How to stop oatmeal from sticking to the sides of the slow cooker

cleaningcrockpotoatsslow-cooking

When I cook oatmeal, I usually do steel-cut oats in the slow-cooker overnight.

They are tasty, etc., but invariably there is a layer of oats stuck/burned on to the side walls of the ceramic slow-cooker pot.

Given that each experiment is an overnight job, I am wondering if anybody else has had this problem, and if so, how you solved it?

Would it be worth greasing the sides with butter – or will that impart some taste as it cooks for so long?

Other ideas?

Best Answer

Are you cooking too long or too hot?

Oats shouldn't burn; stuck oats should just soak off.

Crock Pot Tips:

  • Often the slow cooker's ceramic pot gets quite rough and can have cracks in the glaze. Try an oven proof glass pot inside the ceramic pot (or instead of it if it fits OK).
  • A hardware-store drill-speed-controller, or heater thermostat/controllers, can be used on slow cookers to reduce their heat. Also, a plugin timer can be used to time the cooking cycle.

Different Methods:

  • You can bring the oats to the boil and pour into a preheated thermos flask (with a wide opening) and leave overnight. Traditional oats or other grains were brought to the boil on the evening fire, and then the pot was put into a hay box* for breakfast and lunch the next day
  • Personally I cannot tell much difference between slow cooker oats and a serving of oats that were blasted in the microwave for three minutes. Just compensate with a little extra milk, and let stand five minutes before serving

* Large wooden box lined with dry straw or hay, with a cavity big enough for the lidded cooking, pot. More hay and a heavy lid placed on top (to keep the animals out)

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