Exploding Oatmeal

Any tips to keep the oatmeal from exploding in the microwave?

Currently, I put in 1/3 cup oats, 2/3 cup water, and a handful of frozen strawberries in a microwave-safe bowl, loosly cover with a paper towel and cook on high for 3 minutes. It ends up "exploded" (a big pain to clean up). I like my oatmeal mushy.

try 50% power, then you just get oatmeal volcano (sans explosion).

This has happened to me plenty of times!  I use the instant oatmeal in the package and add 1/2 cup water and usually leave it in for no more than 2 minutes.  I usually stop it at 1 15 or so and stir and then put it in again.  If you want it thinner just use less water. Hope this helps! 

I find that the only way I can keep my oatmeal from overflowing is by using no more than 1/2 cup oats and just over 1/2 cup water. Any more than that and it's a sticky, nasty mess.

As far as exploding oatmeal goes, I've never had it happen. I do know that when soups and other liquidy food items pop and explode in the microwave it's due to uneven heating. The frozen strawberries might be having an effect on this. Could you let them sit on the counter and thaw while your oatmeal cooks and add them after microwaving?

Haha, thanks guys. I've tried 2 minutes on high (without strawberries, with fresh strawberries, and with frozen strawberries) and it doesn't cook to my preferable texture, not mushy enough.

I'll try going 3 minutes at 50% with fresh strawberries next time I try it.

I can get my oats the way I like it with this combo on the stove, but that takes too long on mornings when I'm in a rush. The microwave is SO much faster (given it doesn't explode! lol)

do you mean actual explosion? Or it just overflows?

I used to make oatmeal that would overflow out of the bowl and make a gross mess in the microwave. I had a simple solution... I started using a deeper bowl! Then it would creep up the sides of the bowl, just not go over.

not sure if this helps :)

I use the same measurements as you, have it on medium to high heat for 1min in a cereal bowl, not a soup bowl as its deeper. My microwave is a 750W.

Strawberries... mmm....

I do 1/4 to 1/3 cup of old fashioned rolled oats and 1 cup of liquid, either water or milk.  I put this in a very large bowl (2 quarts) and microwave it, uncovered 3 minutes on high.  It doesn't boil over because the bowl is so big. 

You could also try cooking it longer on half power, but it will still boil over if the bowl isn't big enough.

I've had this happen before too. SO annoying! For some reason it only does it to me every once and a while. I normally use an individual packet with 2/3 cup water (and I add 1 TBS flaxseed, sweetner, and some kind of flavoring-blueberries, SF syrup, cocoa powder, etc). I cook it for 2-2.5 mins. I would try using a deeper bowl or standing by the microwave and opening it up when you noticing it starting to puff over. Let it go down and then turn it on again. A little annoying, but better than having to clean up the mess!

I use a massive bowl, and once I watched it to see when it started "rising," which for me is at 4 mins 20seconds, so now I just leave it in for that long.

I use the 'quick oats'

half cup oats, half cup applesauce, smidge over half cup water and mic on high for 2 min.  it rises, but I've never had a mess. 

I would either use a bigger bowl and give the oats some room to breathe or you could go old school and whip out the old stovetop method.

I remember when i was going through the same thing, and it was irritating as hell! Its such a pain to clean and it kills my buzz when im jazzed up for oatmeal. What i did was just watch the hell out of the oats while theyre in the microwave and when you see them about to bubble out then turn the microwave off real quick and stir it to make sure the water and heat is kept even in the bowl. It worked well for me but just called for some more effort.

this happens when i use the smaller bowls in my house. if i use a bigger bowl i don't have a problem. i'd try that first.

For some reason stove-top oats taste better to me. But if you're going to nuke them, try covering the bowl with a plastic lid (leave a little room for the steam to escape) rather than a paper towel - might keep the oats in better?

Happens to me too!

I use half a cup of oats and who knows how much water.

I wait for it to almost hit the brim of the bowl and then I open the microwave (you gotta be fast) and then stir it until all the air comes back out. Them microwave again, expand, stir, microwave, expand, stir, microwave, expand, stir. Until it's the consistency or thickness that you want. I like mine to soak up tons of water but still get on the thicker side.

Just gotta watch it :) Or you will have the oatmeal monster leaping out of your bowl.

Original Post by merylwhite1:

For some reason stove-top oats taste better to me. But if you're going to nuke them, try covering the bowl with a plastic lid (leave a little room for the steam to escape) rather than a paper towel - might keep the oats in better?

I think this would cause an explosion of massive proportions. I don't suggest this method.

I know all about the exploding stuff in the microwave. 

An easy trick to clean the microwave is to place a glass of water in the microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Leave it in there for another 3 minutes.  DO NOT MOVE THE GLASS BEFORE THEN.  You can generate super heated steam that will be released in the water and can burn you badly.

Then wipe it out with a cloth.  All the burnt on bits will be nicely steamed and will just come off.

I've found if you stop and stir every minute or so it doesn't explode.

Original Post by x17star17x:

Original Post by merylwhite1:

For some reason stove-top oats taste better to me. But if you're going to nuke them, try covering the bowl with a plastic lid (leave a little room for the steam to escape) rather than a paper towel - might keep the oats in better?

I think this would cause an explosion of massive proportions. I don't suggest this method.

It worked for me. You just need to leave room for the steam to escape, like I said. If you sealed the lid on then yes, you would have an explosion on your hands. Or in your microwave

The perfect way to make instant oatmeal, if that is what you are talking about (like quaker rasins and spice for example, which is the only one I like) is this, Put 1/2 cup water in the bowl in the microware, I add 1/4 oz extra raisins, boil the water,remove it from the microwave, add the oatmeal from the packet, let it sit a few minutes stir and eat....excellent and still grainy as opposed to mushy ! Sometimes for breakfast or dinner I have 2 packs which means 1 cup of water,acutally I use a dry measure for the water so the amount could vary a little from a one cup liquid measuring cup, and one of the tiny boxes of raisins or 1/2 ounce and the 2 packs of oatmeal.

This has probably been said already, but try microwaving your oatmeal 1 minute at a time and then stirring it in between each minute until the oats are completely cooked. That way, you are more evenly distributing the heat... microwaves tend to heat foods very sporadically, but you probably know that. I hate it when I nuke something for like 2 minutes, and then half of it is mouth-burningly hot and the other half is deathly frigid... ridiculous :P