steel cut oats on the trail

[JAK]

Nice package. I understand there could be a health advantage in the steel cut but not rolled type oats like those above, in that they are digested slower and thereby have a lower glycemic index, and perhaps some other benefits as well. Also, I didn't know heat was used in the rolling process. This is done to stabilize the groats, which are raw oats with the husk removed. Not sure if steel cut oatmeal are heated. I presume they are.
Anyhow...

Nice summary of oatmeal here...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oatmeal

UseThe oat grains are de-husked by impact, then warmed and cooled to stabilize the "Oat groats", the seed inside the husk. The process of heating produces a nutty flavour to the oats.[1] These oat groats may be milled to produce fine, medium or coarse oatmeal.[2] Rolled oats are steamed and flattened whole oat groats. Steel cut oats may be small and broken groats from the de-husking process, these may be steamed and flattened to produce smaller rolled oats. Quick-cooking rolled oats (quick oats) are cut into small pieces before being steamed and rolled. Instant oatmeal is pre-cooked and dried, usually with sweetener and flavouring added.[3][4] Both types of rolled oats may be eaten uncooked as in muesli or may be cooked to make porridge. It is also used as an ingredient in oatmeal cookies and oat cakes, or as an accent, as in the topping on many oat bran breads and the coating on Caboc cheese. Oatmeal is also sometimes porridge with the bran or fibrous husk as well as the oat kernel or groat.[5] In some countries rolled oats are eaten raw with milk and sugar or raisins. Oatmeal is also used as a thickening agent in savoury Arabic/Egyptian thick meat plus vegetable soups.

[JAK]

Things to try:

Toss your oats into your pan or pot with a wee bit of oil and let it brown a bit before adding your water. Also, try adding some spices, even some herbs or greens like parsely or kale, and perhaps some jerky, before adding your water. At some point it becomes a soup, which is fair game. This is various forms might more rightly be called brose than porridge. Soup or gruel if more watery. Brose if less watery. I am not sure exactly what all these terms mean, like porridge, gruel, brose, skerry, as they originated in different places and have had many different meanings in different places and different times. Sardines are very nice lightly fried with oats until the oats are toasted and the sardines are warmed up a bit. You can leave them intact or mash it all up and fry it longer into fish cakes. Liver is also very good rolled and fried in oatmeal. Also good for thickening soup. Uncooked, oatmeal is the same as meusli flakes, and is good with spices and milk or yogurt.

Call it what you will, and do with it as you might, but eat you oats.

[moytoy]

Things to try:

Toss your oats into your pan or pot with a wee bit of oil and let it brown a bit before adding your water. Also, try adding some spices, even some herbs or greens like parsely or kale, and perhaps some jerky, before adding your water. At some point it becomes a soup, which is fair game. This is various forms might more rightly be called brose than porridge. Soup or gruel if more watery. Brose if less watery. I am not sure exactly what all these terms mean, like porridge, gruel, brose, skerry, as they originated in different places and have had many different meanings in different places and different times. Sardines are very nice lightly fried with oats until the oats are toasted and the sardines are warmed up a bit. You can leave them intact or mash it all up and fry it longer into fish cakes. Liver is also very good rolled and fried in oatmeal. Also good for thickening soup. Uncooked, oatmeal is the same as meusli flakes, and is good with spices and milk or yogurt.

Call it what you will, and do with it as you might, but eat you oats.

I use oats in all of these ways except the liver and sardines mix. I'll be doing that and I'm sure I will like it. My grandkids? well maybe NOT!

[DBT fan]

I drop about one half cup of uncooked whole oats into to my bran cereal every morning with cold milk. Oats do not have to be cooked to be eaten.

[fungi601]

Things to try:

Sardines are very nice lightly fried with oats until the oats are toasted and the sardines are warmed up a bit. You can leave them intact or mash it all up and fry it longer into fish cakes. Liver is also very good rolled and fried in oatmeal. Also good for thickening soup. Uncooked, oatmeal is the same as meusli flakes, and is good with spices and milk or yogurt.

Seriously, I have to try both of these. I enjoy both and have never tried using oatmeal. Sardines also now come in the little pouches. The only bad thing about sardines in a pouch though is that they are not as whole and "intact" as the ones in the cans but, they can be taken on the trail for shorter trips were weight is not as much of an issue.

Great suggestion, Thanks!

[Janeway]

I love oats. I love steel cut oats. I have to restrain myself from eating it for every meal. Hope this doesn't change on my thru. I've dehydrated a batch of prepared steel cut oats. I learned that the thin "burgers" need to be turned over at some point, which I'll figure out next time. OK. Now I guess this sounds basic, but I'm not sure what to do next. I want to try out a serving for breakfast, but would appreciate it if someone could tell me how to prepare it. Will I be able to wake up, heat water and mix it up and eat, or does it take some time to soak (like maybe overnight)?

[atrerunner]

Oats and the AT in history: at http://www.peacepilgrim.com/ap_trail.htm the reference is at the paragraph that starts 'I lived in the out-of-doors completely'.

[Farr Away]

I love oats. I love steel cut oats. I have to restrain myself from eating it for every meal. Hope this doesn't change on my thru. I've dehydrated a batch of prepared steel cut oats. I learned that the thin "burgers" need to be turned over at some point, which I'll figure out next time. OK. Now I guess this sounds basic, but I'm not sure what to do next. I want to try out a serving for breakfast, but would appreciate it if someone could tell me how to prepare it. Will I be able to wake up, heat water and mix it up and eat, or does it take some time to soak (like maybe overnight)?

I would try adding almost boiling water to your dehydrated oats, and then put them in a cozy for 5 to 10 minutes.

[farmer.ron.99]

I have found quick cooking (5 min) steel cut oats at Mejier's stores.

1/2 cup oats
1 or 2 t brown sugar
1T pecan bits
1T nido powder (milk powder)
2T freeze dried blueberries

All in a ziplock bag. At camp add water (about 2/3 c) to bag and place in cozy for about 10 min.

[Janeway]

I would try adding almost boiling water to your dehydrated oats, and then put them in a cozy for 5 to 10 minutes.

That's what I ended up doing. First I crumbled it up (something I'll have to do before individually packaging which will include Nido milk powder, raisins, brown sugar and whatever), then added 1/2 cup almost boiling water. Then I covered the bowl (simulated cozy!) for awhile. Turned out definitely edible (did I say I love oats), a little al dente, which I like. Tomorrow I'll try just a tad less water. My "burgers" started out as 1 cup cooked steel cut oats and since I didn't hold back a serving to eat, I don't know if that would have been a little al dente or if the dehydration process had something to do with it.