Name: Raisin and Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 cup steel-cut oats; 4 cups water; Salt; 1/2 cup raisins; 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Why This Recipe Works

Too often, speed trumps quality when it comes to cooking steel-cut oatmeal. But for homemade steel-cut oatmeal that is creamy and pleasantly chewy and that we could incorporate into our morning routine, we needed to find a way to speed up the process. To do that, we toast the raw oats in butter to build flavor and jump-start the cooking process before adding room-temperature water and simmering the mixture to toothsome perfection, about 20 minutes. For fresh stir-ins and minimal fuss, we like the classic combination of cinnamon, brown sugar, and raisins.

Before You Begin

Do not substitute old-fashioned rolled oats in this recipe; the resulting oatmeal will be gummy. The oatmeal will continue to thicken as it cools, so it is best served hot.

Instructions

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add oats and toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes.

Add water and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching, until mixture is creamy and oats are tender but chewy, about 20 minutes.

Off heat, stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in raisins, sugar, and cinnamon. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.