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Rolled oats, a type of oatmeal

Oatmeal is ground oat groats (i.e. oat-meal, cf. cornmeal, peasemeal, etc.), or a porridge made from this product (also called oatmeal cereal or stirabout, in Ireland). Oatmeal can also be steel-cut oats, crushed oats, or rolled oats.

[edit] Use

Oat groats are coarsely ground to make oatmeal, or cut into small pieces to make steel-cut oats, or first steamed and then flattened to make 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 flavoring added.^[1] Oatmeal is used to make porridge, 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.^[2] It is also used as a thickener in some foods such as canned chili con carne, in some alcoholic drinks, cosmetics, soaps, and external medical treatments, and is sometimes added to animal feed.

[edit] Breakfast cereal health benefits

There has been increasing interest in oatmeal in recent years due to its beneficial health effects. Daily consumption of a bowl of oatmeal can lower blood cholesterol, due to its soluble fiber content.^[3] After reports found that oats can help lower cholesterol, an "oat bran craze"^[4][5] swept the U.S. in the late 1980s, peaking in 1989. The food fad was short-lived and faded by the early 1990s. The popularity of oatmeal and other oat products again increased after the January 1997 decision by the Food and Drug Administration that food with a lot of oat bran or rolled oats can carry a label claiming it may reduce the risk of heart disease, when combined with a low-fat diet. This is because of the beta-glucan in the oats. Rolled oats have also long been a staple of many athletes' diets, especially weight trainers; given oatmeal's high content of complex carbohydrates and water-soluble fiber which encourages slow digestion and stabilises blood-glucose levels. Oatmeal porridge also contains more B vitamins and calories than other kinds of porridges.^[6] Cooked oatmeal has a lower GI value (glycemic index) than has uncooked, because cooking releases water-soluble fiber from the grain.^{[citation needed]} These fibers release glucose very slowly.^{[citation needed]} However, the type of instant, boil-in-bag oatmeal that is common in America, has many artificial additives, an extremely high content of carbohydrates (about 70% carbohydrates and 167 calories per bag), and a fairly low content of oats in itself. This sugar content easily makes up for the other health benefits of the oatmeal, and makes the end result an unhealthy breakfast.^{[citation needed]}

Raisins and instant oatmeal prior to preparation.   Raisins and instant oatmeal after preparation.

[edit] Cultural associations

[edit] Scotland

Historically Oatmeal was a peasant food traditionally known as porridge.^[7] Oatmeal has a long history in Scottish culinary traditions because oats are better suited than wheat to the short, wet growing season. Therefore, it became the staple grain of that country. Ancient Scottish Universities had a holiday called Meal Monday, to permit students to return to their farms and collect more oats for food.

Samuel Johnson referred, disparagingly, to this in his dictionary definition for oats: "A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people." His biographer, James Boswell, noted that Lord Elibank was said by Sir Walter Scott to have retorted, "Yes, and where else will you see such horses and such men?"^[8]

A common alternative method of cooking oatmeal in Scotland is to soak it overnight in salted water and cook on a low heat in the morning for a few minutes until the mixture thickens.

In Scotland, oatmeal is created by grinding oats into a coarse powder. Various grades are available depending on the thoroughness of the grinding, including Coarse, Pin(head) and Fine oatmeal. The main uses are:

• Traditional porridge (or "porage")
• Brose: a thick mixture made with uncooked oatmeal and butter or cream; eaten like porridge but much more filling.
• Rolled oats, crushed oats, and other "instant" variations are often used for this purpose nowadays, since they are quicker to prepare.
• Gruel, made by mixing oatmeal with cold water which is then strained and heated for the benefit of infants and people recovering from illness.
• as an ingredient in baking
• in the manufacture of bannocks or oatcakes
• as a stuffing for poultry
• as a coating for Caboc cheese
• as the main ingredient of the Scottish dish, skirlie, or its chip-shop counterpart, the deep-fried thickly-battered mealy pudding
• mixed with sheep's blood, salt, and pepper to make Highland black pudding
• mixed with fat, water, onions and seasoning, and boiled in a sheep's intestine to make "marag geal"' Outer Hebridean white pudding, served sliced with fried eggs at breakfast
• as a major component of haggis.

[edit] Scandinavia

A traditional Scandinavian breakfast commonly includes warm porridge made of boiled rolled oats, boiled with water and a pinch of salt and sometimes raisins and / or almonds. It is typically served with either normal milk, or a thick, yoghurt-like milk such as Kefir, and topped with sugar, lingonberry jam, cloudberry jam, or apple sauce, although sometimes it is served with honey or butter.

In Denmark, many people eat raw rolled oats with cold milk and sometimes with a dash of sugar, raisins or fresh fruit as breakfast.

[edit] Vermont

In the U.S. state of Vermont oatmeal making has a long tradition originating with the Scottish settlement of the state. While there are variations, most begin with heavy steel cut oats. The oats are soaked overnight in cold water, salt, and maple syrup. Early the next morning, before beginning farm chores the cook will add ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and sometimes ground ginger. The pot is placed over heat and cooks for upwards of 90 minutes, being served after the chores with cream, milk, or butter. As most contemporary Vermonters no longer have farm chores, the recipe is simplified to a briefer 10 to 30 minute cooking at a higher heat. Vermont leads the U.S. in per capita consumption of cooked oatmeal cereal. Another style found in Vermont is served at some older ski lodges, starting with heavy steel cut oats and topping it with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream, to contrast the hot temperature of the oatmeal.^[9]

[edit] References

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Oatmeal

Look up oatmeal in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Oatmeal

• World Porridge Making Championships including recipes for porridge and other oatmeal dishes
• The Cook's Thesaurus (with pictures of variety of oatmeals)
• Oatmeal Bread Recipe