totally worth it steel cut oats

On chilly mornings the humble bowl of porridge is a comforting, nourishing way to start the day. While the go-to oats used for porridge tend to be rolled oats and quick oats, steel cut oats also have a devoted fan base, and if you've tried them you'll understand why.

There are just as many people out there who aren't that familiar with steel cut oats, and we are often asked for advice on how to prepare them.

But first, a brief explanation on the different forms that oats come in.

The least processed are oat groats where the oat grain is left whole. These take the longest cooking time. The next stage in processing is steel cut oats, where the whole oats are cut into smaller fragments with steel blades. After this, they are rolled and flattened to produce rolled oats. And finally, these rolled oats are cut finer again to make quick oats. 

Now we'll walk you through the preparation of steel cut oats, with the aim of demystifying it for the novices & hopefully inspiring you to get in the kitchen and pop a pot of steel cut oats on the stove.

​Makes 4 serves
Prep Time: 10 mins plus overnight soaking; Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup steel cut oats
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk of choice

Method:
Note – Prepare the evening before.

​Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan with a lid.

Stir in the steel cut oats and salt. Put the lid on.

Turn off the heat, keep the lid on and let the oats leave it to sit on the stovetop overnight.

In the morning remove the lid and turn the stove on to medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As it cooks the water will start to evaporate and the oats will thicken.

While continuing to stir, add in the milk. Cook for 20 mins or until its consistency and texture are to your liking - Feel free to add in more milk if you prefer a thinner porridge.

Serve with your favourite porridge toppings. 

If you are looking for a bit of topping inspiration take a look at our “a bit more than your humble porridge” recipes we did a couple of years ago