Have you ever noticed how browned food just tastes better? Well, there’s actually some science behind it.
Browning occurs when foods are seared, baked, roasted, toasted, fried and grilled. When food is heated to a certain temperature (around 140-165°C), a complex chemical reaction occurs between amino acids and the reducing sugar in food. The result is a whole new set of compounds which give browned foods their distinct flavors, aromas and colors. This explains what makes the crust tastes different from the rest of the bread and what gives toasted oats such an irresistible, nutty flavor.
Now, we all know how wonderful those golden brown oats taste in granola and baked desserts, but did you know you can enhance virtually all of your oat recipes, simply by toasting your oats first?
Toasting oats is a critical step in recipes that use the pour-over cooking method, like our Oat Tabbouleh, to achieve the best taste and texture. In recipes where the oats are simmered, toasting them first will give the finished dish a rich nuttiness.
Toasting works best on heartier textured oats, like rolled, steel cut and whole groats, and the process is extremely easy – all you need is a skillet, a stove and about five minutes. Simply place the oats in the skillet and cook over a med-high heat, shaking and tossing frequently, until they start to turn golden brown and smell toasty. You can also oven-toast your oats, by spreading them on a baking sheet and placing in a 350°F oven for 10 mins, or until golden and fragrant.
Once toasted, they can be used in just about any recipe that calls for oats – even in recipes such as no-bake cookies and overnight oats (especially if you’re not fond of the taste of “raw” oats).
Ready to try toasted oats? The next time you make a bowl of oatmeal, we challenge you to toast your oats first, then add only the bare minimum of toppings and flavorings to see if you can taste the difference toasting makes.
How to Upgrade a Basic of Oatmeal. The solution is simple: Give the raw oats a quick toasting. This will add depth, complexity, and a rich caramel-like flavor to your oats without having to toss in any additional ingredients.
Now, we all know how wonderful those golden brown oats taste in granola and baked desserts, but did you know you can enhance virtually all of your oat recipes, simply by toasting your oats first?
Toasting works best on heartier textured oats, like rolled, steel cut and whole groats, and the process is extremely easy – all you need is a skillet, a stove and about five minutes. Simply place the oats in the skillet and cook over a med-high heat, shaking and tossing frequently, until they start to turn golden brown and smell toasty. You can also oven-toast your oats, by spreading them on a baking sheet and placing in a 350°F oven for 10 mins, or until golden and fragrant.
Browning occurs when foods are seared, baked, roasted, toasted, fried and grilled. When food is heated to a certain temperature (around 140-165°C), a complex chemical reaction occurs between amino acids and the reducing sugar in food. The result is a whole new set of compounds which give browned foods their distinct flavors, aromas and colors. This explains what makes the crust tastes different from the rest of the bread and what gives toasted oats such an irresistible, nutty flavor.
Toasting oats is a critical step in recipes that use the pour-over cooking method, like our Oat Tabbouleh, to achieve the best taste and texture. In recipes where the oats are simmered, toasting them first will give the finished dish a rich nuttiness.
Once toasted, they can be used in just about any recipe that calls for oats – even in recipes such as no-bake cookies and overnight oats (especially if you’re not fond of the taste of “raw” oats).
Oatmeal is just another word for a big bowl of comfort, and it couldnt be easier to make. Mix some water or milk with oats and youve got yourself a hearty meal for any time of the day. But such simplicity should not be underestimated, as oatmeal is used as a performance enhancer by athletes, per Outside Online, and is open to many creative interpretations around the world, via Taste Atlas. For instance, you may find pine nut porridge in South Korea or harissa in Armenia.
Oatmeal is commonly topped with an array of sweeteners and ingredients that provide textural contrasts. Some of these include honey, nuts, fruit, and coconut oil, but oatmeal is also welcoming to savory ingredients, like pesto or sun-dried tomatoes, per Eat This, Not That!.
According to Oats Everday, toasting the oats elevates their flavors and textures due to browning, aka the Maillard reaction. Science of Cooking explains that this happens when heat, amino acids, and sugars all react with each other, creating new “flavor compounds,” like caramel, roasted, meaty, and sweet notes, per T. Hasegawa.
Now when it comes to adding flavor and depth to oatmeal, such creativity usually stops at the toppings. But if we rewind the cooking process a bit, well find that theres an overlooked step when prepping the oats. Heres what that is.
Chef Nate Weir of Modern Market Eatery recommends using butter or coconut oil as your fat source, which he believes “adds a warm nutty flavor” to the finished product. And luckily, toasting oats is fairly simple. All you have to do is stir the oats in a skillet with some melted fat. After a few minutes, the oats should take on a golden-brown color and your kitchen should smell of warm, nutty notes. You can also toast the oats sans fat if you wish.
Toasted Oatmeal
FAQ
What are the benefits of toasting oats?
Do oats need to be roasted?
What does it mean to toast oats?
Are old fashioned oats toasted?
Can You toast oats?
Toast the oats, stirring occasionally until they turn golden brown and smell slightly nutty, about two minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let them cool. You can toast oats in a little butter, but make sure that you don’t use too much, or the oats will turn soggy. Use toasted oats in any recipe that calls for rolled (not steel cut) oats.
Is cooked oats more beneficial than raw oats or toasted oats?
It is recommended to eat soaked oats as this helps release some nutrients that the body can’t extract from raw oats and will also reduce the side effects of eating raw oats such as indigestion or constipation. However, raw oats are safe to eat and can be included in any meal.
Should you toast rolled oats before cooking?
What you might not know is just how well toasting oats before cooking works for basic stovetop and slow-cooked oats, too. Toasting your rolled oats gives them a sweeter, nuttier flavor, but it also keeps the oats from getting overcooked — keeping the grain intact and making them slightly toothsome.
Do toasted oats make oatmeal better?
That’s the great thing about toasted oatmeal: it’s all the texture of porridge, and all the flavor of granola. Read how toasted oats make oatmeal better. It takes five minutes, but it adds ten dimensions of flavor—whether your oat cereal is hot or cold.