Mmmm, oatmeal

The last couple of mornings I've been preparing steel-cut oatmeal instead of the 1-minute variety. If you have 30 minutes to cook the stuff, the difference in taste and texture is really outstanding.

It's been some time since I used up a can of John McCann's Steel-Cut Irish Oatmeal someone gave me (the one in a steel can), but instead of spending $7 or $8, I bought some generic steel-cut oats at an organic store for a couple of bucks.

It tastes just fine to me, but I was wondering if there was enough difference to justify the additional cost for the branded stuff. A blind study would be interesting. Your thoughts?

Larry,

Shop around for price on that can. At a local (to Louisville, KY at the time) grocery store, I found a can for aboiut $4...I so love steel cut oats, that I was happy.

I wonder about finding them in bulk at a place like Whole Foods?

b

I don't think there is that much of a difference between the branded and the bulk, Larry. But then again, I almost always add things to my oatmeal like various dried fruits etc.

I have a tiny slow cooker that I have hooked up to a timer. Throw everything in when I go to bed and wake up to delicious hot steel cut oats. Yum!

I found them in bulk at Vitamin Cottage. They are also found at Whole Foods and Wild Oats and probably certain supermarkets in the bulk bins.

I've saved the Irish Oatmeal steel can. It's where I store the generic bulk stuff. If I make sure any guests see the can, I'm sure they won't notice much, if any, taste differences. People are influenced by what they see. Remember the Pepsi test?

I also add stuff to the oatmeal. Usually a touch of Sucanat or Demarara sugar, perhaps some cinnamon, and some pepitos thrown on top. Yum.

Hey Larry, I love steel cut oats, too! And now that my doctor has asked me to bring my cholesterol levels down I am eating them every day. Because of the aforemetioned issue I have changed my recipe to cooking them with just water. But here is my old one:

1 cup water
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup oats
salt

Bring water and milk to light boil. Add oats and stir once. Let the oats return to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes without stirring. Add salt and stir a little. After 20 minutes begin stirring regularly until oatmeal is thick. Turn off heat and let oatmeal sit for 5 minutes. Serve.

This is the creamiest oatmeal I have ever had! Yum!!

I have also never noticed a difference between McCann's and the bulk stuff.

rwj

Here's a nice site that tells the difference between the various types of oats available. Turns out all except steel cut are sort of pre-made oatmeal.

http://www.foodsubs.com/GrainOats.html

Howard, I'm pretty sure "milled oats", which aren't discussed on the Cook's thesarsus, are a thick type of steel cut oatmeal. The oats are hulled, and then cut and milled into shape.

As a farm boy, I ate lots of oats right off the plant, and the Thick and Rough Silver Palate type is exactly the same as the oats I remember as a kid.

Try oat groats sometime. They are hulled oats, uncut, unrolled. They cook like wheatberries. Once they are done, they are really good with maple, grated apple, cinnamon.

I like groats, too. I soak them overnight, and like them in salads or cooked.

I've not tried oat groats but I'll look for them. I sure do like the steel cut oats though. Loads of texture and flavor.

I have a tiny slow cooker that I have hooked up to a timer. Throw everything in when I go to bed and wake up to delicious hot steel cut oats. Yum!

Cynthia, do you set that slow cooker on low, or on high to cook the oats? I rise at 5am three days a week to be at work by 6:30, and on these cold Feb mornings, hot oats would taste pretty darn good. I like that slow cooker idea.

I also add stuff to the oatmeal. Usually a touch of Sucanat or Demarara sugar, perhaps some cinnamon, and some pepitos thrown on top. Yum.

Pepitos? Larry are those the pumpkin seeds? Or are they pine nuts? or maybe as ther were called in Spain, sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds in Spain, are also called "La Droga" or the drug.

Bob, I just throw everything in and set it on low. I have the timer set to come on so the cook time is about 7-8 hours or so. I often turn it on as I get in from work (on long days), and it's really comforting to wake up to just a short night later. (Yeah, I know I work too much...)

I have several good combinations of things if you'd like specific recipes.

Pepitos = pumpkin seeds. I've also been known to put on sunflower seeds. I frequently use either on salads, too.