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Meat Roasting Time Calculator

Pull it below the target. Carryover does the rest.

Work out Meat Roasting Time. Pull it below the target. Carryover does the rest. Shows the working, not just the answer.

Written and maintained by Mohit PatelLast checked August 4, 2026How we build these
kg
°C
°C

In the oven

1 h 45 min

Pull at 56 °C, rest 20 min, serve at 60 °C

Oven time1 h 45 min
Pull temperature55.5 °C
Target after resting60 °C
Carryover during the rest4.5 °C
Resting time20 minutes
Minutes per kilogram45
DonenessMedium rare
Plan1 h 45 min in the oven, then 20 minutes resting

Internal temperature keeps climbing after the meat leaves the oven — by more in a large joint than a small one, because the outer layers hold more stored heat relative to the core. Pulling at the target always overshoots it. Weight-based timing is for planning; a probe thermometer is what actually decides when it is done. Joint shape, oven calibration and how often the door opens all move the real time by more than the formula's precision suggests. Resting is not optional. Muscle fibres relax and reabsorb juice as they cool, so a joint carved straight from the oven loses substantially more to the board than one rested twenty minutes.

How the Meat Roasting Time Calculator works

Oven time, pull temperature and resting time for beef, lamb, pork, chicken and turkey. The pull temperature is always below the target, because a joint keeps cooking after it leaves the oven.

Also known as: how long to roast beef per kg · what temperature to pull a roast · carryover cooking temperature · roast timing calculator

Not medical advice. This calculator gives a general estimate, not medical advice. It cannot account for your individual health, medical history, or medication. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before acting on any result.

Frequently asked questions

What is carryover cooking?

The internal temperature continuing to rise after the meat leaves the oven, as heat stored in the outer layers moves inward. It is larger in big joints and hot ovens — up to 8 to 10 °C.

At what temperature should I pull a roast?

Below your target by the carryover, typically 3 to 8 °C. Pulling at the target always overshoots, which is why a joint that reads perfect in the oven serves overdone.

How long should meat rest?

Ten minutes for a small joint, up to about forty-five for a large one. Muscle fibres relax and reabsorb juice as they cool, so carving straight from the oven loses far more to the board.

Does bone-in take longer?

Slightly less, in fact. Bone conducts heat inward faster than muscle, which offsets its insulating reputation. The bigger effect is that bone-in joints are usually thicker.

Should I take meat out of the fridge first?

It shortens oven time by around 10%, but the effect on evenness is smaller than usually claimed — a joint takes hours to warm through, and an hour on the counter barely changes the core.

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