Meat Cooking Calculator
Calculate cooking times and temperatures for beef, chicken, pork, lamb and turkey by cut and weight with rest time
Chicken - Whole(1.5 kg)
Oven Temperature
190°C
/ 374°F
/ Gas 5
Cooking Time
1 hr 28 mins
Rest Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 43 mins
Internal Temperature (Doneness)
75°C
/ 167°F
Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone
Tip: Place breast-side up. Juices should run clear when pierced between leg and body.
Resting lets juices redistribute through the meat. Cover loosely with foil and rest on a warm plate.
Chicken Quick Reference
| Cut | Oven | Internal | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole | 190°C | 75°C | 1 hr 28 mins |
| Breast (boneless) | 200°C | 75°C | 25 mins |
| Thighs (bone-in) | 200°C | 75°C | 35 mins |
| Drumsticks | 200°C | 75°C | 35 mins |
| Wings | 220°C | 75°C | 25 mins |
Times and Temperatures by Cut, Not Just by Meat
A beef brisket and a beef steak are both beef, but they cook nothing alike. This calculator splits each meat by cut: chicken (whole, breast, thighs, drumsticks, wings), beef (rare/medium/well roast, steak, mince), pork (roast, chops, belly, tenderloin, sausages), lamb (leg in three doneness levels, shoulder, chops, rack), and turkey (small whole, large whole, breast joint, crown). Each cut has its own oven temperature, internal temperature, base time, per-kilo time and rest time, drawn from professional roasting guides rather than averaged into a single rule.
A 1.5kg chicken roasts at 190°C for around 87 minutes (20 minute base plus 45 per kilo) and rests for 15. A 2kg lamb leg cooked medium goes in at 220°C for 20 minutes to sear, drops to 180°C for the remaining time, and rests 20 minutes. The tool calculates all of this from weight, then shows the oven temp in °C, °F and gas mark, the internal target temperature (the only reliable doneness check), and a quick reference table of every cut for that meat alongside.
The Temperatures That Are Actually Non-Negotiable
Chicken, turkey and duck must reach 75°C internal in the thickest part. Below that there is salmonella risk and the difference between 70°C and 75°C is what stops you spending the next day in the bathroom. Pork roasts to 65°C; the modern advice is no longer 'pork must be cooked grey', because the trichinella parasite that drove old guidelines is essentially eradicated in commercial UK pork. Beef and lamb are personal preference: rare 50-55°C, medium 60°C, well done 70°C+.
A meat thermometer is the single most useful kitchen gadget for anyone who cooks roasts; cheap probe thermometers are £8, leave-in oven thermometers with a dial readout £15 to £20. Without one, you are guessing, and the per-kilo formulas are estimates because oven calibration, joint shape and starting temperature all affect actual cook time. Take the meat out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before cooking so it starts at room temperature; an ice-cold joint hitting a hot oven cooks unevenly. For a serve-time-driven schedule that builds a backwards timeline, the [cooking time calculator](/cooking-time-calculator) handles the same data with start and finish times.
Internal Temperature Guide
| Meat | Doneness | Internal Temp | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken / Turkey | Cooked through | 75°C | Non-negotiable, food safety |
| Beef | Rare | 50-52°C | Cool red centre |
| Beef | Medium-rare | 55°C | Warm pink centre |
| Beef | Medium | 60°C | Pink centre, browned edges |
| Beef | Well done | 70°C+ | No pink |
| Pork (modern) | Slightly pink | 63-65°C | Safe and tender |
| Lamb | Pink | 55-60°C | Most popular |
| Duck breast | Medium | 60-65°C | Pink, render fat first |
Frequently Asked Questions
What oven temperature for roasting beef?
For a roasting joint, start at 220°C for the first 15 minutes to sear, then reduce to 170°C for the remainder. This gives a browned outside and an evenly cooked interior. Time depends on weight and target doneness: 20 minutes per kilo for rare, 25 for medium, 30 for well done, plus the 15 minute initial sear.
How do I cook a perfect medium-rare steak?
Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes early. Season generously. Get a heavy pan (cast iron ideally) very hot, add a thin film of high-smoke-point oil, sear 2 to 3 minutes per side for a 2cm thick steak. Internal temperature should hit 55°C. Rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes; the temperature climbs to 60°C as it rests. Slice against the grain.
Why does my chicken always come out dry?
Three usual causes: overcooked (above 80°C internal in the breast), no resting (juices spill out when you carve), or no fat covering (a dry chicken needs basting or brining). Take the bird out at 75°C, rest 15 to 20 minutes covered loosely with foil, and carve breast-side last so it does not sit exposed. Brining in salt water for an hour before roasting also helps significantly with retention.
Can I cook frozen meat without defrosting?
Sausages and burgers, yes, with extra time. Whole joints and birds, no; the outside cooks long before the inside thaws, leaving a raw centre and dried-out edges. Always defrost roasts in the fridge overnight (24 hours per 2kg) before cooking. The cooking times in this calculator assume meat that has been brought to room temperature, not straight from the fridge or freezer.