Know how much pressure is in your cooker to determine cooking times.
Cooking temperatures and times change as altitude changes. There is a way around this: the pressure cooker. This invaluable cooking instrument, when used at sea level, reduces the cooking time of almost any food. Being able to use this instrument at altitude, correctly, requires understanding the principles of its function. High altitude, where cooking begins to be affected, is typically considered 3,000 feet above sea level or more.
Pressure and Temperature
Air pressure affects cooking temperature in one significant way. Water boils at a lower temperature the higher the altitude. At sea level water boils at 212 Fahrenheit, and for every 500 feet above that the temperature is reduced by a little less than 1 degree. At high altitudes water boiling faster means a longer cooking time and water evaporating faster. To reach minimum safe temperatures, usually above 140 Fahrenheit, the food needs to cook for a longer period.
Safe Cooking with Meat and Poultry
While a pressure cooker, at whatever altitude, reduces cooking for almost any food, at altitude it is necessary to cook meat and poultry safely, while maintaining the quality. To kill any potential food-borne illness causing bacteria, the internal temperature of meat and poultry must reach certain temperatures. If done without a pressure cooker, the meat would lose most of its moisture. With a pressure cooker the moisture is retained.
How It Works
The pressure cooker idea is simple. Fit a perfectly sealed and locked lid on top of a pot with some water in the bottom, then heat it. As the temperature inside the cooker rises and the steam is not allowed to escape, the internal pressure rises. This simulates cooking at, or below, sea level. The higher the pressure, the higher the temperature needed to make water boil, allowing foods to cook faster and thoroughly at altitude. There is typically a release valve built in to release steam if the pressure exceeds a certain point, usually 15 pounds per inch.
The Pressure Gauge and Pressure Adjustment
Most pressure cookers come at a standard pressure rating of 15 psi, but at altitude a pressure cooker is employed more often, so a pressure gauge is a valuable addition. This gauge will tell you what pressure you are cooking at. Also, look for an adjustable pressure-release valve, which allows you to adjust the maximum pressure inside the cooker before the valve releases pressure. This feature, combined with a pressure gauge, allows you to adjust the pressure inside, thereby altering the time and temperature you will be cooking at. This is useful when using for a variety of foods.
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