When we think of
oatmeal, we typically picture good old-fashioned rolled oats (or maybe
quick oats). When you visit the store, especially our store, you'll find various types of oats that may make you wonder what the difference is between them. What makes steel cut different from rolled? What makes
instant oatmeal different than quick? What makes Scottish different than Irish? Do they all have health benefits? Here's a handy little explanation that will
hopefully clear up any confusion.
Oat Groats:
I just love that groat rhymes with oat! The groat is the de-hulled oat grain. Some grains are called berries, but oats are known as groats. Quite simply, the most intact form of the grain available in the market. Use this version of oats as you would other whole grains. Oat groats are a bit softer than wheat berries and make a wonderful addition to pilafs and soups. We have some wonderful recipes using
oat groats that are packed with dietary fiber, such as this
Creamy Mushroom and Grains Soup, a favorite at my house!
[caption id="attachment_3373" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
The oat groat is the whole oat kernel with the hull removed. Photo borrowed from culinate.com.[/caption]
Rolled Oats:
The most common form of oats, rolled oats are made from oat groats that have been steamed to allow them to pass through the roller mills without cracking and breaking.
One cup of rolled oats can go a long way. Rolled oats are available in many different varieties, each of which refers to the thickness of the flake and cooking time required. The smallest and thinnest oat product is Instant, followed by Quick Cooking, Regular (Old Fashioned) and Extra Thick.
Instant oats have also been pre-cooked to make them truly instant. Just add hot water and you'll have oatmeal. Most brands add sweeteners to their instant oats, but ours are simple, plain oats. We also offer
instant oatmeal packets or instant oatmeal cups for an easy breakfast on-the-go.
Most recipes calling for
rolled oats, such as overnight oats, are referring to quick cooking or regular, but using extra thick will add an extra chewiness that some find quite appealing.
[caption id="attachment_3370" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
The most common oat product, rolled oats are flat flakes.[/caption]
Steel Cut Oats:
Steel Cut = Pinhead = Irish Oats. Steel cut oats are made from whole oat groats that have been chopped into two or three pieces, making for a much chewier cereal. They are almost exclusively used for breakfast, as they do not soften very well in baking applications. These are the oats used in the
Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship and you will find that they are cooked prior to being used in any recipes. You can find many wonderful recipes on the Golden Spurtle website, as well as our own, using steel cut oats.
What makes
steel cut oatmeal particularly attractive for breakfast, and the reason we tout it as the perfect fuel for your day, is how the body breaks it down. Because of its size and shape, the body breaks it down more slowly than rolled oats, preventing spikes in blood sugar and keeping you full longer.
[caption id="attachment_3369" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Steel Cut Oats are much larger pieces than Scottish Oats[/caption]
Scottish Oats:
The true oatmeal, Scottish oats are ground on our stone mills from whole oat groats. They are not rolled, they are not cut, they are ground. The texture of Scottish oatmeal is fairly fine, though more coarsely ground than flour. In the United Kingdom, this is what they imagine when you say oatmeal. In the United States, this is what we imagine when we use the term porridge. It's creamy, thick and almost instant when combined with boiling water. This is what people would have made hundreds of years ago, before modern roller mills were invented.
Scottish oats are wonderful for baking, as they are truly a more coarsely ground flour, like cornmeal. Oat
meal, corn
meal, flaxseed
meal—get it? Meal is the next grind up from flour and below farina. We have some great recipes on our site using Scottish oatmeal, including one of our favorites,
Scottish Oatcakes.
[caption id="attachment_3372" align="aligncenter" width="252"]
Scottish Oatmeal is very finely ground. Photo borrowed from recipetips.com[/caption]
I hope this has helped answer the question of what makes each variety different. If you've still got a question or two, please leave it in the comments and I'll find you an answer.
The oat groat is the whole oat kernel with the hull removed. Photo borrowed from culinate.com.[/caption]
The most common oat product, rolled oats are flat flakes.[/caption]
Steel Cut Oats are much larger pieces than Scottish Oats[/caption]
Scottish Oatmeal is very finely ground. Photo borrowed from recipetips.com[/caption]
I hope this has helped answer the question of what makes each variety different. If you've still got a question or two, please leave it in the comments and I'll find you an answer.
Yes, it would be around 340 calories. If you want to get really scientific about it, you can make the whole batch and measure into four parts- with each part being about 170 calories.
Thanks in advance.
Dale
If you are measuring out 1 cup of the oats beforehand, that will be equal to about 3 cups cooked, which will equal 680 calories. If you measured out 1/4 cup beforehand, it'll make 3/4-1 cup cooked and will be 170 calories (if using water of course).
maybe some finally ground/navy beans-organic soy beans or adeuki beans...anything to up the protein content...I wanted to end up with 9 grams or more of protein per serving and be able to make it in large batches to store it for daily use...Has anyone tried anything like this...Any thoughts...
Have you tried chia seeds? They are very nutrient dense, with 3 grams of protein per tablespoon, plus fiber, calcium and iron. They are a great addition to oatmeal and, unlike flax seed, you do not need to grind chia seeds before eating in order to get the nutritional benefits.
You can find more information about chia seeds here:
http://www.bobsredmill.com/chia-seed
We are currently out of stock but should have chia seeds available again soon.
Thanks,
Amanda C.
Bob's Red Mill
Thanks,
Laurie C.
You will want to use our Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats (available in organic and regular versions):
http://www.bobsredmill.com/og-quick-cook-steel-cut-oats
Hope this helps!
Thanks,
Amanda C.
Bob's Red Mill
I will look for them at our Fresh Market, or maybe I'll make the trek to Whole Foods. I'll let you know how the recipe works out.
Laurie
We haven't tried this, but I think the outcome would be rather different from granola made with rolled oats, because the oats in Scottish Oatmeal have been ground to a meal. You could probably expect a much finer texture than a traditional granola. If you're using a recipe calling for rolled oats, you may need to make some adjustments to the cooking time as well, since the Scottish Oatmeal may bake more quickly than rolled oats. If you try it, we'd love to hear how it turns out!
Thanks,
Amanda C.
Bob's Red Mill
Steel cut oats and rolled oats are made from the same thing, whole oat groats, and the nutritional values are very similar. Rolled oats are more processed since the groats get steamed to soften before rolled, whereas for steel cut oats the groats are just cut into pieces.
Amanda C.
Bob's Red Mill
They are both made from the whole Oat Groat, the Scottish Oats are ground groats and the Steel Cut Oats are groats that have been cut into pieces. They are nutritionally very similar.
Thanks!
Bob's Red Mill
Jennifer
Scottish Oatmeal or Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats are nutritionally very close to each other, and to regular Steel Cut Oats. They all both made from the whole Oat Groat, but the processing is different: Steel Cut Oats are groats cut into pieces, Scottish Oats are ground groats and the Quick Oats are Oat groats that have been steamed and rolled thinner than regular oats for quicker cooking times.
Hope this helps!
Amanda C., Bob's Red Mill
If you dont have time to cook steel cut oats in the morning, soak them over night! Just put the oats in a pot cover with water and a little more so wTer is maybe an inch above the oats. Then in the morning, strain out the water, add more fresh water, then it cooks fast, almost as fast as quick cooking oats - and it's better for you! ( I think that's what they call sprouted)
I can't give exact amounts of water because I make enough for 8 people, but I'm guessing half as much water to cook it. You can also make extra and keep the extra in the fridge and just warm up the next day, it tastes just as good as the day you made it!
@Jennifer, I agree, time is short in the morning! At home, we actually get the oats going the night before by bringing them to boil for a few minutes in the pot and leaving them to soak, covered, overnight. Then they finish cooking in 5 minutes the next day!
-AJ
http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-goetta-17274
Our quick cooking steel cut oats are cut into slightly smaller, flatter pieces than conventional steel cut oats. This allows them to cook faster. They are not precooked.
Rolled, Instant, Scottish? | Bob's Red Mill Blog”, incredibly entertaining plus the blog post ended up being a remarkable read. Thanks,Leoma
Thanks!
interested in buying fine rolled oats a container a month
please advise accordingly
thanks
Do you offer baby rolled oats in your lineup? What is a good alternative? Thank you.
Amanda
It should work just fine with the same proportions and cooking time. They may be just a bit more creamy.
They will all be great for lactation. I'd recommend regular or thick-rolled, though, for the best tasting cookies! Good luck!
Which is it most similar to? I am guessing the consistency is closest to Scotish? Is there any additional ingredients in the cereal? Is it nutritionally similar to the other products? Thanks
I bought your Steel Cut Oats today and I have a recipe that is calling for overnight oats. Are the two interchangeable?
Thanks!
I'm not really sure without knowing more about the recipe. Steel Cut Oats make great overnight oats, though, if that's what you're asking.
Jim
Groats = hulled oats. You probably won't get steel cut oats running them through your Vitamix, but you'll get something closer to our Scottish Oats, which are creamy and delicious. I'm sorry that you're not able to find the steel cut oats near you. Just keep asking and maybe they'll hear you.
I have been trying different combinations to make some heart/diabetic healthy *cookies*. My question; If I was to use the Steel Cut Oats instead of the Quick Oats called for in some recipes, would the cooking time extend or would I have to pre-prep the Steel Cut somehow to not dry out the cookie? Or, is it just an easy substitute and there would be no cook time differences in the recipe? Thank you so much.
https://oakandearth.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/ode-to-oatmeal-scottish-porridge/
This post by Cassidy was what helped me find Bob's Scottish Oatmeal so thank you so much for writing it!
Thank you. Jessie.