In the warmer months, yogurt and granola are my go-to breakfast. As fall approaches, I start making more and more oatmeal and each year I aim to perfect this relatively simple breakfast. With these three main tips, we're pretty close to perfection.
People like their oatmeal in very different ways. Not just the toppings, but the preparation itself. Some like it uber-creamy and soft while others prefer oats that are more chewy and toothsome. For creamier grains, you need to work with more liquid, so if you're in the Creamy Camp, tip #3 may not be pertinent for you. But I happen to be in the Chewy Camp and like my oats perfectly steamed and not at all soggy. In my opinion, good oatmeal should be as good cold as it is hot, while creamier, softer oats can cool ever so slightly and become gluey and unpleasant. So here are my best tips to achieve oatmeal perfection.
3 Tips for Perfect Oatmeal
1. Toast the Oats First
My boyfriend Sam got me into toasting my oats in the pan for a good 5 minutes or until fragrant. While you can do a dry toast, I like to use a bit of butter to add a little extra flavor. Toasting the oats will not only lead to a more pleasant flavor but it will help with the potential sog factor, too.
2. Keep Your Hands Off
The mistake most people make with oatmeal, I think, is stirring it. Once you add the oats to boiling water (or milk or whatever cooking liquid you're using), cover the pot and don't touch, stir, or even peek. Stirring can break up the compounds in the oats and will lead to a weaker, soggier oatmeal.
3. Boil Water First and Use Less of It
With most whole grains, a sure-fire cooking method is to add the grain and the water together, bring to a boil, cover and cook on low for the appropriate amount of time. Not so with oats. Boil the water first. Then add the oats. And I favor using far less water than is often called for (for 1 cup of oats, I use a little over 1 cup of liquid).
How do you work towards oatmeal perfection? Got any tips specifically for rolled oats, or steel-cut oatmeal?
Related: How to Make Your Own Flavored Instant Oatmeal
(Image: Faith Durand)
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I am going to have to try toasting my oats. That sounds wonderful! While not really a cooking tip, the one thing I always do is use thick rolled oats. I think it tastes so much better.
My advice is to make whipped banana oats a la Kath Eats, they are amazing!!! http://www.katheats.com/kaths-tribute-to-oatmeal
While living in North Dakota last summer, I ate a lot at the local bakery. They made the most delicious baked oatmeal - it came in a wax paper-wrapped slab that they warmed up and soaked in soymilk. It was then topped with pecans, cranberries, and honey. I have never found a recipe for something like this. They must have baked it all early in the morning, and then kept it in the fridge until an order came in. Any ideas?
Hmm, I've never covered the pot before--maybe this will make my pot easier to clean. Thanks!
I use the McCann's three-minute most of the time, an I always use a hair more oats than they recommend and a hair less water. I also add almonds and whatever fruit I have on hand- in the past that's included raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, dried figs, red grapes, and apples. Also, just under one teaspoon of brown sugar will suffice- I've sweetened with honey and agave in the past, but for some reason brown sugar is just better.