How to Make Your Own Oatmeal (and Why You Should)
Alternative flour is not going anywhere and should not be. Traditionally, alternative ingredients are stupid…until they’re the best in the world . Oat products fit this trend: they are past their hated stage, and there are now many recipes that use oatmeal instead of wheat flour. You can buy it at the grocery store, but if you don’t use it in large quantities on a regular basis, there are some benefits to making it at home. Fortunately, this is very easy to do.
What is oatmeal?
Oat flour consists entirely of crushed oatmeal (oatmeal is a whole kernel removed from the husk). It has gained popularity as a gluten-free substitute for wheat flour due to its health benefits and various uses in cooking and baking. Depending on what recipe you use it in, oatmeal may be a better alternative to coarser-textured flours like almond flour because of how well it binds ingredients. If you’ve ever forgotten a bowl of oatmeal on the table, you know that after 10 minutes or so, it thickens and turns into a brick of porridge. This is because starches continue to gelatinize for some time even after they have been removed from the heat. (To learn more about the wild world of oatmeal, check out this article .)
Oatmeal is also neutral in taste, which you also know if you’ve ever tried a bowl of plain oatmeal with no added sugar. For baking, this is actually preferable – some flours, such as nut flour or coconut flour, can add a subtle but persistent flavor that you might not like.
What to bake with oatmeal?
Making your own oatmeal expands your closet and saves space. The packaged look is great as a substitute for flour because it’s finely ground, but you can change the texture if you want to use the flour in different recipes. To get a little texture, grind oatmeal until you get a medium-fine grit – this type is great for pancakes, waffles , and as a substitute for breadcrumbs . Process the grits a little less and the consistency will work for a knobby biscuit like a digestif . Use the oatmeal you already have instead of store-bought, and vary the types of oatmeal you make for specific uses. Thus, you save precious space in the closet instead of stuffing another shapeless bag of flour into it.
How to make oatmeal from scratch
You can use a blender or food processor, but I find the conical shape of the blender gives a smoother texture. The food processor works fine, but the smaller particles become very light and the larger ones seem to slide around the blades after a certain point. (Of course, my food processor isn’t exactly modern.) For best results, use oatmeal; both old fashioned or fast food work well. The amount will depend on how much you need for a particular recipe or the size of your appliance.
Add the grits to the bowl and stir continuously if you want a fine powder and pulse if you want a medium to coarse texture. This may take a few pulses or up to two minutes until you get the desired texture.
One cup of unleveled oatmeal will give you about one cup and a tablespoon of oatmeal. (Presumably this depends on how aerated the particles are after grinding.) When in doubt, go by weight: four ounces of oatmeal will always give you four ounces of oatmeal. Since the oats continue to absorb liquid while they sit, let the batter rest for 15 minutes before finally mixing it. And then pour it into a bowl. Store excess flour in an airtight container until your next oatmeal adventure.