One thing I have found since we moved off-grid is that we simply need to eat more filling, hearty, and dare I say starchy foods. When we first got here that was simply bread and butter, corn tortillas, or plain old oatmeal.
Now that my cooking situation is a bit more set up I have been getting back to soaking and fermenting grains. The problem is that our cabin can swing drastically from 70-some degrees during the day and 30-some degrees at night, which would be why my sourdough starter just wouldn’t cut it.
So I decided to give our oats a ferment and see what happened. The results have been great and dare I say low-maintenance, surviving even in our crazy climate and with my lack of daily feedings. The porridge is definitely sour in flavor, but we love it with plenty of butter, fruit, nuts, and raw milk.
Why Fermented Grains?
Over the years I have found that our bodies tend to digest and simply use grains better if they are soaked, but preferably fermented. This has been the case with a sourdough bread vs. a regular yeast bread and now with this porridge.
Fermentation breaks down the hard to digest components of grains and tends to maximize the nutrients of whatever food is being fermented. Win-win.
Here is How I Made the Starter:
- Crack whole oat groats into something like a steel-cut oat. It will look like a combination of flour and pieces of whole oats. You can grind it as fine as you’d like, just make sure the oat groats have been broken up and the starchy insides exposed.
- Combine a few cups of these (I just use two scoops from our grain bucket, the equivalent of about 2-3 cups) with enough water so that you can stir it easily but it is not too soupy. I use a half gallon jar for this.
- You can, optionally, add some whey at this point to kick-start the fermenting process. I did just a couple of tablespoons off of our kefir and it seems to have worked well.
- Cover with a cloth or a coffee filter and a rubber band or canning ring. Let sit in a warm place for a few days or until it starts to smell sour and have little bubbles.
Here is How I Feed It:
Every time we make and use up all but one cup of the porridge my five-year-old cracks two more scoops of oats and I stir them into the jar, being sure to incorporate a good amount of air.
I let this ferment for about two days before removing all but one cup and feeding the porridge once again. I’ve gone longer than those two days between eatings and feedings, but I find the sourness is tamed by using it up within a couple of days (assuming it has already soured).
Here is How I Use It:
Be sure to leave 1 cup of porridge in jar. Combine the desired amount of soured porridge with enough water to cover by 1-2". Cook slowly over low heat, stirring frequently, until thick and water is absorbed.
You can also bake with this, which is something I am excited to share with you soon as well.
Learn More About Soaking, Sprouting, and Fermenting Grains
As we have started down this path towards agrarianism we find ourselves having to keep our grocery budget as low as possible while nourishing our bodies in order to do the physical work involved in starting a homestead. Spending the last five years learning about properly preparing grains, beans, and other foods has been an invaluable tool in making this little equation work.
If you are interested in learning more about turning those hard-to-digest grains into something nourishing then you may want to check out the Healthy Whole Grains e-course. This self-paced online class includes 50 videos and over 100 printable recipes to get you going.
Use the coupon code SPROUT20 by February 7th and receive a $20 discount on the course. I am told this is the only coupon code that will be made available to the public, so don’t delay!
19 Responses to Fermented Grains: The Perpetual Soured Porridge Pot
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Very informative! I’d like to try it, but I’ve never fermented grains before. Is this safe for me during pregnancy, or would it be best to try after baby has arrived?
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Very useful – thank you. I usually soak my oatmeal overnight in water with yogurt added. This year we are planning to grow our own native oats, so I will give this a go. x
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Julie, your gut flora (the bacteria in your insides) work for you, getting nutrients out of your food and fighting invading bacteria (ie illness). Fermented foods are like troop reinforcements for your friendly flora (while processed sugars and grains are ammunition for the bad guys). Your baby will receive your gut flora during the birth process, so the better your is the better theirs will be. Give ferments a try! If soured grains don’t taste quite right to you, try googling “lactofermentation” for recipes of other things you can make at home to help this along. Congratulations on your imminent arrival!
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Very interesting post, thanks! What do you use to crack whole oat groats?
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Can you use already steel cut oats for this process or does it need to be “freshly” cut oat groats?
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I’m not sure what this would taste like without cooking – but wouldn’t it be a lot better for you raw because all the enzymes and probiotics wouldn’t destroyed by cooking? I’m not sure if it’s tasty enough to stomach raw – but I think I’ll give this a try and find out. I just wonder if you’ve ever tried it?
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Shannon Reply:
February 5th, 2012 at 11:38 am
Petra – I haven’t tried it yet and I am wondering if it wouldn’t be a little hard on the stomach with all of that unsoftened bran and germ. It would be worth a try, though, since the fermentation process might soften these guys enough to make it digestible. Cereal, perhaps?
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I’ve been doing something like like this with my milk kefir. I take off just a portion, and add fresh milk. It seems to kefir much faster and I’m getting a very mellow taste, it’s creamier with lots of bubbles. Using continuous ferment, I don’t think there is a need to do a second ferment, since there is older ferment in with the newer. John Moody’s continuous kombucha was my inspiration. Glad to know we can do with oats! Thanks for this!
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What do you use to “crack” the oat groats? I don’t have a grain grinder. Can I just put steel cut oats into a food processor?
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Shannon Reply:
February 5th, 2012 at 11:37 am
Holly B – We have a grain mill. You might be able to put whole oat groats into a high-powered blender or food processor, though I wouldn’t want to kill your machine if it doesn’t work
. Steel cut oats are already “cracked” or cut, so you might be able to use them straight up, though I can’t say for sure as I haven’t tried it.
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Could I use rolled oats as well?
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Hello Shannon
Should one store the fermented porridge pot in the frig BETWEEN uses, as I do when making my weekly sourdough batch? I feed it the day prior and then make the bread. Between the weekly bread baking, my starter stays in the frig.
(I understand that the porridge pot remains at room temp when fermenting for the 2 days and then using that batch.)
Thanks, Renee
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Rolled or steel cut oats would work out ok, I think … Steel cut oats are pretty much the same thing as cracked. I would think the rolled oats would just have a much softer texture in the end.
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Out of curiosity, have you ever used any other grains? My ancestors hail from Asia, and our traditional porridge (congee or jok) is made from rice. Could brain rice be fermented and then boiled (quite a bit more than oatmeal, of course)? Any idea if that would work or be safe to eat?
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Hi Shannon
Does one need to add whey each feeding?
And between feedings can there be a rest period in the frig, if one is not going to feed/use it for 4-5 days (like sourdough starter)?
thanks, Renee
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So what is the difference between soaking and fermenting? I am a little confused.
Also, I would love to see pictures of your new house! How many rooms does it have?
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Shannon Reply:
February 5th, 2012 at 11:33 am
Demi – Soaking tries to mimic the fermentation process, which usually takes just a bit more time. Once it is set up though, it is just as easy as soaking.
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Do you think other grains could work. My family is from Asia, and our porridge is typically made from white (or rarely brown) rice. Could rice be fermented prior to making the porridge? Would it be safe?
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Shannon Reply:
February 5th, 2012 at 11:30 am
RyanA – I would imagine so. I think the key is to have a whole grain, freshly cracked so that the fermentation process goes smoothly. Let me know if rice works!
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