Choose Your Meat Calculator
Dedicated calculators with cooking charts, cut variations and per-weight pages:
🥩 Roast Beef
Rare · medium · well done, by weight
🐑 Leg of Lamb
Bone-in, boneless, slow-roast
🐖 Roast Pork
Loin, shoulder, crackling, gammon
🐔 Roast Chicken
Whole, crown, spatchcock
Meat Cooking Times at a Glance (per 500 g, fan oven)
| Meat | Time per 500 g | Oven | Internal temp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef (medium) | 25 min + 25 min base | 180°C fan | 60°C |
| Lamb (medium) | 25 min + 25 min base | 180°C fan | 60°C |
| Pork | 30 min + 30 min base | 180°C fan | 71°C |
| Chicken | 20 min + 20 min base | 180°C fan | 74°C |
| Gammon | 20 min + 20 min base | 180°C fan | 68°C |
Popular Cuts & Guides
Beef Brisket
Low & slow calculator
Gammon Cooking Times
Simmer or roast
Pork Loin
Crackling method
Boneless Leg of Lamb
Rolled leg times
Chicken Breast in the Oven
Times by temperature
Chicken Internal Temp
74°C safe guide
How to Prepare Pork
Crackling & prep
Roast Potatoes
Timing & crisp tips
Roast Beef Chart
All weights & doneness
🌡️ Stop guessing — check the real temperature
A fast digital meat thermometer is the only way to know your roast is safely and perfectly cooked. Pull it at the exact internal temperature, every time.
See top meat thermometers →🍳 Roasting kit that gets results
A heavy roasting tin, a leave-in probe and a sharp carving knife make a real difference to your Sunday roast.
Shop roasting equipment →Advertisement
How This Calculator Works — Formula & Method
Source: standard UK roasting guidance · applied deterministically · verify with a thermometer
| Constant | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Beef / lamb — min per 500 g | 20 rare · 25 medium · 30 well | UK roasting guides |
| Pork — min per 500 g | 30 min (range 30–35) | UK roasting guides |
| Chicken — min per 500 g | 20 min + 20 min base | UK roasting guides |
| Internal targets | Beef/lamb 52/60/70°C · Pork 71°C · Chicken 74°C | FSA / thermometer |
| Fan vs conventional | Fan = conventional − 20°C | Oven standard |
| Resting | 8–30 min by size | Best practice |
— cooking time formula —
total_min = min_per_500g × (weight_g / 500) + base_offset
range = [lo_per_500g … hi_per_500g] × (weight_g / 500) + base_offset
conventional_oven = fan_temp + 20°C (same time)
— algorithm —
lookup(meat, doneness) → point_estimate → guidance_range
→ internal_target_temp → verify_with_thermometer()
total_min = min_per_500g × (weight_g / 500) + base_offset
range = [lo_per_500g … hi_per_500g] × (weight_g / 500) + base_offset
conventional_oven = fan_temp + 20°C (same time)
— algorithm —
lookup(meat, doneness) → point_estimate → guidance_range
→ internal_target_temp → verify_with_thermometer()
Public roasting guidance applied deterministically — this is not a food-safety authority. Always cook to the stated internal temperature, measured with a meat thermometer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply the minutes per 500 g for your meat and doneness by the weight, then add the base offset. For example, medium roast beef is 25 minutes per 500 g plus 25 minutes, so a 2 kg joint takes about 2 hours 5 minutes at 180°C fan. Always confirm with a meat thermometer.
Beef and lamb: 52°C rare, 60°C medium, 70°C well done. Pork: 71°C. Chicken: 74°C. Gammon: 68°C. Measure the thickest part with a meat thermometer.
Yes. A fan (convection) oven runs about 20°C hotter than a conventional oven, so set it 20°C lower for the same cooking time. This calculator lets you choose fan or conventional.
Rest small cuts 8–10 minutes and large joints 15–30 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Resting lets the juices redistribute so the meat stays moist when carved.