Steel cut oats take longer to cook because they are hard, but there are several easy ways of preparing them.
Puja Lalwani
Steel cut oats are whole grain oats that are known to maintain greater nutrition than rolled or instant oats. The oat grains are cut into two or three pieces by steel blades, which give them their name. As they are not processed as much as rolled oats, they are known to be slightly more nutritious.
They are also a favored lot because when cooked, they attain a chewy texture that a lot of people enjoy.
Preparing Steel Cut Oats
There are various ways in which steel cut oats can be prepared. They can be soaked overnight and prepared in the morning in order to quicken the cooking process. Else, if cooked without soaking, they may take about 35-40 minutes to cook.
Apart from these methods, they can be cooked in a slow cooker or crockpot for about 6-8 hours. They can be baked but will have to be cooked before they are popped in the oven.
Basic Recipe(4 servings):
This is a basic recipe that takes about 40 minutes to cook with minimal preparation time.
Ingredients:
Steel Cut Oats, 1 cup
Water, 2 cups
Low-fat milk, 2 cups
Unsalted Butter, 1 teaspoon (optional)
Salt, ¼ teaspoon
Maple syrup/Agave syrup/Honey/Brown sugar
Dried Fruit (raisins, apricots, cranberries, dates; optional)
Nuts (chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts; optional)
Fresh fruit (of your choice; optional)
Procedure:
In large saucepan, on a high flame, mix the water and milk and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Add in the oats while stirring constantly.
Reduce the flame and cover the saucepan, allowing the oats to simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir every once in a while to prevent the oats from sticking to the base.
Now, add in the butter, salt, and honey/maple syrup.
Again cover the pot and allow it to simmer for another 15 minutes; stir in between.
Allow them to cook until they attain a thick, creamy texture.
They are now ready to eat. Top with dried fruits, fresh fruits, or mix them in. They can be enjoyed cold or steaming hot.
Overnight preparation for this recipe involves soaking the steel cut oats overnight so that they can be cooked quickly in the morning.
Ingredients:
Water, 3 cups
Milk (whole/skimmed), 3 cups
Steel cut oats, 1½ cups
Cranberries/Raisins (dried), ¼ cup
Almonds/Walnuts/Pecans (chopped), ¼ cup
Pure maple syrup/Honey
Procedure:
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan, and add in the oats to allow them to boil for a minute. Turn off the heat.
Cover the pan and allow the oats to soak overnight.
In the morning, bring the oats to a boil over a high flame. Reduce the heat, and add in the milk. Allow the oats to simmer for about 10 minutes.
The oats will attain a creamy texture. They are now ready to eat. Serve them in a bowl and top with nuts and dried fruits of your choice. You may also add the maple syrup or honey for sweetness.
Crock Pot Recipe(8 servings):
This method is useful to prepare the oats in large batches and freeze them to enjoy throughout the week. The previous methods can be used too, however, using this method to make a small batch may not be feasible.
Ingredients:
Water, 8 cups
Steel cut oats, 2 cups
Vanilla Extract, 1 teaspoon
Brown sugar, ½ cup
Cinnamon powder, 1 teaspoon
Raisins, 1 cup
Apples, 2 (peeled and diced)
Procedure:
Spray your Crock Pot with some cooking spray to prevent the oats from sticking to it.
Add water and oats along with the vanilla, brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon powder and apples.
Put the cooker on a slow setting, and allow it to cook for 8 hours.
The oats will be ready when they turn chewy and creamy.
Add the toppings of your choice and enjoy.
You can also use flavored or unflavored whole, skimmed, or soy milk to make the oats creamier. If not milk, you can add yogurt topped with some granola to make a yummy breakfast.