Cooking with Oats 101
Introduction
Oats are the February Grain of the Month in this series on Whole Grains 101.
This post provides an overview of oats and their culinary uses.
Types of Oats
There are two species of oats used for human consumption: common hulled oat (Avena sativa) and naked/hulless oat (Avena nuda).
Hulled oats have a very tight inedible outer hull that needs to be mechanically removed prior to human consumption.
Hulless oats have a loose outer hull that falls off easily during harvesting.
Typically oats will be tan in color although there are lesser known heirloom varieties that are black, grey and red.
History of Oats
Like other whole grains, oats started out as a wild grass that later became cultivated by humans.
It is believed that hulled oats started to be cultivated in Europe about 3,000 years ago while hulless oat are believed to originate from China.
Oats grow best in wet and cold climates including Northern Europe, Northern parts of Eastern Europe and China.
Oats have long been used for high protein animal fodder, particularly horses as well as for human consumption.
A 17th century British dictionary definition of oats was: “A grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.”
A famous and amusing Scottish reply was: “Aye, and that’s why England has such fine horses, and Scotland such fine people.”
Oats came to the Americas with the colonists in the 1600s and by the late 1800s it is believed that Washington State was the oat growing capital of the world.
As automobiles replaced horses as the main mode of transport, oat production decreased.
Nevertheless, oats still rank as the sixth largest grain crop in the world after corn, wheat, rice, barley and sorghum.
Oat Nutritional Properties
Oats have been gaining in popularity in recent years thanks to the gluten-free trend and to studies highlighting their health benefits.
For example, oat milk has become the second most popular plant milk behind almond milk.
Just like barley, oats contain a water soluble fiber called betaglucan which has been found to help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
As a result, oats are promoted as helpful in fighting heart disease and diabetes.
Oats are generally considered to be higher in protein than most other cereal grains but there can be wide variation from one variety to another.
There are landrace varieties believed to be 21% protein but the USDA database reports oats to have 13% protein, in the same range as wheat.
Oats contain B vitamins as well as several important minerals including manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and iron.
Oats are also higher in fats (around 6%) than many other grains – giving them an extremely creamy mouthfeel.
According to Sue Becker, in her book The Essential Home Ground Flour, the healthy fats in oats include phosholipids, half of which are in the form of lecithin.
Oats and Gluten
All oats are gluten-free however they are often processed in facilities that also process wheat and other products with gluten.
Therefore, people with celiac disease and strong sensitivity to gluten may want to look for certified gluten-free oats.
In addition, oats do contain a different protein, avenin, which a subset of individuals with celiac disease cannot tolerate.
Culinary Uses of Oats
Below is an overview of the different forms of oats, their pros and cons and their culinary uses.
Forms of Oats
Whole grain oats can be found in many forms (from least processed to most processed) : hulless oats, hulled oat groats, cracked (Scottish) oats, steel cut (Irish) oats, traditional rolled oats, rolled oats, instant oats and oat flour.
A product is considered a whole grain when it contains all parts of the grain including its fiber.
( Note: since this blog is focused on whole grains, we are not covering oat bran which mostly contains the fibrous part of the oat and is therefore not considered a whole grain.)
In oats, the fibrous part of the grain, the bran, is mixed in with the starchy center, the endosperm.
This is different from some other grains such as wheat, where the bran is concentrated in the outer layer of the grain.
As a result, most oat products are considered whole grains because the fiber has not been removed.
In addition, most oat products, except for some hulless oats, are heat treated to deactivate the lipase enzyme which would otherwise cause them to go rancid quickly.
Pros and Cons of Different Oat Forms
While all the oat forms mentioned are considered whole grains, the most processed are higher on the glycemic index than the least processed forms.
In terms of flavor, the least processed forms of oats also win.
Once you experience the full flavor of cooked oat groats, it’s hard to go back to less flavorful rolled oats.
On the minus side, the least processed oats do take longer to cook.
This is why oats are ideal for making ahead of time using an Instant Pot for convenient, hands free cooking as detailed below, where relevant.
Hulless Oats
Hulless oats are a species of oats with a hull that falls off easily when harvesting.
Hulless oats can be purchased raw and used for sprouting as well as transformed into any of the oat products mentioned above.
You will want to verify with the vendor whether the oats you are purchasing are truly raw and sproutable because in some instances, they can be heat treated.
Whether treated or not, hulless oats are still considered a raw product and it is recommended they be cooked prior to human consumption.
Because they are the least processed, it is also best to freeze or vacuum seal any oats you have in large quantities to extend their shelf life.
For more on whole grain storage, please see this post.
How to Cook Hulless Oats
Hulless oats take the longest of all oat types to cook.
Stovetop Hulless Oats
- Use a ratio of 1 cup hulless oats to 2 ½ cups of liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer for 55 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Instant Pot Hulless Oats
- Use a ratio of 1 cup of hulless oats to 1 ½ cups of liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Set to 22 minutes high pressure and allow to natural release for at least 10 minutes.
Notes:
- Any excess water can be drained and used in bread making.
- Dry toasting the oats enhances their nutty flavor
- Soaking the oats overnight reduces their cooking time by about 10 minutes (stovetop), 5 minutes (Instant Pot).
Best Uses of Cooked Hulless Oats
Cooked hulless oats retain their shape well and have a nice bite – softer than cooked wheat berries but more pronounced than brown rice.
Their mild, pleasant flavor makes them a great rice substitute and they are perfect in grain bowls.
Sprouted Hulless Oats
Raw hulless oats can be sprouted into oat sprouts or grown further into oat grass.
Hulless oats can easily be sprouted in a wide mouth mason jar using a sprouting lid.
- Soak 1/2 cup of raw hulless oats in 3 cups of water for 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain the oats and place jar upside down, at a 45 degree angle.
- Rinse twice a day until you reach desired length based on planned use:
- for sprouted flour it is sufficient for the sprout shoot to barely emerge.
- for use in salads or making Rejuvelac, the sprouted oats can be used at any point where the shoot has emerged and is less than a quarter inch
Hulless Oat Grass
While all grain grasses are technically considered gluten-free, some people may prefer to use oat grass instead of wheat grass for juicing.
When growing oat grass, it is best to use a growing medium or a growing kit made for grass.
To grow oat grass, follow instructions for sprouting hulless oats and transfer to growing medium once shoot start to appear.
Keep sprouts moist and start harvesting grass within 7 to 10 days.
Oat Rejuvelac
Sprouted hulless oats or unhulled oats can be used to make Rejuvelac, an enzyme rich beverage with a mild lemony taste and a cheesy fragrance often used in vegan cheese making.
Place sprouted oats in filtered water for one to two days.
And in depth step by step post on making Rejuvelac can be found here.
Hulled Oat Groats
Hulled oat groats typically refer to the common oat from which the hull has been mechanically removed.
The mechanical removal of the hull activates the lipase enzyme which can quickly degrade the healthy fats in oats.
Therefore oat groats are heat treated to prevent rancidity.
Even though oat groats have been heat treated, they are still considered a raw product and need to be cooked prior to human consumption.
How to Cook Oat Groats
Oat groats take slightly less time to cook then hulless oats.
Stovetop Oat Groats
- Use a ratio of 1 cup hulless oats to 2 ½ cups of liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Instant Pot Oat Groats
- Use a ratio of 1 cup of hulless oats to 1 ½ cups of liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Set to 20 minutes high pressure and allow to natural release for at least 10 minutes.
Notes:
- Any excess water can be drained and used in bread making.
- Dry toasting the oats enhances their nutty flavor
- Soaking the oats overnight reduces their cooking time by about 10 minutes (stovetop), 5 minutes (Instant Pot).
Best Uses of Cooked Oat Groats
Cooked oat groats don’t retain their shape as fully as hulless oats but they can still be used in grain bowls – you will want to drain the water immediately after cooking to prevent the starch from continuing to release into the water.
Thanks to their natural creaminess, oat groats are also ideal to make into variants of risotto.
If you prefer to use the oat groats as a porridge, draining the water is not necessary – instead you may even want to use a hand blender to break down the oat groats further and add more creaminess.
Scottish Oats
Scottish oats are cracked oat groats that have been stone ground.
Like oat groats, they have been heat treated but they still need to be cooked prior to human consumption.
How to Make Cracked Scottish Oats at Home
Scottish oats can made by grinding hulless oats or oat groats in a food processor, a blender or home stone mill, set to a coarse setting.
How to Cook Cracked Scottish Oats
Because they are cracked, Scottish oats take less time to cook than whole oat groats.
Stovetop Cracked Scottish Oats
- Use a ratio of 1 cup cracked oats to 2 ½ cups of liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To prevent cracked Scottish oats from sticking to the bottom of the pot, you will want to add them once the water is boiled.
Alternatively, for a creamier version, add the oats to the water when cold and stir frequently or use a double boiler.
Instant Pot Cracked Scottish Oats
You won’t really gain any time by cooking cracked oats in the Instant Post as it takes about 10 minutes to get to pressure and 10 more for the natural release.
It will however be more hands free than the stovetop method.
- Use a ratio of 1 cup cracked oats to 2 ½ cups of liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Place in Instant Pot and set to 4 minutes of high pressure with at least 10 minutes natural release.
Best Uses of Cooked Cracked Scottish Oats
Cooked cracked Scottish oats are best used in sweet or savory porridges.
Steel Cut Oats
Steel cut oats are oat groats that have been chopped into pin size pieces using steel blades.
There are two types of steel cut oats: regular and quick cooking.
The quick cooking steel cut oats are smaller in size than the regular steel cut oats.
Steel cut oat aficionados prefer the regular steel cut oats to the quick cooking version as they make for a creamier porridge.
Like oat groats, while steel cut oats have been heat treated, they still require some cooking and should not be eaten raw.
There is no easy way to make steel cut oats from scratch at home using typical home appliances.
How to Cook Steel Cut Oats
Cooking time for steel cut oats will depend on their size.
Stovetop Steel Cut Oats
- Use a ratio of 1 cup steel cut oats to 3 cups of liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Bring water to a boil and then simmer for about 25 minutes for larger size ( 7 minutes for quick cooking ), stirring occasionally.
To prevent steel cut oats from sticking to the bottom of the pot, you have a few options:
- You can add them once the water is boiled.
- You can use a double boiler.
- Or you can stir frequently.
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Quick cooking steel cut oats don’t really benefit from being pressure cooked since their cook time is so short.
As for regular steel cut oats, just like cracked oats, you won’t really gain any time by cooking them in the Instant Pot but it will be more hands free than the stovetop method.
- Use a ratio of 1 cup regular steel cut oats to 3 cups of liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Place in Instant Pot and set to 4 minutes of high pressure with at least 10 minutes natural release (longer will make for an even creamier porridge)
Best Uses of Cooked Steel Cut Oats
Steel cut oats make wonderful sweet or savory porridges.
They can also be used as a replacement for rice in risotto recipes.
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats are oat groats that have been steamed and then flattened between two rollers.
There are three types of rolled oats: traditional, regular and instant.
Traditional rolled oats are thicker while regular rolled oats are thinner and instant rolled oats are the thinnest.
Because rolled oats have been steamed, they are considered a cooked product and they can be consumed as is or cooked.
This makes rolled oats popular in overnight oat recipes as well as in a multitude of no cook recipes.
How to Make Rolled Oats at Home
Rolled oats can be made at home using dry oat groats or hulless oats and a specialized flaker.
A common hack is to use soaked oat groats and run them through a pasta machine as shown in this video.
If you want to use sprouted hulless oats, you will want to dehydrate them before using in the home flaker.
If using sprouted hulless oats in a pasta machine, there is no need to dehydrate the sprouts first.
Tip: you will want to make sure you thoroughly dry the rollers in the pasta machine when done as most of them are made of steel and can rust easily.
How to Cook Rolled Oats
As just mentioned, rolled oats are considered a cooked product but they typically are cooked further to enhance their flavor and texture.
Stovetop Rolled Oats
Rolled oats can be cooked using a ratio of 1 cup of rolled oats to 2 cups of liquid with a pinch of salt.
- Bring liquid to a boil.
- Stir in rolled oats and simmer for 5 minutes (traditional rolled oats), 2 minutes (regular rolled oats) and 1 minute (instant rolled oats)
Best Uses for Rolled Oats
Traditional and regular rolled oats are great when making sweet or savory overnight oats (instant oats are likely to turn to mush).
Traditional and regular rolled oats can toasted lightly and combined with dried fruits and nuts to make muesli.
Granola is made by combining traditional or regular rolled oats with a sweetener and/or oil, dried nuts and fruits, baking for about 20 minutes, stirring half way.
Traditional and regular rolled oats are also blended and strained to make home made oat milk.
Quick rolled oats are best when making an instant morning porridge when you are short on time.
Avena – a South American Oat Beverage
Traditional and rolled oats can be cooked in milk, flavored with a sweetener and dessert spices then refrigerated to make a popular South American beverage called Avena.
A vegan recipe for Avena can be found here.
Oat Flour
Oat flour can be made from any of the above oat products.
Typically, commercial oat flour will be milled from whole oat groats.
Many recipes call for making oat flour at home by blending rolled oats.
Blended rolled oats flour yields a lighter flour than milled whole oat groats.
Oat flour milled from oat groats is usually considered a raw product that needs to be cooked while oat flour made from rolled oats does not need to be cooked.
How to Mill Oat Flour at Home
Since oat groats and hulless oats are a fairly soft grain compared to wheat or corn, they can easily be ground into flour using a food processor, high speed blender as well as a home mill.
Sprouted, dehydrated oats can also be milled into flour.
If you just have a regular home blender, then it will be easier to use rolled oats – keeping in mind the flour will have a lighter consistency than milled oat groat flour.
When using a micronizer mill, only use whole oat groats and hulless oats.
When using a stone mill, if you mill large quantities of oats, you may want to clean your mill by grinding some white rice through so as to remove from the stones any leftover fat residue from the oats.
For a more in depth discussion on milling, please see this post.
Uses of Oat Flour
Oat flour made from rolled oats can be added to smoothies for extra creaminess or used to make various no cook desserts.
Oat flour made from oat groats is excellent as part of a gluten-free flour mix, as an addition to yeasted breads and as a general thickener in sauces and soups.
Books About Oats
Since oats are such a popular grain, many oat specific books can be found.
A few plant based books you may want to consider are:
OATrageous Oatmeals by Kathy Hester
The Oat Milk Cookbook by Kim Lutz
Porridge: Oats + Seeds + Grains + Rice by Anni Kravi
New Porridge: Grain-based nutrition bowls for morning, noon and night by Leah Vanderveldt
Where to Buy Oats and Oat Flour
While all forms of rolled oats and steel cut oats are typically available in most grocery stores, oat groats, hulless oats and oat flour are less commonly found.
This post on where to buy whole grains includes a FREE PDF download with 35 online sources of whole grain oats. Many of these vendors also sell oat flour.
Conclusion
As you can see, gluten-free oats are very versatile and a healthy addition to any meal.
Hopefully, this post will have expanded your knowledge of this nutritious whole grain and given you some new ideas on how to use it.
As always, wishing you a grainlicious experience!
All information in this post is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute nutritional, medical or health advice.
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