High altitude cooking
Encyclopedia
High altitude cooking is the opposite of pressure cooking
in that the boiling point
of water will be lower at higher altitudes due to the decreased air pressure. This lower temperature results in a lowered boiling point of water and may require an increase in cooking times or temperature and alterations of recipe
ingredients. For home cooking, this effect becomes relevant at altitudes above approximately 2000 feet (600 meters). At that altitude, water boils at approximately 208ºF (98ºC) and adjustments sometimes need to be made to compensate for the reduced air pressure/water boiling point.
's The Voyage of the Beagle
(chapter XV, March 20, 1835):
Lightweight pressure cookers as small as 1.5 litre weighing 1.28 kg are available for mountain climbers. Sherpas often use pressure cookers in base camp.
With the addition of salt and other dissolved substances, the boiling temperature will increase
.
Pressure cooking
Pressure cooking is a method of cooking in a sealed vessel that does not permit air or liquids to escape below a preset pressure. Because the boiling point of water increases as the pressure increases, the pressure built up inside the cooker allows the liquid in the pot to rise to a higher...
in that the boiling point
Boiling point
The boiling point of an element or a substance is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the environmental pressure surrounding the liquid....
of water will be lower at higher altitudes due to the decreased air pressure. This lower temperature results in a lowered boiling point of water and may require an increase in cooking times or temperature and alterations of recipe
Recipe
A recipe is a set of instructions that describe how to prepare or make something, especially a culinary dish.-Components:Modern culinary recipes normally consist of several components*The name of the dish...
ingredients. For home cooking, this effect becomes relevant at altitudes above approximately 2000 feet (600 meters). At that altitude, water boils at approximately 208ºF (98ºC) and adjustments sometimes need to be made to compensate for the reduced air pressure/water boiling point.
Boiling
This method of cooking at high altitude can be compensated for by increasing cooking times.Baking
Breads and cakes will usually require additional adjustments such as increased dry ingredients and higher oven temperature at elevations above approximately 3500 feet (1000 meters).Methods used at high altitudes
From pressure cooking: A pressure cooker is often used to compensate for the low atmospheric pressure at a very high elevation. Under these circumstances water boils at temperatures significantly below 100 °C (212 °F) and, without the use of a pressure cooker, may leave boiled foods undercooked, as described in Charles DarwinCharles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
's The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle is a title commonly given to the book written by Charles Darwin and published in 1839 as his Journal and Remarks, bringing him considerable fame and respect...
(chapter XV, March 20, 1835):
Lightweight pressure cookers as small as 1.5 litre weighing 1.28 kg are available for mountain climbers. Sherpas often use pressure cookers in base camp.
Boiling point of pure water at elevated altitudes
Based on the standard sea-level atmospheric pressure of 101.3 kPa:| Altitude, m | Boiling point of water, °C |
|---|---|
| 0 (0ft) | 100 (212°F) |
| 300 (984.25ft) | 99.1 (210.3°F) |
| 600 (1968.5ft) | 98.1 (208.5°F) |
| 1000 (3280.8ft) | 96.8 (206.2°F) |
| 2000 (6561.68ft) | 93.3 (199.9°F) |
| 4000 (13123.36ft) | 87.3 (189.1°F) |
| 6000 (19685.04ft) | 81.3 (178.3°F) |
| 8000 (26246.72ft) | 75.5 (167.9°F) |
With the addition of salt and other dissolved substances, the boiling temperature will increase
Boiling-point elevation
Boiling-point elevation describes the phenomenon that the boiling point of a liquid will be higher when another compound is added, meaning that a solution has a higher boiling point than a pure solvent. This happens whenever a non-volatile solute, such as a salt, is added to a pure solvent, such...
.