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Does anybody have experience cooking in high elevation

626 views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  cheflayne 
#1 ·
I have a job coming up in a few months cooking for a family on their ski trip. We will be in Breckinridge at around 9,000 feet. If anybody has any experience cooking in these conditions I would love to hear any advice.
Thanks!
 
#3 · (Edited)
Get a pressure cooker. This simplifies many things but especially beans/legumes. It's also handy for braises because your cooking times will get longer otherwise with the lower simmering temps. Consider pork shoulder or brisket where the finished temp is often 190-195, an artifact of breaking down collagen. Your boiling point is 194 at 9000 ft. So you will have some difficulty if you don't use a pressure cooker that will account for the lower pressure.

Baked goods can change a lot, but yeast based breads seem fairly consistent from what I've read. Your dough doubles faster so use a longer ferment and or less yeast. Humidity is often lower at that elevation so you'll have some liquid adjustments to make most likely.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html

Ask some chefs who work in the ski industry. They'll have some more experience. I've read a few articles in the past such as one chef who cooked at 10,000. Beans wouldn't cook at all without a pressure cooker.
 
#4 ·
I lived and cooked professionally at ski resorts for 10 years, yeah beans are out for regular methods, and don't do hollandaise, and cream (even manufacturing cream) has a tendency to break and don't try reheating it. For the most part it is not that different except baking.
 
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