Grease an 8 ½ x 4 ¼ inch loaf pan with butter and set aside.

In a heatproof bowl, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 cup oatmeal (regular, not quick oats). Stir and set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, combine ½ cup warm water (about 110ºF) and 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast. Stir and set aside until the yeast is foamy, about 5–10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Fit the mixer with the dough hook. Add the cooled oatmeal, the yeast mixture, and 2 tablespoons butter (cut into about 12 pieces) to the flour mixture.

Knead on low speed for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Lightly grease a large bowl with butter. Place the dough in the greased bowl, turn it a couple of times so all sides are coated with butter, then cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap.

Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate it with the palm of your hand.

Shape the dough into a rectangle slightly longer than the pan. Fold the long sides in so the dough becomes slightly shorter than the pan, then roll the dough tightly into a cylinder. Pinch or seal the seam; if the dough does not stick to itself, dab a little water on the seam to help it adhere.

Place the rolled loaf seam side down into the prepared pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. During the last part of this rise, preheat the oven to 375ºF.

When the loaf has risen, remove the plastic wrap, put the pan in the oven, and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF.

Bake for 30–40 minutes, until the loaf is brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom and/or the internal temperature reaches 210ºF.

Remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing.