# Steel Cut Oats? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429 "2009-04-17T16:05:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/41 "2009-05-03T20:51:09Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Opinions. Nothing I can do to steel cut oats will give them more flavor than a sheet of notebook paper. I’ve tried, believe me I’ve tried. I love rolled oats. Have you tried browning the oats in butter first? Makes a big difference, for me. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/42 "2009-05-03T20:52:28Z")
I’m amazed that people are getting good results with a 4-1 ratio of water to oats. (4-1 is more typical for cornmeal or grits). I use 2 1/4 cups water to one cup of oats and it comes out fine. I keep it covered while it’s simmering, is that the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/43 "2009-05-03T21:46:04Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > I love my oatmeal with chopped up boiled eggs, scallions, onions, mushrooms or veggie burgers, with a dash of curry powder and hot sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan. The oats should be boiled in veggie boullion, of course. My oatmeal is ALWAYS savory. Anywhere most people would use rice or potatoes, I could easily substitute oatmeal. I’ve been thinking of trying a savory oatmeal with wild mushrooms and maybe a little parmesan, like a risotto. Does that sound do-able? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/44 "2009-05-03T22:39:51Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Have you tried browning the oats in butter first? Makes a big difference, for me. I’ll try it. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/45 "2009-05-03T23:15:06Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Have you tried browning the oats in butter first? Makes a big difference, for me. Rolled oats prepared that way would be tastier, too, wouldn’t they? Have any steel-cut oats enthusiasts done a comparison between the taste of them and rolled oats with exactly the same seasoning? As I like to say when escargots are discussed, butter and garlic improve the taste of a lot of things. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/46 "2009-05-03T23:20:28Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Have any steel-cut oats enthusiasts done a comparison between the taste of them and rolled oats with exactly the same seasoning? I like my oatmeal with brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, dried fruit (usually raisins), and nuts. I’ve had both rolled and steel cut oats with exactly the same additives. I find steel-cut oats to be more flavorful with a pleasant variation in texture. I like biting down on the little pieces of oat and the liquid portion has more substance. Rolled oats (which I like too) produce a much more pablum-y porridge and really need the added nuts and dried fruit to contribute texture variation. My wife prefers her oatmeal savory and she can’t tolerate rolled oat oatmeal. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/47 "2009-05-04T00:50:20Z")
I thought I hated oatmeal until I tried it cooked with all milk instead of water and with a bit of salt and pepper instead of sugar. Now I love it! I had a canister of Quaker steel-cut oats, but I spilled it all on the floor in my pre-coffee state, so I replaced it with Scottish-style oats from Bob’s Red Mill. Also good, and a little creamier texture. As noted, Scottish oats are ground to about the coarseness of steel-cut oats, but they cook much, much faster. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/48 "2009-05-04T20:45:33Z")
Ther are two kinds of rolled oats, instant and whole. The instant is the most “processed” type, and tastes like wallpaper paste, IMHO. these are the oats that most Americans are familiar with, and cook, well, instantly - just add hot water. Whole rolled oats have more bran, but some is lost in the process; they are nuttier tasting and chewier textured than instant. Steel cut are the truly whole oat, just cut into 2-3 pieces across the grain to increase water absorption. These are my favorites. Be warned though, this a _lot_ of fiber, and large servings are not for the uninitiated. 😉 Groats, as I use the word are whole uncut oats. these take forever to cook, and are unpalatably chewy for me. I only use them like barley in soups, and they hold up well to boiling. My favorite way is to cook steel cut oats is by placing them in the pot with 4-1 ratio of water and a pinch of salt. I put this in the fridge the night before, then place it on the stove on medium before i get in the shower in the morning. By the time I’m dressed (15-20 minutes) they are ready to eat. I add a sprinkling of crushed almonds (hit a bag of whole almonds with a hammer, much nicer texture than sliced ones) and a few dried blueberries. Now I’m hungry! ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/49 "2009-05-04T21:08:09Z")
I eat steel cut oats virtually every morning for breakfast. To cook them I use a rice cooker that has a timer. Here’s my recipe: 1 cup of steel cut oats, 3 1/4 cups water (or slightly less), a handful of dried cranberries or dried cherries (the cheapest that I’ve found are at Aldi), 1 tbs sorghum molasses, 1 tsp vanilla, a big pinch of cinnamon, a small pinch of nutmeg, a small pinch of allspice, a small pinch of ginger, and a sprinkle of salt (all to taste). Put it all in at bedtime and set the timer for at least an hour before I get up using the “soup” setting. Stir before eating. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/50 "2009-05-04T21:35:29Z")
Nitpick: Three kinds of rolled oats. Instant, which is essentially oat paste that comes in single-serving packets. Quick, where the oats are already partially cooked and only take 5 minutes. Quaker oats are this kind. Regular, where the oats are just rolled but not cooked. These take 10-15 minutes to cook. If you get oats from bulk bins, the quick oats look frayed and chopped up, the regular rolled oats look like flattened whole grains. You can also get steel cut oats, which are oat grains that are chopped rather than rolled, and whole oat berries. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/51 "2009-05-04T21:50:58Z")
I eat my oatmeal at the office, so it’s always instant oatmeal. I haven’t figured out a way to have steel-cut oats here. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/52 "2009-05-04T22:11:36Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I haven’t figured out a way to have steel-cut oats here. Try the “let 'em soak overnight, then nuke 'em” approach. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2009, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/53 "2009-05-05T12:02:19Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > I’ve been thinking of trying a savory oatmeal with wild mushrooms and maybe a little parmesan, like a risotto. Does that sound do-able? Oh, Lord! Absolutely! Shrooms with parmesan are my favorite additions to oatmeal! ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/54 "2009-05-06T16:01:54Z")
[quote=“Lemur866, post:50, topic:493429”] Nitpick: Three kinds of rolled oats. Instant, which is essentially oat paste that comes in single-serving packets. Quick, where the oats are already partially cooked and only take 5 minutes. Quaker oats are this kind. Regular, where the oats are just rolled but not cooked. These take 10-15 minutes to cook. If you get oats from bulk bins, the quick oats look frayed and chopped up, the regular rolled oats look like flattened whole grains. QUOTE] Ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/55 "2010-01-27T13:56:23Z")
I just had my first bowl of steelcut oats, and it was heavenly! OMG, this stuff is so much better than the instant I’ve always had! I got it at Safeway - I was cruising the frozen foods breakfast section, looking for something to keep in the work fridge, and bought [this](http://shop.safeway.com/dnet/RichProductInformation.aspx?promo_window=1&bpn=960024225)on a whim. Now I have to find somewhere to but them in bulk and make up a weeks worth in the crockpot. Damn, I wish I lived near a Trader Joe’s again! ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/56 "2010-01-27T15:15:40Z")
Link not working. what did you buy? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429/57 "2010-01-27T16:07:02Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Link not working. what did you buy? [moderating] It’s an old zombie thread, so you can’t expect links to still work, or participants to still be around monitoring the thread. Closed. [/moderating] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steel-cut-oats/493429.md?page=2)