Ten-Minute Steel-Cut Oatmeal

 

The oatmeal will continue to thicken as it cools. If you prefer a looser consistency, thin the oatmeal with boiling water. Customize your oatmeal with toppings such as brown sugar, toasted nuts, maple syrup, or dried fruit.

Ingredients

• 4cups water
• 1cup steel-cut oats
• 1/4teaspoon salt

Instructions

• 1. Bring 3 cups water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Remove pan from heat; stir in oats and salt. Cover pan and let stand overnight.
• 2. Stir remaining 1 cup water into oats and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until oats are softened but still retain some chew and mixture thickens and resembles warm pudding, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir and serve, passing desired toppings separately.

Technique

• Know your Oats

  The cereal aisle stocks a variety of oat products—but not all of them make for a good bowl of oatmeal.
  
• GROATS: Whole oats that have been hulled and cleaned. They are the least processed oat product, but we find them too coarse for oatmeal.
  
• STEEL-CUT OATS: Groats cut crosswise into coarse bits. We strongly prefer them in oatmeal; they cook up creamy yet chewy with rich, nutty flavor.
  
• ROLLED OATS: Groats steamed and pressed into flat flakes. They cook faster than steel-cut but make for a gummy, lackluster bowl of oatmeal.