Do you eat steel-cut oats for breakfast? This time of year I turn to them gladly: nothing like a bowl of hot, tender, pearly oats, all creamy and delicious. Steel-cut oats take a little longer to cook than rolled oats, but that's not a problem. Set them up the night before and you'll have hot oatmeal in the morning almost instantly. It takes only two or three minutes to heat them up. Here's how I prep my oatmeal the night before.
I call for 1 cup oats here. This will make enough for 3 to 5 servings. Remember, when you make steel-cut oats you really should make enough for a whole week, or at least several days. Unlike gluey, sticky rolled oat oatmeal, steel-cut oatmeal is great when reheated the next day. It just gets creamier — not ickier.
So make a big pot and eat out of it all week.
How To Cook Steel-Cut Oats for Breakfast the Night Before
What You Need
Ingredients
1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
1 cup steel-cut oats
3 cups water
3-fingered pinch salt
1 cup milk (optional)
Tools
2-quart saucepan
Instructions
1. Start this the night before you want to have steel-cut oatmeal. Measure out your oats. This quantity will make about 4 servings.
2. Heat about 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Add the oats and fry them for about 3 minutes, or until they start smelling toasty.
3. Pour in the water and add the salt. Stir.
4. Bring to a rolling boil.
5. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Leave it on the stove, and go to bed!
6. The next morning, uncover the pan and bring the oatmeal back up to a simmer. If you would like thinner and creamier oatmeal, stir in a cup of milk before reheating.
When the oatmeal is warm, scoop out and enjoy!
Additional Notes:
• Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
• Re-heat leftovers in just the same way: warm up on the stove, or in a bowl in the microwave.
More on Steel-Cut Oats
• How to Cook Perfect Steel-Cut Oats - Forgot to start oatmeal last night? Here's how to do it all at once.
• No-Cook Overnight Steel-Cut Oats - These steel-cut oats aren't even cooked.
• Overnight Oatmeal with Apricots and Buttermilk - You can also do steel-cut oats in the slow cooker, although I find these slightly too soft for my taste.
• Fall Breakfasts: A Return to Steel-Cut Oats!
• Good Question: A Foolproof Recipe for Oatmeal?
• Breakfast for Lunch: Steel-Cut Oats with Dates, Coconut, Cinnamon and Pecans
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Do these same directions apply for the quick-cook steel cut oats (I have the Trader Joe's brand)?
Yum, I do this all the time! I also will throw in a couple table spoons of brown sugar and a 1/4 cup dried fruit, maybe a dash of vanilla if I'm feeling frisky. Then when I heat it up in the morning I throw on some slivered almonds and a dash of milk. Keeps you full and in this Midwest weather, it's nice to have something warm before heading outside!
A japanese rice cooker also works very nice. I usually use the timer function on mine to have my steel cut oats ready when I wake up, or get home from work.
mimi2856 No.
I make mine in a thermos. Add oats, boiling water, dried fruit, etc in the thermos the night before and let it sit. In the morning I reheat a portion in the microwave, just as fast or faster than instant oatmeal.
Just a comment on rolled oats. Sure they get gluey if you are reheating them. But why would you ever make them ahead of time? It takes just about as long as heating these steel cut oats up again in the morning to make them from start (and I'm not talking about quick oats either).
@lynell: or a slow cooker.
Our version for two servings:
Mix 1/2 C raw steel cut oats with 1 1/2 C vanilla soymilk & put in the fridge overnight. Simmer on the stove for five minutes in the morning. Top with brown sugar if you're my kid, or walnuts & dried fruit if you're me. Done.
This is what I do too. I actually like it better after it has been in the fridge for a day or two!
@wunami because I LOVE the texture and taste of steel-cut oats so much more than rolled oats. (Which I love too, just not nearly as much. :)
This is brilliant!
Thanks
Like Ron, I use my Japanese rice cooker and the timer function so that I can wake up to hot, delicious steel-cut oatmeal first thing. I agree, the texture and taste is just better than rolled oats. I am amazed at how many days in a row I can eat steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast and love it.
This was a bit more liquid-y than I would have liked, but the texture of the oats was awesome. I'll adjust it some, but this is definitely going to become a go-to breakfast.
I do like rolled oatmeal, but I too, prefer the steel cut texture. I learned about this overnight method from Heidi Swanson's first cookbook, but it doesn't use the frying method in the beginning. Must try that next time. Thanks!
food shouldn't be left out that long.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FACTSheets/How_Temperatures_Affect_Food/index.asp
Oh man, I could totally go for some oatmeal right now (the melty brown sugar on top is what's doing it for me right now:)). I need to get back into the habit. I love both steel cut and old fashioned rolled oats. I love to cook some chopped apple in water, add milk, add my oats, cook, and then add maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. Yum.
Thanks for this! I eat oatmeal everyday, but I eat it at my desk at work, so steel-cut oatmeal never works for me. This is a great trick.
Another vote for the rice cooker method. Less time, less dishes, and perfect results. Here's my approach to it: http://cookingforshelley.blogspot.com/2012/06/steel-cut-oatmeal.html
I make mine with vanilla almond milk, a banana, and a heaping 2 tablespoons of flax seed. Mmmmm.
Stupidsparkles, the page you linked to is talking about leaving out meat. No, meat definitely should not be left out that long. But oatmeal is different. I might however lean toward olive oil instead of butter for the out-all-night factor. That would be fine.
@STUPIDSPARKLES67: that link seems to be for meat and poultry based foods. I'm just wondering if it would apply to oatmeal? I cook steel cut oats this way every week and I have never gotten sick. Or I have been really lucky so far.
I had steel cut oats for the first time 3 months ago. It's how I always imagined oatmeal to be like but never was. I will try the rice cooker method now.
There's a few great posts on theyummylife.com with recipes for oatmeal. There's the refrigerator oatmeal which is fantastic on a hot day. That has been my go-to breakfast for most of the summer. The added chia seeds give it protein so I'm not hungry for most of the day. There's also one that uses a crock pot/slow cooker for overnight oatmeal goodness.
I just made steel cut oats in the crock pot and loved how easy it was, how delicious and creamy they turned out, plus I have a quick breakfast to grab and go for the entire week. I added cinnamon, raisins and brown sugar to mine.
http://wp.me/p2FRFd-4y
I use the crockpot, with all milk for the liquid, and add flaxseed meal (a handful), salt, cinnamon, vanilla, and a couple of eggs. With our last crockpot I set it to Low for overnight; with this new one, I had to turn it down to Keep Warm so it wouldn't get too crusty.
@STUPIDSPARKLES67 When you cook them like this overnight, you are actually fermenting them. This enhances the oats, and it is totally different than just leaving food out.
We mill and make our own steel cut oats - you'll need a flaker mill, however. The end results is fantastic.
If you have a pressure cooker, steel cut oats take 5 minutes on high, making it about a half hour long process to have 5-days of breakfasts. If you buy steel cut oats (dried fruits, and nuts) in bulk, wayyyy cheaper than prices places like Panera, McD's, and Starbucks are charging!
I saw a recipe for regular oatmeal cooked with 1 cup apple cider (and 1 cup water) last night, has anyone cooked steel cut oats with anything but water?
Ditto doing in the Japanese rice cooker. I love setting the timer so it's done first thing in the morning. Turns out perfectly every time too!
Oh there is nothing better than proper steel cut oats. My grampy used to soak them the night before and then simmer peaches in them. the best! In a pinch though I make these homemade instant oats! http://liviasweets.com/post/9886749383/homemade-instant-oatmeal
Oh yum, Clairelivia! I have a bunch of peaches right now and am going to make a new batch of steel cut oats tonight. Thank you so much for the idea! I love it.
@ bobcatsteph3, I use all milk.
This is almost the identical recipe given to me in 1980 by the head cook at Castle Kennedy southeast of Stranraer, Scotland where I was living as a work/study student. Been making it ever since and as my kids have loved it I hope my grandchildren will too! As Oliver Twist said, "Please Sir, I'd like some more!"
amazing. now no more wasting my mornings stiring.