cooking at high altitudes

[WS6]

Ok guys no laughing.....ok maybe a little.

How do you cook simple things at high altitudes like say my freschetta pizza? It didn't have adjustment directions like I was expecting. I know the directions have to be altered but how? Do I just cook it longer but at the same temp?

In general what are the types of things you have to adjust for? take the rice I'm cooking. I'm going to cook it now just like I did back home. I'm expecting to simply have to let it cook longer but do I need to use more water? I just need simple help like that.



thanks

[Jim Nilsen]

Cooking time may be less actually, water boils at a lower temp at higher altitudes because there is less pressure. The temp outside is cooler and the food starts out colder? It will take pratice and you do have time to watch it cook so you should be ok.

[Pro Stock]

Read the back of a cake mix box, that should give you a general idea of which way to go.

[EFI69Cam]

Water boils at a lower temp so it takes a bit longer to cook things like rice and pasta.

Don't drink too much alchohol either, It'll kick your a if your not used to the altitude.

[gmjj13]

Water boils at a lower temp so it takes a bit longer to cook things like rice and pasta.

Don't drink too much alchohol either, It'll kick your a if your not used to the altitude.

if water boils at a lower temp, then wouldn't it make sense that it should cook quicker?

i have to admit, this is the first time i've seen a thread like this.

since no one else has yet,....

[EFI69Cam]

if water boils at a lower temp, then wouldn't it make sense that it should cook quicker?

i have to admit, this is the first time i've seen a thread like this.

since no one else has yet,....

When water boils it takes heat out of the liquid water, so in essence it becomes requlated by temperature dependent on the atmospheric pressure. At 6000ft water boils at 185' and holds, at sea level its more like 200' lower temperature longer cook time.

Way back when I used to camp alot over timberline it would take 10 minutes to cook soft boiled egg.

[jocko124]

If water is boiling at a LOWER temp--like 185 F versus 212 F at sea level--then it makes sense that it would take longer to cook something at elevation versus sea level. The fact that it's boiling quicker just means it's boiling at a lower temp.

[edog1]

How high are you ?

[nedhed]

I live at 9000 feet in Colorado, and things that boil take longer to cook because the heat isn't there to penetrate the food. For example, dried beans don't ever really cook completely with out some intervention. I use a pressure cooker to make rice or beans since it increases the boiling temperature and also forces moisture deeper into the food.

Baking things is a different story. For things like frozen pizza, I decrease the baking temperature about 25 degrees and shorten the time about 5 minutes (for a pizza that would normally take 20 minutes). Then I stick it under the broiler until it is crisped as desired.

My wife does the other baking such as cake and brownies. I laugh at the cake mixes that say high altitude is 3500 feet. I may get this wrong, but I'm pretty sure she adds flour to the mixes to get the right balance. Baking at altitude requires some trial and error to get good results.

There are also a number of high altitude cook books available if you look around.

Dave

[John Wright]

How high are you ?

LOL...yeah Trey, just how stoned...er...high are you?....LOL

[nedhed]

I live at 9000 feet in Colorado, and things that boil take longer to cook because the heat isn't there to penetrate the food. For example, dried beans don't ever really cook completely with out some intervention. I use a pressure cooker to make rice or beans since it increases the boiling temperature and also forces moisture deeper into the food.

Baking things is a different story. For things like frozen pizza, I decrease the baking temperature about 25 degrees and shorten the time about 5 minutes (for a pizza that would normally take 20 minutes). Then I stick it under the broiler until it is crisped as desired.

My wife does the other baking such as cake and brownies. I laugh at the cake mixes that say high altitude is 3500 feet. I may get this wrong, but I'm pretty sure she adds flour to the mixes to get the right balance. Baking at altitude requires some trial and error to get good results.

There are also a number of high altitude cook books available if you look around.

Dave

Checked with the wife on baking things. Seems you need to add flour and water. The reasoning is that leavening agents (baking soda and powder) work too quickly because of the reduced air pressure and adding these other ingredients offsets the leavening power.

Dave

[WS6]

lol thanks guys.

Grand Junction is at 4500' so it's not terrible but it does matter. The food I made last night came out fine. The rice simply took longer to cook that's all. By the time I sit down to eat, it better come out right or else I'm upset which is why I wanted to ask before I screwed up my pizza when the time comes.

One day I'll get into baking but not right now. I had enough trouble at low altitudes baking anything

[CarlC]

Put a bunch of Prestone in the water before boiling it for pasta. It gives it that nice green color, a fruity flavor, and will cook the pasta in 1/3 the normal time. Hot Rod Pasta!

[ZZ430]

4500 feet isn't what I would call high altitude. I'd say don't worry about it until you get over 10,000.

A really cool thing when you first "get high", take a sealed bag of potato chips, or a 35mm film pack and watch it expand like a balloon, lol, then you should start to sweat the food preparation

[John Wright]

Put a bunch of Prestone in the water before boiling it for pasta. It gives it that nice green color, a fruity flavor, and will cook the pasta in 1/3 the normal time. Hot Rod Pasta!

LOL...uh Carl, what are you trying to do to Trey?....LOL

[WS6]

Put a bunch of Prestone in the water before boiling it for pasta. It gives it that nice green color, a fruity flavor, and will cook the pasta in 1/3 the normal time. Hot Rod Pasta!

lol, you've seen the A-team movie haven't you?

[John Wright]

lol, you've seen the A-team movie haven't you?

<Mr T voice on>
I pity the fool who tries that concoction
<Mr T voice off>