My favourite method to make steel-cut oats has shortly turn out to be utilizing a rice cooker, however I might be remiss if I did not additionally shout out the Prompt Pot (and different comparable electrical multicookers, although today it certain seems like Prompt Pot has cornered the market). The 2 strategies have extra in frequent than not when it comes to setup and ultimate product; the variations are few. Which is to say, the Prompt Pot has turn out to be my different favourite method of creating steel-cut oats.

Greater than anything the factor that these gadgets supply is the flexibility to make steel-cut oatmeal with none of the stirring and ready. In each instances, that is primarily as a result of you may fill them the night time earlier than with oats, water, and no matter else, set a timer, and get up the following day to the oatmeal prepared and ready. I do not take into account {that a} small factor—the primary cause I do not make oatmeal on a weekday morning is as a result of I am pressed for time and standing and stirring a pot of long-cooking oats is out of the query.

My expertise is that the identical ratio of three cups water for each one cup oats that works effectively for a rice cooker additionally work effectively in an Prompt Pot, assuming you agree with my choice for oatmeal that is thick however not stiff. If not, you may simply modify ratios to fulfill your tastes.

Is Prompt Pot Oatmeal Actually Quicker Than Stovetop?

Lots of people declare that an Prompt Pot makes oatmeal sooner than the normal stovetop methodology. I wholeheartedly disagree with this. Whenever you consider heating time, cooking time, after which depressurization time, Prompt Pot oatmeal really takes fairly a bit longer. That is partly as a result of that you must use the pure launch methodology for depressurization, which means it’s a must to wait because the cooker cools step by step over time till the built-up inner stress drops all by itself and the cooker lid unlocks. Fast-release strategies like opening the vent aren’t a good suggestion with oatmeal, which is vulnerable to foaming; in case your oatmeal foams up by the pressure-release valve, you may be coping with a multitude and in addition doubtlessly damaging your cooker.

Simply as with a rice cooker, which additionally cooks steel-cut oatmeal fairly slowly, setting all of it up prematurely and utilizing a timer makes this draw back moot—this prolonged cooking time can occur within the early hours of the morning whilst you’re nonetheless sleeping. So long as you set the timer proper in order that the oatmeal is prepared however hasn’t been sitting for ages earlier than you get up, it will really feel prefer it took no time in any respect.

Whereas some might really feel otherwise, I might go so far as to say that if I get up within the morning and wish oatmeal, there’s nearly no likelihood in any respect that I might take out my Prompt Pot to make it; it is going to merely take too lengthy from begin to end for that to be an choice. I am going to simply prepare dinner it on the stovetop in that case as a substitute. To me, it actually solely is smart in the event you’re setting the cooker up prematurely after which leaving it to make the oatmeal whilst you’re sleeping.

Stopping a Foam Incident

As simply talked about, one concern of cooking oatmeal in an Prompt Pot is that it might probably foam up and clog the vent. This is not assured to occur, however it might probably. There are three issues you are able to do to keep away from this:

1. Do not overfill the cooker. The extra oatmeal you attempt to prepare dinner within the Prompt Pot, the much less headroom there will likely be contained in the cooking chamber to comprise foaming with out it reaching the lid. The recipe beneath requires one cup of oats and three cups of water, and makes a modest quantity to feed about 4 individuals. You may most likely make a bit extra in most cookers, however attempt to keep away from pushing the boundaries. A great rule of thumb is to not exceed the midway level of the cooker’s most fill line, however you need to in fact seek the advice of your cooker’s particular person handbook for the most effective steerage to your machine.
2. Add fats. Fats can intrude with bubble formation, and when you might have a foam-prone combination like oatmeal, somewhat fats is a small insurance coverage coverage towards the froth effervescent up and getting uncontrolled. Within the recipe beneath, a small pat of butter goes into the cooker pot for simply this cause. It does not damage that butter is a welcome addition to oatmeal anyway (if you don’t welcome it, use a tablespoon of oil).
3. Depressurize naturally. I already coated this above, however I am going to repeat it right here simply to finish the checklist. Quickly releasing a stress cooker by opening its steam launch valve causes the contents contained in the cooker to boil violently, which might produce an incredible quantity of froth. By permitting the cooker to chill down by itself time, it is going to depressurize and launch with out the foaming danger of a fast launch.

Prompt Pot Oatmeal Professionals and Cons

At residence, I nearly at all times attain for my rice cooker to make steel-cut oatmeal prematurely as a substitute of the Prompt Pot. I am going to clarify my causes, although I ought to be clear that numerous this can rely on the precise gadgets you personal. Placing apart the professionals that they each share, like no-stir and set-it-and-forget it performance, here is the place I believe the Prompt Pot excels and does not for oatmeal.

Prompt Pot Professional (Yeah, Simply One That I Can Consider)

The one factor I particularly like about steel-cut oatmeal cooked in an Prompt Pot is the precise texture the oats develop from this cooking methodology—plump and tender with a notable juicy chew. The rice cooker additionally makes nice oatmeal, however I do not detect this delicate however particular high quality within the oats that come out of it.

Prompt Pot Cons

My major criticism of the Prompt Pot as a device for cooking oatmeal extra effectively is that on many of the fashions I am conscious of, you may’t set a “prepared by” time the best way you may on numerous rice cookers. As an alternative it’s a must to do some psychological math to determine how lengthy the cooking and depressurization phases will take, and once you’ll need your oatmeal prepared, after which calculate how lengthy from once you’re setting the machine it ought to wait earlier than beginning so it is prepared on the proper time. When you’re not setting it up at the very same time each night time, or if your required “prepared” time shifts, you are compelled to always recalculate. And that assumes your estimates are appropriate on the cooking instances.

I am making it sound somewhat tougher than it’s, and also you completely have some wiggle room because the cooker can maintain the oatmeal heat for some time if it finishes early and sits for a bit. However nonetheless, it is method simpler to do what I can on my rice cooker, which is simply inform it: Be certain that that is prepared at X time.

My different small grievance concerning the stress cooker is that, as a result of it’s a must to depend on the pure launch methodology of depressurization, you may actually get locked out of your oatmeal though it is prepared till the cooker releases itself. That is doubtlessly annoying, and in contrast to most rice cookers, which you’ll be able to open and dip into as quickly because the oatmeal is prepared.

On that final level, although, I ought to point out that I flip it into a professional: Since I am including butter, I reap the benefits of it by melting it first within the cooker after which toasting the oats in it, deepening their taste (then I add the water, seal the cooker, and set it to do the remainder). That is one thing you too can do in lots of rice cookers, if you want, so the Prompt Pot does not have an actual leg up, however it feels extra built-in given the requirement of including a fats from the beginning.

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