A guide to cooking better Porridge

Oats, sweet or savoury, plus my go to base recipes

Coming from the UK, Oats were somewhat of a staple for breakfast. Usually topped with loads of brown sugar or a spoon of strawberry jam. I do remember it was generally freezing in the mornings back then. My sister and I would fight to get as close to the gas heater as possible. Mornings were not a highlight for me (certainly until I was old enough to drink coffee!) But those piping hot bowls of creamy porridge certainly helped.

A few years down the track and I still love oats for breakfast. We almost always have an oat dish on throughout the year at Three Blue Ducks. Generally a Bircher of some description during the warmer months and a porridge if not a congee during winter.

So lets talk Oats…

This week we cover:

My all rounder base recipe for: Creamy Porridge and Bircher Muesli

Burnt Banana, honey, almond porridge (recipe)

Oat varieties and how to use them + Flavours, topping, savoury and sweet

Turmeric porridge (recipe + The old school Bircher (recipe)

When I’m home with the kids, we’ll top them with grated apple, peanut butter, or leftover roasted fruit. On the road, they’re an easy, reliable option that can be sweet or savoury, creamy or fresh.

Burnt orange and rhubarb Bircher (Rocker, Bondi).

The base recipes are below. Heres a few flavour and topping ideas…

Fruity & Fresh: Grated apple, cinnamon, toasted almonds / Mango, lime zest, coconut yogurt / Stewed rhubarb, orange zest, pistachios

Creamy & Comforting: Roasted stone fruit, honey, whipped ricotta / Blueberries, lemon curd, chia seeds / Dried figs, walnuts, maple syrup

Earthy & Nutty: Tahini, dates, sesame seeds / Roasted apple, almond butter, granola clusters / Poached quince, vanilla cream, almonds

Savoury: Spiced pumpkin purée, pecans, nutmeg / Mushroom, miso, herbs and boiled egg

But oats aren’t quite one-size-fits-all. Here’s a quick guide to picking the right type:

Oat Varieties & How to Use Them

Whole oat groats. The least processed. Longest cooking time (30–40 mins), best soaked. Chewy, nutty, great in grainy bowls or big-batch porridge.

Steel cut oats. Chunky and textured. Cook time: 20–30 mins. Perfect for hearty porridge.

Rolled oats. Our go to at the Ducks. They cook in 5–10 mins and work in porridge or overnight bircher. Quick oats, Good for busy mornings, slightly softer texture.

Instant oats. Not my favourite. Handy in a pinch, but tend to go gloopy.

Porridge on the camp fire.

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How to cook porridge, slowly, slowly, catch a monkey.