Bulgur Basics

• Bulgur wheat and cracked wheat are similar in appearance, but they're quite different. Cracked wheat is wheat berries that have been coarsely cut or milled, but are otherwise unprocessed. Bulgur wheat is made from grains that have been fully cooked and dried, before they're cut. This extends the grain's shelf life by deactivating enzymes that would otherwise oxidize its oily germ, causing it to become rancid. This is exactly how oats are processed before they're steel-cut or rolled into flakes. Grains that have been treated this way are referred to as groats.

Long-Cooked Bulgur

• Thanks to their similar processing, bulgur wheat and steel-cut oats have many similarities. Both are graded to varying degrees of fineness, with the coarser grinds taking longer to cook. The "Irish-style" or "Scottish-style" oats sold as hot cereal are usually coarse and take 20 to 25 minutes to cook. Coarse grades of bulgur cook more quickly, usually taking no more than 15 minutes to soften to a porridge consistency. Medium grades take seven to 10 minutes, depending on their exact size. Overall cooking times are very similar, so if you have time to cook oatmeal, you have time to cook bulgur.

Quick-Soaked Bulgur

• Treat fine grades of bulgur wheat much as you would instant oatmeal. If you pour boiling water over a bowl or pot full of fine bulgur and cover it for four to five minutes, it will absorb the water and soften to a pleasantly chewy texture. It's not as soft as hot cereal ordinarily is, but that's not a bad thing. The distinct texture of bulgur prepared this way makes an excellent complement to fresh or dried fruits, nuts, seeds and other foods commonly added to hot breakfast cereal.

Comparison

• Both oatmeal and bulgur are minimally processed whole grains, which provide a number of health benefits. Bulgur is even higher in fiber than oats, with 100 grams -- roughly 4 ounces -- of uncooked bulgur providing three-quarters of your recommended daily allowance. Most of the fiber in bulgur is the insoluble variety, which aids digestion. Oats contain higher quantities of the soluble variety, which slows the absorption of sugars into the blood. That soluble fiber also accounts for oatmeal's uncommonly thick and creamy texture, which is either its best or worst feature, depending on your personal taste. Both grains are outstanding sources of B vitamins and minerals, especially manganese.