Cooking Time Calculator
How long to cook meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables. Adjusts for weight, oven temperature, and method (roast, slow cook, pressure cook, grill).
How to use
- 1
Pick the protein and method (oven, slow cooker, pressure, grill).
- 2
Enter the total weight in kilograms.
- 3
Optional: override oven temperature and resting time.
- 4
Always check internal temperature with a meat thermometer — the time math is an estimate; the thermometer reading is the truth.
Frequently asked questions
Oven temperatures vary by ±15°C from the dial setting in most domestic ovens. Cold meat straight from the fridge adds 30-60 minutes. Opening the oven door drops temperature 10-20°C for several minutes. Pre-heat fully, take meat out of fridge 30 min before cooking, and trust the thermometer.
USDA minimums: chicken/turkey 74°C (165°F), pork/lamb 63°C (145°F) + 3 min rest, beef 63°C (145°F) for medium-rare. Fish: 63°C. Ground meats: 71°C (160°F). For redder meats, use thermometer and trust your taste preference — pulled at 54°C beef is medium-rare after resting.
Slow cooker: 6-10 hours, develops deep flavour, tough cuts become tender (chuck, shoulder). Pressure cooker: 20-90 minutes, same tenderness via high-pressure steam, less time. Modern Instant Pots do both. For UAE working professionals: pressure cook for weeknights, slow cook for weekends.
Two reasons. (1) Carry-over cooking: internal temperature rises 3-5°C in the first 10 min after pulling from oven — accounts for the final doneness. (2) Juice retention: muscle fibres relax and reabsorb juices that would otherwise pour onto the cutting board. Cutting hot meat = drying it out.
Traditional GCC rice-and-meat dishes use whole young lamb (12-18kg) or chicken cooked in tannour ovens or buried pits for 4-6 hours. Modern home approximations use slow cooker (low 8h) or oven (160°C × 4h) for whole chicken. The calculator handles this — pick chicken + slow cooker or oven + low temperature.
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Source: USDA FSIS safe cooking temperatures + standard culinary times · Last verified 2026-06. USDA FSIS. This tool provides estimates only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Always verify your specific situation with the relevant UAE authority or a licensed advisor before taking action.