A groat is any grain that has been husked. Steel-cut oat groats have been chopped with a blade and then slightly baked. They cook into an oatmeal with more texture than regular oatmeal, which can be sort of gooey. Oat groats are sold in fancy packaging, sometimes as "Irish oatmeal," at a very fancy price, but you can get the same thing much cheaper by buying in bulk at certain stores. Central Market and Whole Foods sell bulk steel-cut oat groats, but, last time we checked, Newflower had the best price and offered both organic and regular. The best way to cook them is in a small crock pot overnight for about three hours. The oatmeal comes up with more flavor and a more pleasing texture than any of that quick-fix stuff.