Steel Cut Oats

There's sooo much talk surrounding steel cut oats, and to be honest...I'd never heard of them until somewhat recently. As I shared last weekend, I FINALLY found steel cut oats at a health food store here in Tulsa and I FINALLY tried them this morning. Annnnnnnnnnnnndd? I really liked them!

So you're probably thinking, what's the big whoop about these steel cut oats compared to old-fashioned and instant oats, right?

First things first, all oats undergo cleaning, hulling, and conditioning, which removes the outer shell (the hull), leaving the inner kernel (oat groat). From this stage, oat groats are processed differently. Steel cut oats, also known as Irish oats, are cut with steel blades, creating a chewier oatmeal consistency. Rolled oats, commonly referred to as old-fashioned oats, consist of steamed groats which are then run through rollers to flatten them. Instant oats are rolled even thinner than old-fashioned oats as to decrease the necessary cook time. Additionally, instant oats are cooked and dried so that they simply need hydration and a short cook time before consumption.

Here's what steel cut oats look like:

Therefore, steel cut oats are less "processed" than old-fashioned and instant oats. They also have a lower glycemic index which can cause lengthened satiety, blunted blood glucose curves, and a denser consistency. Draw backs: cook time!

So here's how I prepared my steel cut oats this morning.....

Step 1: Boil 4 cups of water

Step 2: Add 1 cup steel cut oats to water and return to a boil

Step 3: Reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4: Add flavoring of your choice.

My additions: 1 Tbsp pumpkin butter, 1 tsp turbinado, 1 tsp Splenda brown sugar

Step 5: Enjoy!

The consistency is much different than old-fashioned oats -- more of a dense tapioca if you will? Overall, thumbs up. Like others, the extensive cook time and preparation may deter me from enjoying steel cut oats on busy mornings. I did make plenty for leftovers, so we'll see how those reheat.

Is the "juice worth the squeeze"? Maybe for a change, but I'm pretty happy with old-fashioned oats! Based off this morning alone, I did feel "satisfied" for a long time! Even with old-fashioned oats, I'm typically hungry by late morning -- not so much with the steel cut oats.

And in football news...sorry for ya, OSU! *happy dance* Fingers crossed for my Illini at 6!!