| Cooking in a high altitude climate can be quite an | | | | high altitude than when you cook them at a low |
| experience for anyone who has never done so | | | | altitude. |
| before. You may notice that the food you were trying | | | | Cooking in a crock-pot can also be quite different. You |
| to cook didn't really taste as you had expected it | | | | will have to cook the foods in your crock-pot a lot |
| would. Perhaps it also seemed to take a lot longer for | | | | longer than normal in high altitudes. One tip that may |
| it to get done too. What is going on here? Why is this | | | | help is to use aluminum foil. If you will tear off a piece |
| happening? Good questions. Let's take a closer look at | | | | of aluminum foil and place it over the pot and under |
| why cooking food in high altitude is so much different. | | | | the lid, it will reflect the heat back down into the food |
| First you need to understand how air pressure works | | | | you're cooking. This is great when cooking in high |
| in different altitudes. The air pressure in lower altitudes, | | | | altitudes. |
| like 500 feet above sea level, is much lower than it is | | | | Another important point you should be aware of |
| at 7500 feet above sea level. You most likely already | | | | concerns canned foods such as canned tomatoes, |
| know this if you've ever been in the mountains walking. | | | | vegetables and fruits. Due to the lower boiling |
| It is sometimes harder to catch your breath. This same | | | | temperatures in high altitude, these foods will not |
| variation in air pressure also affects your cooking. | | | | become completely processed. What does this mean? |
| We all know that water boils at 212 degrees, but did | | | | Lower acid foods such as poultry, meats and |
| you know that at 7500 feet above sea level, water | | | | vegetables can contain heat resistant bacteria |
| boils at 198 degrees? That is a huge point when it | | | | because it hasn't been processed long enough to kill it. |
| comes to cooking any foods. This difference will have | | | | Cooking at high altitude requires educating yourself on |
| a dramatic affect on your food's flavor and taste, as | | | | the differences in the air pressure and how it will |
| well as the overall cooking process. | | | | affect cooking your food. I strongly recommend |
| When you're cooking foods in boiling water at 212 | | | | reading some books on this to get the help you need. |
| degrees in high altitude you can literally cook them dry. | | | | One such book that is excellent in this area is, "The |
| The water and moisture in your foods will boil off | | | | New High Altitude Cookbook" by Beverly Anderson |
| much more quickly. So, you will need to make some | | | | and Donna Hamilton. It covers all the problems of |
| changes in the temperature of the oil, or water, that | | | | cooking in higher altitudes. You will enjoy it. |
| you cook your foods in. If you don't, your foods could | | | | Don't let high altitude cooking scare you away from |
| be done on the outside and raw on the inside. | | | | cooking your favorite recipes for your family. Simply |
| Your recipes for cooking candies, jellies and frostings | | | | learn the changes that need to be made and you'll |
| will also need to be adjusted. The sugar syrups you | | | | soon be cooking like a pro! |
| use in these recipes will stick together a lot faster in | | | | |