Roast meat cooking time calculator

Whole chickens, beef roasts, pork roasts, and hams each roast at their own rate. The tool above estimates the time from the meat type and weight, and it shows the oven temperature and the safe internal temperature for that meat. Cook to the internal temperature, not the clock: a thermometer is the only reliable test.

Weight

Estimated time

1 hr 40 min

Oven

350°F

Cook to internal

165°F

An estimate. The meat is done at the internal temperature shown, measured in the thickest part away from bone. Rest it 10 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Roasting times and safe temperatures

Estimated time per pound, oven temperature, and safe internal temperature:

  • Whole chicken: about 20 min per pound at 350F, done at 165F
  • Beef roast: about 20 min per pound at 325F, 145F for medium
  • Pork roast: about 25 min per pound at 350F, done at 145F
  • Bone-in ham, fully cooked and reheating: about 15 min per pound at 325F, warmed to 140F
  • Always rest roasted meat 10 to 20 minutes before slicing
  • The internal temperature is the test, not the timer

How the estimate works

The calculator multiplies the weight by a per-pound rate for the meat you choose, at the oven temperature shown. Bigger roasts take longer, but not in a perfectly straight line, so treat the result as a planning estimate.

Each meat also has a target internal temperature. That number, not the clock, tells you when the meat is safely and properly done. The calculator shows it so you can set a thermometer and check.

Cook to temperature, every time

The safe internal temperatures come from the USDA: poultry 165F, fresh beef and pork 145F followed by a 3-minute rest, and a fully cooked ham reheated to 140F. Put a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, and trust it over the timer.

Start checking about 30 minutes before the estimated time. A roast straight from the refrigerator runs slow; a convection oven runs fast; bone-in cuts cook differently from boneless. The estimate cannot see any of that, but the thermometer can.

Rest the meat after roasting, 10 to 20 minutes for a roast and up to 30 for a large bird. The temperature climbs a few more degrees and the juices settle, so resting is part of the cook, not a delay.

Weight in kilograms

The calculator takes pounds or kilograms. The per-pound rates work out to roughly 44 minutes per kilogram for chicken, 44 for beef, 55 for pork, and 33 for ham. Internal temperatures in Celsius are 74C for poultry and 63C for fresh beef and pork.

Common roasting mistakes

  • Trusting the timer over the thermometer. Ovens and roasts vary; the internal temperature is the only sure test.
  • Not resting the meat. Slicing immediately lets the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
  • Roasting cold meat without adjusting. A roast straight from the fridge takes longer than the estimate; check early and give it time.
  • Using the chicken rate for a beef roast, or the reverse. Each meat has its own rate and its own safe temperature.

FAQ

How long do I roast a chicken?
About 20 minutes per pound at 350F. A 5-pound chicken is roughly 1 hour 40 minutes. It is done when a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F.
How long to cook a beef roast?
About 20 minutes per pound at 325F for a medium roast. Pull it at 145F internal and rest it; the temperature rises a few degrees during the rest.
What temperature is pork done at?
145F internal, followed by a 3-minute rest, for fresh pork roasts and chops. This is the current USDA standard; older guidance said 160F.
How long to heat a fully cooked ham?
About 15 minutes per pound at 325F, warmed through to 140F. A fully cooked ham only needs reheating, not cooking.
Should I cover the meat while roasting?
Most roasts go uncovered for browning. Tent loosely with foil if the top browns before the inside is done. A ham is often covered to keep it from drying out.

Related tools and guides

¿Necesitas esta herramienta en español? Ver la calculadora de tiempo de cocción de carne.

Where these numbers come from

The per-pound roasting rates match standard roasting tables from the USDA and major meat producers. The safe internal temperatures, 165F for poultry and 145F for fresh beef and pork, are the USDA food-safety standards.

Sources

Our numbers and methodology cross-reference these authorities:

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