DFO - Daddy’s Famous Oatmeal

As Seen in Cooks Illustrated

This started when a chef wrote an article about his attempt to find a good way to prepare oatmeal. He concluded there was no way after trying several methods. He loved the idea of good oatmeal, but like most of us hated the gooey mush that is is associated with

Salt Lake City Tribune Article

After the article came out and my rebuttal on my preparation method, now 2 methods the chef was impressed and printed an acknowledgement that this was the best oatmeal he had ever prepared.

Original Method

This is an image of my original method of blanching and then steaming the old fashioned oats in a vegetable steamer pot. The recipe is below.

The Original Recipe that won an Award in 2003

When I was 20 or so, I was looking for a better way to cook Oatmeal.  I like oatmeal because I was an avid bike rider and at the time, road bikes over long distances and oatmeal is a good breakfast food for cycling.  Don’t ask me why I thought of this, but maybe due to the fact I steamed veggies with dinner.

 ‘Daddy’s Famous Oatmeal’ because my daughter loves it and famous because I was recognized for my preparation method in one of the premier cooking magazines “Cooks Illustrated’ March/April 2003 issue and the local Salt City Tribune, where I was living at the time wrote an article about my achievement.

So I decided to steam my oatmeal one morning and what do you know, It worked!  Though I have changed the process by adding a one (1) minute blanch, the main change to the regular way people make sticking, gooey oatmeal is steaming.

The basic concept is that you boil water in a steamer pot that allows water to raise above the bottom of your steamer to cover the oats so that you can blanch or soak the oats in boiled water for around a minute.  Then you drain off the water down below the steamer and steam the oats for 15-20 minutes and you will have the best fluffiest oatmeal you have ever eaten.

What’s better is that you can make extra and place it in the fridge in a covered bowl and nuke it in the morning with milk for a quick yummy breakfast. Want more? Add raisins, dried fruit or frozen berries and let them swell as the oatmeal steams for an even healthier breakfast and helps to keep it warm. My go to combos are raisins or frozen blueberries. Top it with some cinnamon, honey, brown sugar, your favorite sweetener, granola or your favorite maple syrup… YUMMY !!!!

You can also add fresh fruit into your finished oatmeal and refrigerate it for a few days and then just warm it up in the microwave with milk.  Nuke it for around 2:30 for a warm bowl of non-mushy Oatmeal goodness.

Two Methods to Prepare it

Since the original steamer recipe below I have discovered an Instant Pot version that is basically the same method, but cooked in less than 10 mins. Firs the Original recipe:

1. Steamer Pot setup like seen below, any iteration will work as long as you can accomplish the steps

2. 3qt (Small Instant Pot with Egg basket and Steamer insert - My present and preferred method

Typical Steamer Pot:

Typical Instant Pot Setup:

Step 1:

Fill you steamer pot with enough water to soak the oats. It must be below the top of the pot of course. For an Instant Pot put in the egg steamer and fill to just until it touches it and take it out before you turn it on.

Step 2:

Bring you water to boil. Use Saute on your Instant Pot, about 10 mins

Step 3:

Remove the pot form the stove to the sink (it can spill due to the water level). No need if using the Instant Pot.

Step 4:

Add your oats to the boiled sitting water in the steamer or instant pot

Step 5:

Blanch or soak your oats in the water for 1-2 minutes.  Any more and you will end up with the same old goo that oatmeal is famous for, so do not over soak the oats.  This step is just to rinse and swell up the oats and start the cooking process. The longer you blanch them, the more gooey it will get. start with 1 min and go from there, ESPECIALLY using an Instant Pot.

Step 6:

Drain all but one (1) inch of water from your steamer pot. In the Instant Pot do not drain it! Drop the egg steamer into the hot water and set the basket on top of the egg steamer which keeps it out of the water.. No need to move the oats off the center, the pressure cook will move the steam around.

Step 7:

Move the oats from the center of the steamer so there is a clear area for steam to rise, not needed for the Instant Pot.

Step 8:

Cover and place back over low heat and go take a shower.  When you come out, your steamed oatmeal is ready! For an Instant Pot choose Pressure Cook for 7 mins and go from there up or down based on what texture you like.

This is where you add your fruit and things you want to swell and get warm. Adding fruit helps to keep the oatmeal warm when you server it.

Step 9:

Serve and ENJOY !!!