Porridge in the Microwave

dbrookf

I've got a bag of Organic Jumbo Porridge Oats that I tried to make a bowl of porridge with in the microwave this morning. It was like chewing on soggy, stodgy cardboard!

I just guessed at quantities of milk and water - can anyone help me turn this into a delicious breakfast cereal please?!

jm2926

What I do is:

Serves 2:
1 Mug of oats
1 Mug of water
1 Mug of milk
pinch of salt

Micro for 2 mins in a very large bowl, stir, another minute or 2 (it varies depending on the oats)

You can amend the water/milk, add sugar/salt to taste as long as there is twice as much liquid as oats.

Cyberman60

IMO the best porridge is cooked very very slowly in a pan over a very low gas as the oats need to soak up the liquid (half milk, half water). I also like to burn it slightly at the bottom and then it is ready.

I then turn off the gas and leave it in the pan a while to cool and this means that any bits stuck to the pan come away easily. This simply cannot be done in a microwave. If porridge is cooked quickly the texture and taste is awful.

Macadamia

I would agree with those 2:1 proportions.

To get the texture soft, if you are using organic jumbo oats or anything not rolled, start by soaking the oats in the liquid the night before.

I like my porridge all water, a pinch of salt, then served with double cream and pure maple syrup.

thorsoak

I get my porridge ready the night before - I measure out half a cup of oats (usually Co-op organics), 1 cup of semi-skimmed milk into a bowl - and put it in the fridge overnight. Next morning, I put it in the micro-wave for two and a half minutes, whilst boiling the kettle for my coffee. When the micro pings, I give the bowl a stir, make the coffee, and then take the bowl out of the microwave - breakfast ready in less than 5 minutes and no pan to wash up! Serve with a dollop of organic f/fat plain yogurt and a handful of blueberries (or raspberries or strawberries).

Useful when I leave for work at 6.30am!

Macadamia

Cyberman60 wrote: »

If porridge is cooked quickly the texture and taste is awful.

I don't agree Cyberman. Thursoak has it all worked out.

I used to stand and stir but now I am a convert to the microwave, pre-soak method.

Try it. But it won't give you the toasted oats flavour .....only a burnt pan can do that.

Cyberman60

Macadamia wrote: »

I don't agree Cyberman. Thursoak has it all worked out.

I used to stand and stir but now I am a convert to the microwave, pre-soak method.

Try it. But it won't give you the toasted oats flavour .....only a burnt pan can do that.

Well, it's just my personal preference, but the bottom line is that microwaving really is not the way to cook porridge unless perhaps it is soaked overnight/beforehand. The method I use to cook it always works great for me (after years of experimentation ) with no prior soaking and one measure of milk and water to half measure of oats (2 to 1), so I will certainly not be changing it.

Thursoak's method obviously works well for him as he has his time constraints, but as a retiree I can sit and enjoy the smell of lightly burning milk wafting through my lounge as I surf the internet....

[Deleted User]

Macadamia wrote: »

start by soaking the oats in the liquid the night before.

That's the whole point.

If you soak it overnight, it will be ready to eat almost as soon as it comes to the boil, and it will be softer and smoother. Microwaving is even worse because it has even less time to soften.

dbrookf

Macadamia wrote: »

I would agree with those 2:1 proportions.

To get the texture soft, if you are using organic jumbo oats or anything not rolled, start by soaking the oats in the liquid the night before.

I like my porridge all water, a pinch of salt, then served with double cream and pure maple syrup.

I think that may be the answer - soak it overnight! I'll try that for sure. Thx!

Farway

Another thumbs up for the soak overnight. I do mine in microwave, but pre soak

pollypenny

I used to soak overnight, but now it's straight in the microwave.

Just try different combinations of oats and liquid until you are happy, OP.

I generally have it thick, so that I can cool it with milk, before topping with honey and sliced banana.