The grain of oats, intended for human food, is generally prepared by being ground into meal; although it is also used in the form of groats, that is, of grain denuded of its husk, and merely broken into fragments.

Furthermore, oats are naturally gluten free, which makes that a valuable source of nutrition for anyone that suffers from celiac disease.Add a couple of teaspoons brown sugar for each serving, after cooking to keep sugar from scorching in the pot.

Because of its cheapness, and the ease with which it could be prepared in large quantities, stirabout was widely served in institutions like prisons, boarding schools, convents and workhouses. Learning to roll a wheat tortilla that verges on parchment, or to turn a bubbling bowl of sourdough into a prized loaf, or to make buttery cornbread or a scruffy soda bread; gaining these skills helps distract and focus our minds when the world outside isn’t providing the usual joy. Quick-cooking rolled oats (distinct from "instant" variations) are often used for this purpose nowadays, because they are quicker to prepare.But, far from cooking them quickly, Claridge's soak the oats in cold water for three hours, then gently cook with more water for 45 minutes. I eventually settled on my own perfect bowl of porridge: place a quarter of a cup (per person) of unsoaked McCann's steel cut oats in a pan with one cup (per person) of Scottish mineral water such as Speyside Glenlivet (which is soft and unchlorinated), to enhance their sweetness. There is no difference in quality, but merely in the degree in which the grain has been triturated in the mill. Steel cut oats preserve all the nutrient goodness of whole groats, leaving this oatmeal with high fiber and protein counts. Giving us the feeling that should our world fall apart we can manage to take the plainest ingredient and create a dazzling meal.

Oats are also high in ‘satiety’ value, meaning they help you feel full, ideal if you are trying to keep any on your food intake or are reducing calories.Bake for about 18 minutes, until golden brown and firm around the edges, then remove, sprinkle with a little coarse salt and leave to cool on the trays. This is because the oats undergo a preparation process that includes a pre-steaming and pre-heating step that kills harmful germs and partially cooks the grain. I found I added about another 10 minutes of simmering, but maybe that was due to the temperature during the rest of the cook time. The more you stir or whisk them as you cook, the fluffier the resulting porridge – presumably because you are releasing more starch – just like making a risotto. If you are feeling indulgent (or are Ina Garten or the Pioneer Woman), whole milk is indisputably delicious.

The fiber found in steel cut oats is known as soluble fiber—a kind of dietary fiber that our bodies cannot break down.

Beat the butter with an electric whisk until soft, then add the sugars and salt, and continue beating for about three minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go, until the mixture is light and fluffy. I’m concerned that my photos don’t do this oatmeal justice (it’s not easy to make porridge look sexy), but trust me here. You won't have to look far; we're currently in the midst of a porridge renaissance, with everyone from McDonald's to Michelin-starred restaurants serving it. If you are in a big hurry and need breakfast in a few minutes, rolled oats are reliable option (check oit my classic Oatmeal recipe) . They are also my favorite for baking (steel cut oats stay way too crunchy to use in most baked recipes like Healthy Oatmeal Cookies).