Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

MsCzar
MsCzar Posts: 1,070 Member
in Recipes
I love a hot breakfast. Does anyone here make steel-cut oats in a slow cooker? I know the oats would be delicious with the traditional butter and brown sugar recipe, but I'm looking for a reduced calorie version. Anyone ever tried a peanut butter powder version?

Replies

  • HerbsandMore
    HerbsandMore Posts: 2,350 Member
    Yes I have with an added cut up apple, wake up to that smell is some find of wonderful. I use water but I suppose you could use almond milk if you prefer.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,070 Member
    HerbsandMore wrote: »
    I use water but I suppose you could use almond milk if you prefer.

    The recipe I have is a 3:1 water to oats. Does that sound right?
  • HerbsandMore
    HerbsandMore Posts: 2,350 Member
    Yes, that's right, cook on low
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,168 Member
    MsCzar wrote: »
    I love a hot breakfast. Does anyone here make steel-cut oats in a slow cooker? I know the oats would be delicious with the traditional butter and brown sugar recipe, but I'm looking for a reduced calorie version. Anyone ever tried a peanut butter powder version?

    Only semi-relevant, but I like my oatmeal slightly sweet (but this is cooked old-fashioned thick rolled oats, not steel cut, but similar flavor of course). I put peanut butter powder in them, plus . . . stay with me on this . . . a small amount of blackstrap molasses. Yes, that's added sugar, but a quality brand also contains a good jolt of potassium and iron, plus some calcium, so it's not purely empty calories of sweetener. Since I eat it with Greek yogurt and berries, it wouldn't occur to me to put butter in.

    The main point is, yes, peanut butter powder is tasty in something like this, worth trying if you have some.
  • avatiach
    avatiach Posts: 298 Member
    Put (frozen) blueberries in the pot! And some real milk...
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,070 Member
    edited December 2022
    Well THAT was an epic fail. I was looking forward to a warm and tasty breakfast this morning and ended up with a thoroughly bland bowl of mush Oliver Twist would have rejected.
    I played it safe with apples, milk, raisins, salt and cinnamon... none of which I could taste. In a salvage effort, I mixed in peanut butter powder, monkfruit and and a wee bit of melted butter. Then I thin rolled the remainder onto parchment and baked the mixture to become oat bars. Happily, those turned out to be delicious.
    Not sure about the calorie count per gram, but I think I've stumbled upon a great new recipe for home-made oat bars. They are already portioned, individually wrapped and stored in the freezer for a fast on-the-go snack.
  • Une_Poire
    Une_Poire Posts: 58 Member
    I have had better success with my instapot and the delay cook feature. I had tried crockpot oats long ago and did not like the texture. I was happy with how it went in the instapot. I haven't added anything besides apples, mostly do it plain and then add whatever I want to add after the fact. Used water
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,736 Member
    Uh oh. This thread was inspiring me to get out my crockpot and attempt a couple servings of rolled oats.

    I normally nuke it (just the oats and water) but I have to keep going back to the microwave because, after the first 2 mins, I do it in 30-40 sec increments because of bubbling over. A lot of increments. :)

    Smart to turn the fail into something edible!
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,070 Member
    I don't mind cooking traditional rolled oats on the cook-top or adding them to overnight oats. But the steel cut version can take 30 minutes and that's longer than I want to spend making breakfast. The slow cooker seemed like the perfect answer.

    On the next batch of oat bars, I'll carefully measure the ingredients so that I'll have an accurate calorie count. With the price of energy/granola bars, I think I'm on to something! :)
  • perryc05
    perryc05 Posts: 226 Member
    edited December 2022
    I often do my steel cut oats in a dumb rice cooker. 1 cup of oats to 4 cups of water and a bit of salt. I turn on the rice cooker and wait for it to turn off and then leave it covered to sweat for about 30-45 minutes before mixing and serving it. I also have an IntantPot and that has a porridge setting but it takes a while to complete cooking and depressurise. I assume you could use the slow cooker in a similar way but just run it overnight on low.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,070 Member
    Yes, overnight. I will use the slow cooker again to prep oat bars - but not for breakfast oats.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,736 Member
    Wait, they weren't quick oats, we're they? A comment on a website said she used quick oats and it turned to mush.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,070 Member
    edited December 2022
    Nah - steel-cut/Irish oats - old school! They take about 30 minutes on a cook-top. I don't much like quick oats - but I do keep a box of instant Quaker brown sugar maple packets in the larder. But even then, I tend to use them as flavouring for regular rolled oats; otherwise, they are far too sweet on their own.
  • HerbsandMore
    HerbsandMore Posts: 2,350 Member
    @MsCzar When you figure out the bars please share the recipe, they sound great and a lot less expensive than buying good ones.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,070 Member
    I definitely will!
  • Mise_enPlace
    Mise_enPlace Posts: 64 Member
    https://www.heandsheeatclean.com/lemon-cream-steel-cut-oats

    The above is one of my favorite easy recipes for steel cut oats. It has 3/4c egg whites which gives it a that boost of satiating protein and you can't even taste it. I now sub egg whites for part of the water in all my slow cooker oatmeal.

    This one is good too. My slow cooker is very efficient and usually the oats are done in 3 hours. I make sure to check on them every hour.

    https://www.fivehearthome.com/overnight-slow-cooker-apple-pie-steel-cut-oatmeal-recipe-no-burnt-edges/
  • lisaborisoff
    lisaborisoff Posts: 1 Member
    Nursegirl_jax wrote: »
    https://www.heandsheeatclean.com/lemon-cream-steel-cut-oats

    The above is one of my favorite easy recipes for steel cut oats. It has 3/4c egg whites which gives it a that boost of satiating protein and you can't even taste it. I now sub egg whites for part of the water in all my slow cooker oatmeal.

    This one is good too. My slow cooker is very efficient and usually the oats are done in 3 hours. I make sure to check on them every hour.

    https://www.fivehearthome.com/overnight-slow-cooker-apple-pie-steel-cut-oatmeal-recipe-no-burnt-edges/

    While the Five Heart Home sounds delicious, I'm always looking for a healthy balance and 68 grams of carbs is a ton. So is 43 grams of sugar. I think that's about 2/3 of my carbs for the day and 12 grams away from my total sugar for the day. If you're looking for a healthier version, maybe substitute the apple juice for milk or water - that will help cut down on the sugar tremendously I'd think. IF that's your goal (sorry, not trying to be a buzzkill)
  • LifeChangz
    LifeChangz Posts: 456 Member
    edited December 2022
    i don't like any of it when it's mushy - prefer it... almost 'al dente' (firmer, retaining some texture/shape) so I tend to cook stovetop with just enough water. Like to add cinnamon and a dash of vanilla extract. Sometimes raisins or craisins or dried tart cherries. Have stirred in chocolate whey protein powder, and the peanut powder as well... but tend to have my protein source separate in a veggie egg scramble or the chocolate protein powder in the morning coffee and the oats are the complimentary carb macro.
  • ItEvaporated
    ItEvaporated Posts: 1 Member
    I just add Stevia brown sugar to mine - tastes JUST LIKE the real thing, and it's zero calories. I nix the butter altogether.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,736 Member
    LifeChangz wrote: »
    i don't like any of it when it's mushy - prefer it... almost 'al dente' (firmer, retaining some texture/shape) so I tend to cook stovetop with just enough water. Like to add cinnamon and a dash of vanilla extract. Sometimes raisins or craisins or dried tart cherries. Have stirred in chocolate whey protein powder, and the peanut powder as well... but tend to have my protein source separate in a veggie egg scramble or the chocolate protein powder in the morning coffee and the oats are the complimentary carb macro.

    I like it firmer, too, which is why I beat that water into submission in the microwave and then squirt some sugar free maple syrup over it.

    I might try some stevia brown sugar if it doesn't have the after taste of the white one.

    Off to read reviews! :)
  • soulo_ridah
    soulo_ridah Posts: 50 Member
    My question to the OP........ why complicate your life with steel cut? Why not just go with quick and simply nuke with water for couple minutes?
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,070 Member
    I am in the midst of a pantry/freezer clean-out. With my garden, I do a lot of home-canning/freezing and keep a fairly full larder. Once the garden is done, I try to use up what I have on hand from November-May, buying very few groceries. There are two boxes steel-cut oats on hand. Don't know if I'll buy them again, but I will certainly find the best use of what I have.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,736 Member
    Bumping because I'm finally trying the rolled oats in the crockpot thing.

    1 cup oats, 2 cups water, 1 1/2 to 2 hours on low.

    I'm starting off with the 1 1/2 hours but, with 20 minutes left, it's still pretty soupy.

    At least my microwave's not dinging every 40 seconds! (Yet. I don't usually get to my oatmeal until 10:00ish..)
  • SaRahab316
    SaRahab316 Posts: 2 Member
    Une_Poire wrote: »
    I have had better success with my instapot and the delay cook feature. I had tried crockpot oats long ago and did not like the texture. I was happy with how it went in the instapot. I haven't added anything besides apples, mostly do it plain and then add whatever I want to add after the fact. Used water

    I also love to make steel oats in my Ninja Foodi (instapot). I make a large amount with out any sweetener. I then freeze the oats in smaller amounts. When I want them I add fruit and some almond milk or an egg and turkey sausage. I do like the texture better from the instapot.
  • palloned
    palloned Posts: 1 Member
    Easy overnight Steelcut oats.
    4 servings
    1C st cut oats
    4 C water
    1apple chopped
    1/2-1 teas vanilla
    Dash salt
    Cinnamon
    Bring to a boil. Stir. Turn off heat. Cover pan.
    In the morning they are perfect. I separate into 4 bowls, warm one bowl in microwave to eat. Cover the other 3 and refrigerate.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 14,228 Member
    soulo_ridah wrote: »
    My question to the OP........ why complicate your life with steel cut? Why not just go with quick and simply nuke with water for couple minutes?

    I'm not the OP, but quick oats are not as good as rolled oats in my opinion. Rolled oats, even the thick rolled oats that I buy, don't take that much longer to cook than quick oats. Quick oats are in smaller pieces, and the texture is less delicious. I have bought steel-cut oats before, but I don't anymore because of the much longer cooking time.

    @palloned - do you think you cold do overnight steel-cut oats with no cooking? Lately I just add plain yogurt to rolled oats and let them sit a while - 20 minutes to a couple hours. They are fine. If I had some steel cut oats, I'd do the experiment myself.

    In grad school, a roommate used to put oats in a wide-mouth thermos, add boiling water, and close the lid. They'd still be warm in the morning. Sometimes he'd make them first thing in the morning and eat them later in the day. I wonder if @MsCzar could try that instead of the slow cooker. If they're not warm enough in the morning, a quick heat on the stove (or microwave if you have one) would bring 'em up to temperature. I would skip the milk for food safety, but the raisins should be fine. It's worth a try. Worst case is they are a failure and you won't do it again.
  • maryawozniak1
    maryawozniak1 Posts: 3 Member
    Instant pot is the only way that I cook steel cut oats. The water to oats is 3 parts to 1 part, set on high pressure for 4 minutes then allow 10 minutes natural pressure release.

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