Cooking at Elevation – tips and tricks
I read a cookbook like some people read a Tom Clancey or Stephen King novel. But none of my reading prepared me for cooking at elevation. Under-cooked chicken, over-cooked peas, gravy best suited for pothole repair, and biscuits that should have been registered with the local police authorities as weapons are a few of the disasters my husband, Fred, has suffered bravely through. But gradually, I have been able to regain my sea-level status as a “good” cook. Here are some of my tricks and tips for cooking at elevation.
Basic fact – water doesn’t boil at 212: One of the most important facts I learned was “high elevation” is anyplace above 2,000 feet. Even at 2,000 feet water boils at a lower temperature (208 degree instead of the 212 degree we all learned in school). A rough estimate is to subtract about two degrees reduction in the boiling temperature for every 1000 foot increase in elevation. So how do you prepare something that requires boiling to be properly cooked, such as soft-boiled eggs, pasta, or rice? Just as at sea-level but now the water must to brought to a furious boil. None of this gentle, lady-like, simmering stuff but “damn-the-torpedoes-full-speed-ahead” FURIOUS boil. And give yourself a little more time.
Tip: At 5,000-feet a three-minute egg will take 4-minutes, pasta will require an additional 3 to 5-minutes, and boiled white rice up to 25-minutes (brown will take 50). At 10,000 give that egg about 5-minutes, pasta closer to 10 additional minutes will be needed and just pre-cook your rice at a lower altitude and reheat or use instant rice. Don’t even think about cooking something beans unless they are canned.
Best to go low and slow: Turning the flame up under the pot does not cook the food faster. Patience and a lower flame will get the job done well. Once the liquid, water, or juices reach boiling point, the liquid’s temperature will go no higher. So pour yourself a glass of wine or pour a cup of tea and enjoy what’s going on around you.
Tip: Two useful tips: use a meat thermometer; and add moisture. Another tip to “speed up” the cooking process is to use thinner cuts of meat or deboned chicken.
Moisture is important: And last, because of a rapid rate of evaporation, it is easy to overcook food the higher you go. Anyone who has spent time at high altitude knows how quickly the air robs their skin of moisture. The same thing happens to food. Leave a sandwich out and the bread will soon resemble roofing shingles. A bit more water, a watchful eye, and a tight fitting lid can reduce several potential problems.
Tip: Canned vegetables are an alternative. To make canned vegetables taste less “canned” rinse several times with fresh cold water.
