brown sugar, and cinnamon.


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## bethzaring (Dec 13, 2007)

I'm surprised anyone finds a difference in taste between the long cook oats and quick oats. It is basically the same beast, one is just cut up into smaller pieces than the other, to expediate the cooking.

Personally, I buy organic rolled oats in the 50 pound bag.  And the current bag we are eating out of is a particulary cooking resistant product.  Usually I cook it for 5 minutes in the microwave.  But five minutes of cooking these babies produced no results.  So I am leaving the food processor out on the counter this winter, and giving the daily ration of oats a buzz in it, before cooking breakfast. In effect, I am making my own instant oats. And even cooking the buzzed oats for 5 minutes in the microwave produces a chewy gruel.


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## sparrowgrass (Dec 13, 2007)

Try the steel cut oats in a "ris-oat-o" at suppertime.  Toast them, along with some finely chopped onions and garlic, and cook with chicken broth.  Good whole grain side dish.


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## BBQ Mikey (Dec 14, 2007)

I add boiling hot water to oats, fruit pieces (minced) and syrup (today strawberry syrup n' apples)  yumyum.


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## Robo410 (Dec 14, 2007)

the long cook is worth the time, and the toasting is a great flavor booster


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## srm (Jan 10, 2008)

DramaQueen said:


> * I learned something from Martha Stewart a couple of years ago about toasting the oats before cooking them.  She said the flavor was wonderfully nutty and the toasting brings out the flavor of the nuts and makes it more intense and interesting.  She was right.  I toast the oatmeal in a skillet for about 5 minutes, tossing often just til they turn a nice golden brown. Then proceed as directed. The flavor is just like eating a bowl of toasted nuts. Much better. *
> *I add 2 tsp. of brown sugar and a few shakes of cinnamon along with some dried cranberries.   Awesome!  Who knew oatmeal could taste so good?*



I just came across this thread... curious, is toasting the oatmeal just regular oats? or steel cut oats? could you do both?


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## DramaQueen (Jan 10, 2008)

*You can use either steel cut or regular oats.  Toast slowly, just til they're deep golden brown,  and keep shaking and stirring the pan so they don't burn.  Keep the  heat low.  You'll be able to smell the nutty aroma when they toast.*


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## xmascarol1 (Jan 10, 2008)

*baked for a change*

Yesterday they had a baked oatmeal recipe on Recipezaar, and we had it this morning.  It was very good.  It was a nice   change.  It had 2 c. oatmeal, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 t bkg pwdr, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1 c. milk,  salt, 1/2 c. applesauce, stir and bake 45 min. in a greased pan.  I mixed it up the night before and baked it in the morning.  As I only did 1/2 a recipe I baked it 30 min.  Served it w/ hot applesauce and yogurt on top.   As I have tons of applesauce canned up this year, I need to use some of it.


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