What Is a Scottish Spurtle?

I’m no stranger to an unusual kitchen gadget. A Danish dough whisk is part of my regular bread-making routine, and I reach for my dumpling dowel (a small type of rolling pin) every time I make homemade pierogi. A spurtle, though, is a totally new-to-me kitchen tool.

As a kitchen gadget girlie, I had to try a Scottish spurtle out. After all, I knew that it might just change the way I make a go-to recipe!

What is a spurtle?

Lisa Kaminski for Taste Of Home

So what actually is this silly-sounding kitchen tool? A spurtle is a Scottish stirring stick used most frequently to mix oatmeal and porridge. Scottish spurtles are long, thin wooden tools, often with a flared handle. The slim, tapered shape works to keep oatmeal from going lumpy. They are also used to stir broths and to break up clumped ingredients (like hardened brown sugar).

As for the name, it’s thought to derive from spartel, meaning “stirrer” in an old Northern English dialect.

How do you use a spurtle?

Lisa Kaminski for Taste Of Home

To make the best use of a Scottish spurtle, I prepared the dish this tool was created for: porridge—or, as we know it in the States, oatmeal.

I used the spurtle the same way I use my favorite wooden spoon for this recipe. After adding the oats to the boiling water, I stirred the mixture here and there with the spurtle. I’ll admit: Using this magic wand-shaped tool made me feel like I was in potions class at Hogwarts. It was a lot of fun!

Once the oatmeal reached the right consistency, I grabbed a spoon to scoop it into a bowl and topped it with my favorite honey, toasted pecans and cinnamon. The result was a very good oatmeal without any lumps. The spurtle did its job.

Pros of using a spurtle

• Using a Scottish spurtle is pure fun.
• The spurtle kept any lumps from forming in the oatmeal.

Cons of using a spurtle

• The spurtle didn’t do anything that a spatula or wooden spoon couldn’t do.
• It’s one more thing to wash. In addition to the spurtle, I still needed a spoon to portion the oatmeal into bowls.

Where to Buy a Spurtle

If you’re an oatmeal aficionado or a homesick Scot, having a spurtle in your drawer might not be a bad idea—after all, it doesn’t take up much space. Your best bet for finding a spurtle of your own is to go online. I found my handmade spurtle on Etsy. Some specialty kitchen retailers also carry these online.

VIA MERCHANT

Editor's Pick

Spurtle

Use a Scottish spurtle for the smoothest bowl of homemade oatmeal ever.

$26.14 at Etsy