# Lengthen the cooking time **URL:** \ **Category:** Anova Precision® Cooker\ **Created:** [April 8, 2022, 5:38am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/lengthen-the-cooking-time/30532 "2022-04-08T05:38:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AliBold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7feea3/32.png) [@AliBold](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/AliBold)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 5:38am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/lengthen-the-cooking-time/30532/1 "2022-04-08T05:38:37Z")
Hi everyone, I’m new to sous vide and I have a question. If I want to lengthen the cooking time (for example of pork or chicken from 2h to 8h) can I simply reduce the temp or it wouldn’t work? Thank you in advance for your suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![MrGus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@MrGus](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/MrGus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 9:50am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/lengthen-the-cooking-time/30532/2 "2022-04-08T09:50:27Z")
Are you using the app? On mine (android) I can go in & edit the time, obviously fiddling around with temperature is another matter in terms of overall safety. For eggs we throw them in together on a 45 min cook (soft boiled) then up the temperature a bit at the end for a more solid white (for certain people who refer to it as “snot” ) …or I will up the temp latterly for ramen eggs. But as I said for purposes of pasteurisation you need to know it has achieved that. My advice is to write any temp & time changes down on notes within your phone for reference, sometimes “perfection” is lost. For meats such as chicken just start out with the “guides” (on the app) which you can hit “cook this” & be done, …hint have your ice blocks ready to go if needed for a cool down if not eaten straight away, …& please trust the “salad chicken” it is fantastic, pinkish hues but pasteurised & has become a family favourite that means the family trust the recipes for rarer / softer mouth feel meats week on week. ---
**Author:** ![Douglas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/douglas/32/7533_2.png) [@Douglas](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/Douglas)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 11:20am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/lengthen-the-cooking-time/30532/3 "2022-04-08T11:20:42Z")
Good morning @AliBold You may be misunderstanding the principal principle of sous vide cooking. The desired effects are due to the final temperature. Time at temperature is required for heat diffusion through the thickness of the meat. Time beyond achieving temperature is problematic for causing undesired changes in the meat. I too am new to sous vide. I got my best introduction to it by carefully reading, re-reading and studying The Mathematical Chef Dr. Douglas Baldwin’s _A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking_ > **[A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking](https://douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html)** > > A detailed discussion of sous vide cooking. Dr. Baldwin has also a video channel. > **[MathematicalChef](https://www.youtube.com/user/MathematicalChef)** > > Share your videos with friends, family, and the world Dr. Baldwin has also published a book distilled of much of the archly theoretical and mathematical content of ‘Practical Guide’, _Sous Vide for the Home Cook_ > **[SousVide for the Home Cook - Cookbook](https://sousvidesupreme.com/products/sousvide-for-the-home-cook-cookbook)** > > Sous Vide for the Home Cook Cookbook by Douglas Baldwin > **[Sous Vide for the Home Cook cookbook: Douglas Baldwin, Michael Eades, Mary Dan...](https://www.amazon.com/Sous-Vide-Home-Cook-cookbook/dp/0984493603)** > > Sous Vide for the Home Cook cookbook \[Douglas Baldwin, Michael Eades, Mary Dan Eades\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Sous Vide for the Home Cook cookbook ---
**Author:** ![john.jcb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/john.jcb/32/7269_2.png) [@john.jcb](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/john.jcb)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/lengthen-the-cooking-time/30532/4 "2022-04-08T17:15:12Z")
You do not want to lower the temperature below 135°F. But you could lower it to this value and hold. Longer cooks will change the texture of the meat. I have not tried extending the items you mention. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Bogie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/david_bogie/32/7632_2.png) [@David\_Bogie](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/David_Bogie)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/lengthen-the-cooking-time/30532/5 "2022-04-09T14:38:53Z")
Perhaps you could tell us why you want to extend the cooking time to 8 hours. Some proteins easily handle very long immersion, some actually require 8-24 hours, others not so much. Suggest you stick with established guidelines and tested recipes with specific time/temperature requirements before venturing out on your own.