Effect of Elevation (Altitude) on BBQ

[Durangutan]

A few months ago I had a little rant here after a brisket cook went poorly. I'd been following Franklin's technique to the letter and had two or three near perfect cooks. I'd been pulling the briskets when they got to an IT of 203 deg since I'm inexperienced and didn't trust the "feel" alone. I haven't had a brisket cook since that has come close to those early cooks and I've done a LOT of them! I may be obsessing a bit.:wacko:

I've been cooking in two locations -one at an elevation of 6,000' and lately around 8,500'. Since those early successful cooks, I've not been able to get to an IT over 199 deg at the lower elevation and 197-198 at the higher. I've suspected all along that elevation may be effecting my cooks as the boiling point for the elevations matches almost precisely the max IT I've been able to reach but didn't explain why the early cooks went so well and easily reached the desired IT; unless there was very coincidentally an extraordinarily high barometric pressure for each of those days.

I've done some research and I'm pretty well convinced that the lower boiling point is responsible for not allowing the collagens in the meat to get warm enough to fully gelatinize and the thing(s) just dry out with the added cooking time trying to get up to temp. I've been using the Texas crutch along with an extra water pan in the smoker and it has helped but still not near my early results. Had the same issue with shoulders but wrapping seems to have solved that problem entirely and, for whatever reason, ribs always seem to turn out fine without wrapping.

Let's hear it folks! Am I on solid ground here or am I missing something? Besides moving, anything I can do to improve my results?

 

[SirPorkaLot]

It makes more sense (to me) for it to be from humidity or wind variation than it does altitude.

 

[hurricanedavid]

Higher altitude has much less humidity and water at 7k feet boils at 198F so I agree that you have to adjust your cook temperature, adjust up your IT, and compensate for the lack of humidity.

IMHO, you are dead on with your altitude theory. You will have to experiment a bit to get the perfect combo using the boiling point as a standard measurement. Humidity difference may not be the critical variable.

Good luck,

 

[HunkyDory]

I live at 6000 ft elevation now and grew up at 2000 ft. You can't even boil eggs or use a crock pot, or bake biscuits the same at those elevations. We have to use a pressure cooker to make a decent pot of beans here. It makes sense to me that the outgassing of water vapor taking with it the energy of the cooking process at even higher elevations and a lower boiling point would profoundly effect the end product.

I have found that a hot and fast brisket with a wrap and a water pan turns out better than a low and slow in my own experience at the altitude I live.

 

[ShadowDriver]

I'm curious to see how this altitude business affects things.

I've just moved from single-digits above sea level to approx. 4300ft elevation.

 

[Ag76]

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...igh-altitude-cooking-and-food-safety/ct_index

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/High_Altitude_Cooking_and_Food_Safety.pdf

http://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/baking-cooking-high-altitudes

 

[North Is Up]

I live at 6080' altitude and I experience the same thing. Water boils here at about 203 degrees F and the I generally cook to just over 200. I stop there because I have found that it's just the right temperature for me. The highest IT for a brisket was 205 and I pulled it as soon as it got there. It was very good, as well.
I think that it's all based on meat volume, temperature, altitude and the current air pressure, so exact replication of the cooking environment is difficult from day to day. We all experience that.
For a while after moving from sea-level to the mountains 12 years ago we couldn't get chicken to brown or bread to rise. Forget BBQ-ing successfully. We figured it out over time and adjusted to it. My brisket time is generally around 20 to 24 hours at 250 grate level with a guru watching over tomorrow's dinner. YMMV.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

I learn so much hanging out here.

I hike and camp at 8,000' often. I don't normally smoke a brisket while out there though, so I've never noticed this phenomenon.

I have smoked many a turkey breast while camping on the 14" WSM , but they never get anywhere near boiling temps

 

[landarc]

Learn to cook by feel, and cook hotter. I've cooked several briskets and plate ribs at 7500', never had an issue getting them done in 6-8 hours. I do wrap in paper for those cooks.

Internal temps were all over 200F. I tend to cook at 300F for those cooks.

 

[Durangutan]

Learn to cook by feel, and cook hotter. I've cooked several briskets and plate ribs at 7500', never had an issue getting them done in 6-8 hours. I do wrap in paper for those cooks.

Internal temps were all over 200F. I tend to cook at 300F for those cooks.

I've tried hotter (ie the BluDawg method) a couple of times now with no joy. It still stalls at tough and in the mid to upper 190's. I have yet to try hot with the TX crutch, however.

 

[krex1010]

Collagen starts breaking down at 165ish......I would just let those briskets cook longer, by feel not temps, the collagen will break break down at 199 or 195 or 190.....but it will take longer than when you can push the temps a bit higher........I don't live at those elevations and have zero experience with cooking there but my feeling is you probably just need to account for longer cook times.

 

[pitbossJB]

I'm at 6800' and that might explain the long Brisket learning curve that I experienced trying to emulate you flat-landers cooking temps etc.