Oatmeal

[Boo2]

Are oatmeal and oats the same thing? I have a recipe that calls for oatmeal, and have some rolled oats at home and was wondering if i can use those?

[nickmo]

Oatmeal is stone ground oats.

'Oats' are just oats.

Oats are essentially a seed that has had the husk removed by milling. The husk is most often ground for cattle feed and not just buinned.

Oatflakes are oats that are roasted and milled flat to produce the flake for the oat.

Oatmeal mash is oatmeal that is prepared for brewing by making a mash to remove the gums and unwanted parts form the oat to make a finer flavoured beer and help with the body of the beer as well.

Oat bran is oats with the husk making a higher fibre oat

Pinhead oatmeal is a variety of small oats that produces a very fine grain and makes a smoother porridge etc.

Until the potato took off in Ireland, it was the staple food of the many and would be used in black puddings, oatcakes, breads etc. and as it has very high zinc and magnesium levels, it could be classed as one of these new fangled super foods - but it is one of the oldest food products ever cultivated, so thsts out of the window.

Hope the above helps......

[nickmo]

Sorry - missed saying rolled oats are flaked oats by the way - rolled as in put in a rolling machine.

[rosyrussell]

judging by the above description, oatmeal could probably be compared to something like Readybrek? That is just pulverised oats.