Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

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.

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!

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.

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 When you figure out the bars please share the recipe, they sound great and a lot less expensive than buying good ones.

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/

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.

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!

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.

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.