Why do foods have different cooking directions at higher elevation?

Answer 1

* How Do High Altitudes Affect Cooking?
At altitudes above 3,000 feet, preparation of food may require changes in time, temperature or recipe. The reason is the lower atmosphere pressure due to a thinner blanket of air above. At sea level, the air presses on a square inch of surface with 14.7 pounds pressure; at 5,000 feet with 12.3 pounds pressure; and at 10,000 feet with only 10.2 pounds pressure — a decrease of about 1/2 pound per 1,000 feet. This decreased pressure affects food preparation in two ways:
Water and other liquids evaporate faster and boil at lower temperatures.
Leavening gases in breads and cakes expand more.

As atmospheric pressure decreases, water boils at lower temperatures. At sea level, water boils at 212 °F. With each 500-feet increase in elevation, the boiling point of water is lowered by just under 1 °F. At 7,500 feet, for example, water boils at about 198 °F. Because water boils at a lower temperature at higher elevations, foods that are prepared by boiling or simmering will cook at a lower temperature, and it will take longer to cook.

High altitude areas are also prone to low humidity, which can cause the moisture in foods to evaporate more quickly during cooking. Covering foods during cooking will help hold in moisture.

Why Must Cooking Time Be Increased?
As altitude increases and atmospheric pressure decreases, the boiling point of water decreases. To compensate for the lower boiling point of water, the cooking time must be increased. Turning up the heat will not help cook food faster. No matter how high the cooking temperature, water cannot exceed its own boiling point — unless if using a pressure cooker. Even if the heat is turned up, the water will simply boil away faster and whatever you are cooking will dry out quicker.

Answer 2

The higher you go the easier it is to boil water since water boils at a lower temperature the higher you go. I imagine it is the same reasoning that is used for cooking foods.

Answer 3

I think the pressure is different...thus probably influencing
the time it takes to cook?: [guessing here....]

"The boiling point of water in mountainous areas is lower because of a
decreased air pressure (compared to sea level) at higher altitudes. A
pressure cooker provides an artificial environment independent of the air
pressure outside the vessel." (when I googled "cooking and elevation"...i found this in one of the sites)




the link below seems to be very detailed on this subject....

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:yhkIh5La4rgJ:cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/E-215.pdf+cooking+%26+elevation&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us

:)

Answer 4

Fire burns at a lower temp (less BTU's) at altitude thus longer cooking times. Let me also add that the source of "natural gas" is limited and the use of propane comes into the equation