How to Cook Irish Oatmeal

Cooking Irish oatmeal is pretty similar to cooking your favorite type of rolled oats, with the main difference being that they take a little bit longer to cook. Just like rolled old-fashioned or quick oats, you can enjoy Irish oatmeal with all kinds of delicious toppings. In case you didn’t know, Irish oatmeal is just another name for steel-cut oats, so you can prepare either type of oats in the same way. Whip up a batch of Irish oatmeal for breakfast or whenever you want a tasty, warm, and nutritious bowl of porridge!

[Edit]Ingredients

[Edit]Stovetop Irish Oatmeal

• 3-4 cups (750-1000 mL) of water
• 1 cup (90 g) of Irish oatmeal or steel-cut oats
• 1/8 tsp (0.75 g) or less of salt

Makes 4-6 servings

[Edit]Slow Cooker Irish Oatmeal

• 3.5 cups (875 mL) of water
• 1 cup (90 g) of Irish oatmeal or steel-cut oats
• 1 cup (118 g) of peeled and chopped apple
• 1/2 cup (79.5 g) of raisins
• 2 tbsp (28.4 g) of butter
• 1 tbsp (7.91 g) of cinnamon
• 2 tbsp (27.5 g) of brown sugar
• of vanilla extract

Makes 6 servings

[Edit]Microwave Irish Oatmeal

• 2 cups (473 mL) of water
• 1/2 cup (45 g) of Irish oatmeal or steel-cut oats

Makes 1 serving

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Stovetop Irish Oatmeal

1. Bring 3-4 cups (750-1000 mL) of water to a boil in a pot on your stove. Use 3 cups (750 mL) of water if you prefer your oatmeal more firm or 4 cups (1000 mL) of water if you like it creamier. Pour the water into a pot and bring it to a boil over high heat on one of your stove’s burners.^[1]
   
   • You can also substitute milk for some or all of the water if you want even creamier oatmeal.^[2]
2. Stir 1 cup (90 g) of Irish oatmeal and a pinch of salt into the water. Measure out the oats first and dump them into the boiling water. Grab a pinch of salt and toss it in, then stir everything together thoroughly using a large spoon or another type of stirring utensil.^[3]
   
   
   • A pinch of salt is usually considered to be a little less than 1/8 tsp (0.75 g) of salt. Use no more than 1/8 tsp (0.75 g) of salt if you prefer to measure it out instead of eyeballing it.
   • You can use steel-cut oats instead of Irish oatmeal. They are the same thing.
3. Reduce the heat to low once the water starts to boil again. Keep an eye on the pot to make sure the mixture doesn’t boil over. Turn your burner’s heat down to low as soon as the oats start boiling.^[4]
   
   
   • This usually only takes a few seconds, so you won’t have to stand there waiting for too long.
4. Simmer the oats, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on the oats to make sure they stay simmering and use your spoon or stirring utensil to stir them around and scrape the oats off the bottom of the pot every so often. Carefully give the oatmeal a taste test after 20 minutes and keep simmering it until it gets as creamy as you like, but not longer than 30 minutes.^[5]
   
   
   • You might have to play with the heat on your stove to get the oatmeal to simmer perfectly.
   • If you see steam rising off the pot and a couple of bubbles in the oatmeal every few seconds, it’s simmering at a good level.
   • Overcooking Irish oatmeal can ruin its nutty flavor, so don’t go over 30 minutes.
5. Serve the oatmeal in individual bowls. Remove the oatmeal from heat. Transfer a scoop or two of oatmeal to each serving bowl using a spoon.^[6]
   
   
   
   • You can also just get out a bowl for everyone you’re serving and divide the oatmeal evenly among them or let each person serve themselves the amount they want.
6. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Scoop any oatmeal you don’t eat right away into a sealable container and put the lid on. Place the container in your refrigerator and eat it within 1 week.^[7]
   
   • When you want to reheat the oatmeal, just stir in a splash of milk or water to help it soften up.

[Edit]Slow Cooker Irish Oatmeal

1. Put 3.5 cups (875 mL) of water and 1 cup (90 g) of Irish oats in a slow cooker. Measure out the oats and water in whatever order you want. Pour them into the slow cooker’s pot.^[8]
   
   
   • You can use steel-cut oats instead of Irish oatmeal to make this recipe. They are the same kind of oats.
   • Don’t attempt to make any other type of oats in a slow cooker. They will cook too fast and turn out mushy.
   • Keep in mind that this recipe takes up to 8 hours to finish cooking. If you want to eat the oatmeal for breakfast, prepare this a night ahead of time.
2. Stir in 2 tbsp (27.5 g) of brown sugar and 1 tbsp (7.91 g) of cinnamon. Measure out the cinnamon and sugar in any order and dump them into the slow cooker with the oatmeal and water. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves to sweeten it evenly.^[9]
   
   
   • Feel free to adjust the amounts of these ingredients to suit your tastes or omit any that you don’t like.
   • You could cut the sugar in half if you want your oatmeal to be less sweet or use 1/4 of the cinnamon if you want less cinnamon flavor, for example.
3. Mix in of vanilla extract and 2 tbsp (28.4 g) of butter. Measure out and pour in these ingredients in any order. Give the mixture a quick stir to distribute the vanilla extract.^[10]
   
   
   • If you don’t like vanilla flavor, you can skip the vanilla extract.
   • The butter adds to the creaminess of the oatmeal, but you can skip it if you’re on a low-fat diet.
4. Add 1 cup (118 g) of peeled and chopped apple and 1/2 cup (79.5 g) of raisins. Peel and cut an apple into small cubes and measure out about 1 cup (118 g) of the apple into the slow cooker. Measure out 1/2 cup (79.5 g) of raisins and toss those in as well, then give everything a good stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.^[11]
   
   
   • It’s fine if you want to leave out the apples, the raisins, or both. You’re the one eating the oatmeal, so make it however you most enjoy it!
5. Cover the slow cooker and turn it on to low heat for 6-8 hours. Cook the oats for 6-7 hours if you like firmer oatmeal. Let them cook for 8 hours if you want softer, more creamy oatmeal.^[12]
   
   
   
   • You can start taste testing the oatmeal after the first 6 hours pass to see how you like the texture and flavor. Keep cooking it until it reaches the consistency you like.
   • You can also cook the oatmeal using the “warm” setting on your slow cooker if your slow cooker tends to run a little hot or if you know you’re going to leave it for longer than 8 hours. Just taste it after 8 hours or so to see how creamy it is and keep it warming until it has the consistency you want.
6. Serve the oatmeal in bowls. Turn off your slow cooker, remove the lid, and stir the oatmeal. Put a scoop or two in a bowl and let it cool slightly while you prepare your toppings.^[13]
   
   • You could warm up the serving bowls for a few seconds in your microwave if you want the oatmeal to stay nice and warm while you enjoy it.
7. Keep leftover oatmeal for up to 1 week in a sealed container in the fridge. Transfer any of the oatmeal that you have left over into an airtight container and seal it up. Put the container in your refrigerator and enjoy it within 1 week.^[14]
   
   • Stir in a splash of milk or water when you reheat the oatmeal to help it loosen up.

[Edit]Microwave Irish Oatmeal

1. Put 1/2 cup (45 g) of Irish oatmeal into an 8 cup (2000 mL) bowl. Measure out the oats and pour them into a microwaveable bowl with a capacity of about 8 cups (2000 mL). The oatmeal bubbles and expands in the microwave, so a large bowl gives it plenty of room to do this without spilling over the sides.^[15]
   
   
   • You can substitute the same amount of steel-cut oats for Irish oatmeal because they are the same thing.
   • Microwaving oatmeal is a good method if you’re just making a personal serving. However, if you want to make Irish oatmeal for more people, it’s better to do it on the stovetop or in a slow cooker because you can make more servings at once.
2. Add 2 cups (473 mL) of water to the bowl and stir the water and oats together. Measure out the water and pour it into the bowl on top of the oats. Use a spoon to stir the oats and water together.^[16]
   
   
   • Stirring the oats and water together before they go in the microwave helps the oatmeal cook evenly.
3. Microwave the oatmeal on high for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Place the bowl with the oats in the microwave and make sure it’s set to high power. Set the cook time for 10 minutes and start the microwave. Stop the microwave and give the oatmeal a good stir after the first 5 minutes, then start it up again and let the oatmeal finish cooking.^[17]
   
   
   • You can set the microwave for 5 minutes, stir, then set it for the remaining 5 minutes if it’s easier for you to keep track of time this way.
4. Transfer the oatmeal to a serving bowl. Take the oatmeal out of your microwave carefully using an oven mitt or gloves. Use your spoon to scoop it out into a smaller serving bowl.^[18]
   
   
   
   • This recipe only makes about 1 serving, so there probably aren’t going to be any leftovers to save!

[Edit]Sweeteners, Add-ins, and Toppings

1. Sweeten Irish oatmeal with brown sugar or honey to taste. Sprinkle brown sugar on top for a classic oatmeal sweetener. Drizzle honey over your bowl of oatmeal for a healthier sweetening option.^[19]
   
   
   • Feel free to skip the sweetener if you prefer or if you’re on a low-sugar diet.
   • Try using maple syrup as a sweetener.
   • If you're following a sugar-free diet, an artificial sweetener like stevia is a good choice.
2. Stir in a pat of butter or a splash of cream for extra creaminess. Slice a small square of butter off a stick of butter and put it in the middle of the bowl so it melts into the oatmeal. Squeeze a splash of cream over the oatmeal in addition to or instead of the butter to suit your tastes.^[20]
   
   • These additions are completely optional. You can customize your oatmeal any way you want!
3. Add classic dry toppings like cinnamon and nuts as you please. Try sprinkling 1/4 tsp (0.66 g) of cinnamon on top and stirring it into your oatmeal if you want to add a classic spice flavor. Top it all off with about 1 tbsp (9.37 g) of any kind of nut you like to add some crunchy texture and nutty flavor^[21]
   
   
   • Toppings and serving amounts are just ideas and suggestions. Feel free to experiment with other spices and ingredients if you prefer.
   • You can use another type of warm spice like ground cloves or nutmeg or another type of sliced fruit like an apple instead. Try different combinations until you find your favorite way to enjoy Irish oatmeal!
4. Try sweet and juicy fruit toppings like berries and sliced bananas. Top each serving with a handful of any berries you like for added natural sweetness and nutrition. Slice up a banana and put about 1/2 a banana’s worth of slices in each serving bowl as well for more healthy fruit.^[22]
   
   • It’s totally up to you what toppings and how much of them to use. You can use only berries or only banana slices or adjust the amounts of each to suit your personal preferences.
   • You can also try mashing a banana instead of slicing it to use as a topping.

[Edit]Tips

• A bowl of oatmeal is basically like a blank canvas for toppings. Go ahead and try any toppings you think you might like and don’t feel limited to what you read about here!

[Edit]Warnings

• Don’t try to make regular oatmeal using an Irish oatmeal recipe. The cook times for rolled oats are much shorter, so you’ll end up with a mushy mess if you do this.

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

[Edit]Stovetop Irish Oatmeal

• Pot
• Measuring cup
• Spoon or other stirring utensil
• Serving bowls

[Edit]Slow Cooker Irish Oatmeal

• Slow cooker
• Measuring cup
• Spoon or other stirring utensil
• Serving bowls

[Edit]Microwave Irish Oatmeal

• Bowl with 8 cup (2000 mL) capacity
• Microwave
• Measuring cups
• Spoon
• Serving bowls

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats-in-30-minutes-105077
2. ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2019/02/creamy-irish-style-oatmeal-with-brown-sugar.html
3. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats-in-30-minutes-105077
4. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats-in-30-minutes-105077
5. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats-in-30-minutes-105077
6. ↑ https://www.food.com/recipe/irish-steel-cut-oatmeal-139298
7. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats-in-30-minutes-105077
8. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218929/slow-cooker-oats/
9. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218929/slow-cooker-oats/
10. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218929/slow-cooker-oats/
11. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218929/slow-cooker-oats/
12. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218929/slow-cooker-oats/
13. ↑ https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/slow-cooker-irish-oatmeal-with-bananas-and-berries-2042072
14. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats-in-30-minutes-105077
15. ↑ https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats/
16. ↑ https://www.food.com/recipe/quick-microwave-and-nutritious-steel-cut-oatmeal-264011
17. ↑ https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats/
18. ↑ https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats/
19. ↑ https://www.food.com/recipe/irish-steel-cut-oatmeal-139298
20. ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2019/02/creamy-irish-style-oatmeal-with-brown-sugar.html
21. ↑ https://www.food.com/recipe/irish-steel-cut-oatmeal-139298
22. ↑ https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/slow-cooker-irish-oatmeal-with-bananas-and-berries-2042072