Steel Cut Oats with Buttered Pecans and Maple Syrup

Mornings are a bit less hectic in our house during the summer.   I decided to take advantage of the more leisurely pace to make steel cut oats this morning.  Old-fashioned rolled oats take only about 5 minutes to cook, but steel cut oats take about 30 minutes.  The payoff is a satisfying chewy texture and a rich nutty flavor.

While the oats were simmering, I toasted some pecans with butter and a pinch of cinnamon.  I ate the creamy oats topped with buttered pecans and a generous pour of local maple syrup that I picked up at the Racine Farmers’ Market recently.

I usually make enough steel cut oats for several servings.  The leftover oats keep well in the refrigerator and reheat easily in the microwave.  That way, you can still enjoy steel cut oats on a busy morning.

Steel cut oats are good with all the toppings you might use on regular old-fashioned oats.  What are your favorite toppings for oatmeal? 

Steel Cut Oatmeal

(printer-friendly recipe)

Steel Cut Oats also go by the names Pinhead Oats, Irish Oats, and Scotch Oats. There are several brands available.  I use McCann’s Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal and based this recipe on their instructions for “Irish Porridge,” although preparation instructions may vary somewhat among brands.   

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup steel cut oats
• ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

Bring the water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the oats and salt if using and stir well. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Keep an eye on the oats as they thicken, you may need to lower the heat to maintain a quiet simmer. 

This makes about 3 cups of cooked oats. Serve oatmeal with the toppings of your choice.  Store the leftover oatmeal in the fridge in a sealed container. To reheat, scoop out one serving to microwaveable container, add 2 to 4 Tablespoons milk, and reheat (covered) in the microwave for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or so, until piping hot. Stir well, garnish as desired, and enjoy.

Recipe makes 4 servings (about 3/4 cup each).

Nutrition facts per serving with 1 Tbsp pure Maple Syrup and 1 Tbsp buttered pecans:  260 calories, 6 g protein, 9 g fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 167 mg sodium, 5 g fiber

Buttered Pecans

You may want to omit the salt if you use salted butter. 

• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, more to taste
• pinch salt

Melt butter over medium-low heat in small or medium pan.  Add pecans to the pan along with cinnamon and salt.  Cook, stirring often, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until pecans darken in color just slightly.  Pay close attention to the pecans as they can go from lightly toasted to charred in the blink of an eye.  Remove toasted pecans from pan and allow them to cool.