This article was reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward. Jeff Woodward is a Private Chef and the Owner of The Rogue Chef based in Branson, Missouri. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he has cooked for esteemed clients including The Harlem Globetrotters, Peyton Manning, Mark Wahlberg, and Justin Timberlake. Chef Jeff won the Branson Tri-Lakes News Reader's Choice Award 2023 for Best Catering. He has been the Featured Chef Demonstrator for 2 years in a row for The Women's Show in Springfield, MO. The Rogue Chef has been the Hollister Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Chef, an award published in Tri-Lakes News. Chef Jeff's food has been featured on KY3 Television. He publishes a recipe weekly in the Branson Globe newspaper and monthly in Lost on the Lake Magazine. He published a feature article for Chef Talks in Discover Home and Style Magazine. He has an associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College and a Culinary Arts degree with a Certification in Baking from Ozark Technical College.
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Steel-cut oats are whole grain oat groats that have been chopped into a few pieces, rather than rolled. They require a much longer cooking time than rolled or quick oats, but their chewy texture and rich, nutty flavor makes them well worth the extra wait. Steel-cut oats can be made on the stovetop or baked in the oven and enriched with spices, fruit and maple syrup. Read on for instructions on how to make basic stovetop steel-cut oatmeal, baked steel-cut oatmeal, and overnight steel-cut oatmeal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
(optional)
- Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or ground cloves
- Maple syrup or brown sugar
- Fruit such as berries, chopped apples, or chopped bananas
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups milk
(optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 apples, cored, peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
(optional)
- 2 apples, skinned, cored, and cubed
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Steps
Basic Stovetop Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Boil the water. Pour the three cups of water into a small pot, and bring to a boil. You may also boil the water in the microwave if desired.- Add the steel-cut oats to the pot, along with a pinch of salt, and bring back to a boil. Stir the oats with a wooden spoon.Advertisement
- Reduce the heat to medium low and cook uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Start checking for doneness at about the 20-minute mark.[1] For chewier oats, cook less. For more done oats, cook more.
- Do not stir the oats as they simmer. Allow them to rest in place as the water cooks them.
- Turn the heat lower if the oats seem to be drying out too quickly.
- Add the milk to the oats. Stir the mixture well using a wooden spoon. Let the oatmeal simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the oatmeal from heat. Spoon into bowls for serving. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, maple syrup, or fruit.Advertisement
Baked Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C).- Boil the water. Pour the water into a small pot, and bring to a boil. You may also boil the water in the microwave.
- Remember that a little bit of water will get lost through evaporation as you boil it. If you want 2 cups of boiling water for your oats, think about bringing about 2 1/4 cups of water to a boil.
- In the meantime, set a medium pot on the stove over medium heat. Place the butter in the pan and let it melt.
- Add the steel-cut oats to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to toss the oats with the butter. Toast the oats, stirring occasionally, for about three minutes, or until brown.
- Pour the boiling water into the pot with the oats. Stir the water into the oats with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in the cinnamon, apples, salt, and milk.
- Scoop the mixture into a greased glass or metal baking dish. Place the dish in the preheated oven.
Bake the oatmeal for 50 minutes to one hour. Check on it after 30 minutes to make sure it isn't burning. The oatmeal is ready when the top has browned.
Serve with cream, fresh apples, or the toppings of your choice.Advertisement
Overnight Steel-Cut Oatmeal
- Grease your slow-cooker with a little bit of vegetable oil cooking spray. If you don't grease your pan first, you'll have a mighty tough time extracting the oats from the slow-cooker in the morning.
- Place the steel-cut oats, salt, milk, and water in a crock pot or slow-cooker. Optional: Place the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and/or nuts in the crock pot or slow-cooker along with the oats, salt, milk, and water.[2]
- Mix all the ingredients together until incorporated.
- Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn the setting to low. Let the oatmeal cook overnight.
In the morning, remove the container from the slow cooker and stir the oatmeal. Spoon into bowls and stir in the toppings of your choice. In order to avoid overcooking the oats, try these tips and tricks before you cook your first batch of overnight oats:- Try the same recipe in your crock pot or slow-cooker during the day, not overnight. Keep an eye on the oats and begin checking for doneness after 5 hours. This way, you'll learn how long it takes to cook oats using your hardware. If you have a slow-cooker with a clear top, you can eyeball the oats. If you have to open the pot in order to check for doneness, know that this will add approximately 30 minutes to your cooking time.
- Plug your crock pot or slow-cooker into an on/off light timer if you don't have a programmable slow-cooker. Set the on/off timer to the time it usually takes you to cook your overnight oats, and you have a life-hacked programmable slow-cooker.
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Community Q&A
- QuestionCan steel cut oatmeal be eaten raw (without cooking)?
Community AnswerAbsolutely; the only thing to remember is to pre-soak them before consumption in order to avoid becoming dehydrated! You can use water, milk, juice, etc. to soak the oats and add flavor. - QuestionHow do I know when the oats are done?
Community AnswerThey're done when you like the consistency. Normally the mix looks thick and the grains have puffed up. - QuestionIs it okay to only cook the oats for five minutes?
Community AnswerSure. You can cook them however long you'd like to depending on your desired consistency.
Video
Tips
- Make sure any time you cook steel-cut oats that you use a pot that's much bigger than the contents, or you are likely to have boil-over problems.Thanks
- Make a double or triple batch and store it in the refrigerator in a tightly-sealed container, for microwaving individual servings on weekdays.Thanks
- Try adding dried fruit while cooking. Increase the water, since the fruit will absorb quite a bit.Thanks
Warnings
- Some recipes suggest soaking the oatmeal all night. This may not be safe, because of bacteriological concerns.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- Ingredients listed above
- Big pot with a lid
- A spoon
- Glass or metal baking dish
- Slow cooker
- Heat-safe glass container
References
About this article
To cook steel cut oats on a stovetop, start by boiling 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of steel cut oats you're making. Then, add the steel cut oats to the pot with a pinch of salt, and wait for everything to come back to a boil. Next, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the oats cook for 20-30 minutes uncovered. Finally, add 1/2 cup of milk for every 1 cup of steel cut oats you used, and let everything simmer for 5-10 more minutes before serving. To learn how to cook steel cut oats overnight, scroll down!
Reader Success Stories
"Very good. This is how I do my steel cut oats. 1/4 cup oats, 7 dried apricots or plums, add almond milk. Combine in a bowl, stir, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge overnight."..." more
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