[Sticks]

Anyone know how to make gruel?

I had a go with coarse oatmeal (See result) based on one google recipie

It seems to be porridge, which is quite healthy and can be tasty, as I am a keen eater of porridge

[Claymores]

I thought it was porridge TBH Sticks but without salt which was expensive in them days. Maybe I'm wrong.

SLOPS!

[Sticks]

I have asked on the facebook page for the recipie that Davie is following

According to one historical source it was a highly nutritious meal, even if not pleasant and it's reputation was unfairly maligned by Charles Dickens

[Claymores]

Can I have some more sir?

[wilful_woodpecker]

porage is lovely and extremel good for you!

That's what it looked like too.

Of course, it's best (to me) made half milk and half water; a pinch of salt and sugar

I bet Dave is putting in more salt than necessary (and probably the recipe states that, to add to the "nastiness" of the gruel)

ok, a few assumptions there, and normally I hate posts with lots of assumptions!
But it's a shame if porage is made to be nasty too

[fingers]

Gruel is just porridge but made runny by the addition of extra water.
Porridge as made in scotland is always made with salt. (to taste, of course0
It's creamier if made with milk or milk and water but if you use oats and milk you have to stir it continuously for about 6 minutes or until cooked or it will go lumpy (not nice!)
Pour cold Gold top milk on to the hot porridge - delicious!

[billy123]

Originally Posted by Sticks

Anyone know how to make gruel?

I had a go with coarse oatmeal (See result) based on one google recipie

It seems to be porridge, which is quite healthy and can be tasty, as I am a keen eater of porridge

Interesting thread i ended up having a scout round google and the best i came up with as an explanation was:

http://mrbreakfast.com/ask.asp?askid=10

And the legend of it seems to have stemmed from orphans that were employed in corn factorys where the cheapest thing in abundance was corn and water so thats what they were fed.
Heres an exert from the website.

Did orphans really eat it? You bet they did.

...they contracted with the water-works to lay on an unlimited supply of water, and with a corn factory to supply periodically small amounts of oatmeal, and issued three meals of thin gruel a day, with an onion twice a week, and half a roll on Sundays"

Charles Dickins
Oliver Twist

Gruel was served to orphans as an economic necessity. You certainly couldn't feed hundreds of children steak and eggs on city funds. Unfortunatly, Dickens and his ilk often used gruel as a metephor for cruelty. The thin porridge has had a bad reputation ever since.

Gruel can actually be quite tasty. As far back as Medieval times, they were making sweet variations. A dish called Gruya (or Gruyau) was basically gruel -- barley boiled in almond milk.

It seems it wasnt so bad but imagine eating it every single day...day after day flour.salt and water as your main meal occasionally with oats but twice a week with onions and a bread roll once a week