How to Adjust for High Altitude Cooking

Do you know the altitude of where you live? If not, this may explain why some of your recipes aren't turning out as well as they could.

For those who make their homes in mountain communities, the higher altitude makes a surprising difference in food quality and preparation time. This higher altitude means a lower atmospheric air pressure, or lower air density. In communities with an elevation of 3000 feet or more, this lower air pressure has an effect on food preparation and home canning in two different ways:

First, liquids tend to evaporate faster and come to a boil at a lower temperatures. This lower boiling point means that liquids needs to be boiled longer to reach proper temperatures.

Secondly, the lower atmospheric air pressure causes the leavening agents in breads and cakes to rise faster, which can cause those baked goodies to dry out.

How does one adjust for an altitude difference? Most commercial mixes have instructions printed on the side of the box for altitude adjustments. This may include changing the cooking temperature, and adding or deleting something from the recipe to make it turn out properly. For scratch cooks, the following guidelines from the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Resource Center may be useful:

Boiling

At sea level, water boils at 212 degrees. However, for every 1000 feet of elevation change, the boiling point of water is approximately 2 degrees lower. Lower boiling point means that the food isn't as hot and will take a longer cooking time.

For home canners, fruits and tomatoes must be processed in a water bath canner for a longer period time. The rule of thumb is that for every 1000 feet of elevation change, the processing time must be increased by 1 minute. At an elevation of 5000 feet, the processing time must be increased by 5 minutes for proper canning.

Foods prepared in a pressure cooker canner must also be adjusted for the altitude. For every 1000 feet in elevation, the steam pressure must be increased by 1/2 pound. At an elevation of 5000 feet, a canned product requiring 10 pounds of pressure at sea level will require 12.5 pounds of pressure.

Candy making