Hi,
Some of you may find the following interesting and/or useful.
Jeanne
What's the Difference Between Steel-Cut, Rolled, and Instant Oats?
>From www.thekitchn.com
Jun 1, 2017
Kelli Foster)
Spring, summer, winter, and fall - no matter the season, oatmeal is king of
the breakfast table. It's warm, satisfying, and hearty enough to carry us
through
to lunchtime. Beyond a hot bowl at breakfast, oats show up in pancakes,
muffins, cookies, granola bars, and so much more.
All oats start off as oat groats - the whole, unbroken grains. Before being
processed into any other variety of oat, groats are usually roasted at a
very
low temperature. This not only gives the oats their nice toasty flavor, but
the heat also inactivates the enzyme that causes oats to go rancid, making
them more shelf-stable.
Steel-cut, rolled, and instant oats.
Kelli Foster)
The Difference Between Steel-Cut, Rolled, & Instant Oats
The difference between steel-cut, rolled, and instant oats is simply how
much the oat groat has been processed. This also results in each variety
having
a distinct texture and varying cook times.
Steel-Cut Oats
Kelli Foster)
Also referred to as Irish or Scottish oats, this type of oatmeal is
processed by chopping the whole oat groat into several pieces, rather than
rolled.
Steel-cut oats look almost like rice that's been cut into pieces. This
variety takes the longest to cook, and has a toothsome, chewy texture that
retains
much of its shape even after cooking.
In addition to being used for porridge, steel-cut oats can also be used to
make meatloaf and savory
congee
(a nice alternative to rice), or to add texture to stuffing.
Because of its toothsome texture, rolled or instant oats don't make a good
substitute for steel-cut oats.
Rolled Oats
Kelli Foster)
Also called old-fashioned or whole oats, rolled oats look like flat,
irregularly round, slightly textured discs. When processed, the whole grains
of oats
are first steamed to make them soft and pliable, then pressed to flatten
them.
Rolled oats cook faster than steel-cut oats, absorb more liquid, and hold
their shape relatively well during cooking. In addition to be heated for a
warm
breakfast bowl, rolled oats are commonly used in granola bars, cookies,
muffins, and other baked goods.
Instant oats can be used in place of rolled oats, although the cook time
will be much less, and the final dish will not have as much texture.
Instant Oats
Kelli Foster)
Also referred to as quick oats, instant oats are the most processed of the
three oat varieties. They are pre-cooked, dried, and then rolled and pressed
slightly thinner than rolled oats. They cook more quickly than steel-cut or
rolled oats, but retain less of their texture, and often cook up mushy.
Rolled oats can be used in place of instant oats, although it will require
more cook time, and the final dish will have more texture.
One Surprising Thing These Oats Have in Common
While these varieties have undergone a different level of processing,
resulting in different textures and cook times, there is one thing they all
have
in common: nutritional value. Steel-cut, rolled, and instant oats all have
the same nutritional profile since they're all made from whole oat groats.
This post has been updated - originally published in February 2011.
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