How to Cook Steel-Cut Oats

You can serve steel cut oatmeal with your favorite mix of brown sugar, raisins, sunflower seeds, dried and fresh fruits.

Unlike the rolled oats regularly cooked as a hot breakfast cereal, steel cut oats are cut into pieces but left otherwise intact. Due to their minimal processing, steel cut oats take a much longer time to cook than regular oatmeal. They also have a nuttier flavor and a chewier, more robust texture. You can cook steel cut oats overnight in a slow cooker set on low and it will be ready for you first thing in the morning.

Things You'll Need

• 3 cups water
• Saucepan
• 1 cup steel cut oats
• Salt
• Cinnamon (optional)
• Brown sugar (optional)
• Vanilla (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add steel cut oats and a pinch of salt. Stir.

2. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes or until oatmeal thickens, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in cinnamon, brown sugar or vanilla to taste. Serve immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• To reduce cooking time in the morning, bring 4 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup steel cut oats, boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and soak the oats overnight. In the morning, bring the water back to a boil and cook 7-10 minutes or until the oats are tender.

References

• Food Network: Steel Cut Oats
• Two Peas & Their Pod; Steel Cut Oats Recipe; February 2010
• McCann's Irish Oatmeal: Short Cuts to Steel-Cuts
• The Bitten Word: Overnight Oatmeal: Steel-Cut Oats in 10 Minutes

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Steel Cut Oats