Oat porridge - any advice?

I'm discovering oats as a new wonder food, and am curious whether anyone ever makes porridge out of oat groats? I'm trying to get as low GI as possible, and I've read that instant oats are a GI disaster (high), whereas rolled oats are good (medium). The ideal is supposedly steel cut (Scotch) oats, which I haven't been able to able to find, so I bought some organic oat groats instead. Can you actually use it for porridge? How do you cook it?

Oh, and how do you have your porridge? I've grown addicted to it with skim milk and salt, but Pete likes it with full cream milk, yoghurt and vanilla syrup. Another friend loves it with apple butter.

Celia

I use Steel cut Scotch Oaks...soak them overnight and cook in the morning. I add various goodies, not all at the same time, such as: dried cranberries, golden raisins, fresh fruit, what ever strikes your fancy and is in season. Then I add, milk, or maple syrup, or brown sugar. Easy, breakfast is ready in the morning. A sprinkle of pecans, walnuts or?
Eat! Good and healthy! I experiment with it.

I cook oat groats from time to time. It takes about 35-40 minutes on slow simmer to cook through. Because they are whole kernels, they will not dissolve to make porridge. They stay intact, but when the water cooks down, there is a little bit of the mucilige-like shleem binding the kernels together. Oat groats are a delicious, nutty alternative to rolled oats.

I haven't a clue about glycemic index. That the form of the grain should matter is counter-intuitive. Whose advice are you following? As far as I know, oats are so healthy it shouldn't make a difference whether they are whole, cut or rolled. What you need to avoid is adding sugar that raises the GI.

The University of Sydney are world leaders in GI research. This info was on their site :

The most recent tests using the standardised method in healthy volunteers show that oatmeal porridge made from traditional, old-fashioned or raw rolled oats has a GI of around 58. If you use steel cut oats the GI is even lower, 52. Porridge made from instant, quick or minute oats has a GI of 82. Particle size matters (see December 2006 Food for Thought). The rule of thumb is to select minimally processed oats that still have the husk. They tend to be more yellow-brown in colour. And although they may take a little longer to cook, the flavour is great and the GI is low. You can also use them to make your own muesli or add them to your other recipes and baking to reduce the GI.

And I agree, oats are incredibly healthy, whichever form you take them in. But for me, eating rolled oats means that I'm not hungry as quickly afterwards, compared to instant oats. Thanks for the info on the oat groats - I'm looking forward to trying them!

I'm discovering oats as a new wonder food, and am curious whether anyone ever makes porridge out of oat groats? I'm trying to get as low GI as possible, and I've read that instant oats are a GI disaster (high), whereas rolled oats are good (medium). The ideal is supposedly steel cut (Scotch) oats, which I haven't been able to able to find, so I bought some organic oat groats instead. Can you actually use it for porridge? How do you cook it?

Oh, and how do you have your porridge? I've grown addicted to it with skim milk and salt, but Pete likes it with full cream milk, yoghurt and vanilla syrup. Another friend loves it with apple butter.

Celia

I'm surprised you can't find steel-cut oats. Have you tried both grocery and health-food stores? I buy it in bulk (much cheaper) in health-food stores. Another possiblity would be to use a grain mill set to cut each into 2 or 3 pieces.

Och aye, ye're all daft. Turning porridge into flippin' fruit salad? Using instant oats? I'll bet some of you would make instant risotto, too!

As has been pointed out, groats are a problem for porridge although interesting on their own.

The usual and most accepted way to eat porridge is to use milk or cream, sometimes butter, and maybe brown sugar if you have a sweet tooth. Salt certainly makes a difference, but is usually added during the cooking.

Everyone needs a spurtle to cook it http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com/Shopping/spurtle.htm - stirred deasil, not widdershins, http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com/Shopping/porridge.htm and here are some references http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com/Sites_I_Like/oatmeal_porridge.htm

I think that a nice sprtle would make a great Christmas gift for porridge makers!

Long time oatmeal lover here -- even used to eat the groats right off the stalk in my farming days.

Two versions: groats or Thick and Rough Cut from Silver Palate.

Cynthia taught me a great trick: put groats and water in a slow cooker for eight hours on low. I don't use much water so I get a type of oat cake. Eat as is either warm or cold.

I warm the cut version in the microwave with a little milk or water, also very stiff. In a decadent mood, add a bit of sugar or maple syrup, but sweets take away from the nutty flavor I've grown to love over the years. Another version: mix the cut version uncooked in yogurt, especially the "new" thick low fat Greek yogurt on offer here.

Lots of other recipes: apple crisp for example.

As a word lover, Celia, I'm sure you've read Johnson's definition: "oats: 'a grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.' " It surprised me to learn that Johnson meant this as an insult to the Scots; to me it was proof of the weakness of English cuisine in the past. [I hasten to add "English cuisine" now has achieved some really impressive culinary heights.] But oatmeal continues to delight despite that OF's opinion of this marvelous grain.

Best, Bob

Thank you all. I tried the steel cut oats this morning, and they were delicious!

Here is a good idea for turning oat groats into porridge - mix it with brown rice. I'm actually pretty sure you could mix oat groats with regular rolled oats to get a lumpy kind of porridge as well - will experiment when the groats arrive.

http://www.napaman.com/napamancom/2008/ ... e-new.html

I don't see the advantage of brown rice in oatmeal, Celia. Oats have a nutty flavor of their own, and to my taste the nutty flavor of brown rice is less "bright", confusing really. I'll give the mixture a fair trial, but believe the health values of pure oatmeal are better than the blend.

An interesting mixture once in a great while here -- wild rice and groats.

Groats and rough cut oats do make an interesting meal with a more complicated mouth feel.

Best, Bob

Oh I agree, Bob, that was just the idea suggested in the link I posted. I don't see the value of adding rice to oats either! I'm going to try the groats and rolled oats together...