⏲️ Meat Roasting Time Calculator
Choose a cut, doneness, and weight to get an estimated roasting time, a suggested oven temperature, and the pull temperature to aim for — so the roast is ready when you are.
⏲️ Beef rib / sirloin roast
Start checking with a thermometer well before the clock runs out — thickness and shape matter more than weight alone. Remove the roast at the pull temperature and let carryover finish the job during the rest.
A planning estimate only. Ovens, roast shapes, bone-in vs boneless, and fridge-cold vs room-temperature starts all shift the real time. General educational guidance, not a substitute for food-safety authorities (USDA/FSA); when in doubt, cook to the safe minimum internal temperature with a calibrated thermometer.
A schedule, finished by a thermometer
Minutes-per-pound tables are how generations of cooks planned the Sunday roast, and they still work for getting dinner on the table at the right time. Use the estimate to decide when to put the joint in — then let a thermometer decide when it comes out.
Big roasts carry a lot of stored heat, so pull them early and rest them long; lean cuts like tenderloin race through the doneness stages and forgive nothing. Match the oven temperature to the cut, and remember that a stuffed bird or a fridge-cold joint always takes longer than the table says.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many minutes per pound to roast beef?
A rib or sirloin roast at 325°F runs roughly 15 minutes per pound for rare, about 18 for medium-rare, 20 for medium, and 25 for well-done. A tenderloin roasted hotter at 425°F is faster — around 14 minutes per pound for medium-rare. These are starting points; verify with a thermometer.
How long to roast a whole chicken?
About 20 minutes per pound at 375°F, cooked until the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh reach the USDA safe minimum of 165°F. A 5-pound bird is roughly 100 minutes, plus a 15-minute rest.
Why does the timer give a pull temperature lower than the target?
Because roasts keep cooking after they leave the oven — carryover can add 5–10°F to a large joint. Pull the roast a few degrees below your target so it coasts up to the final temperature while it rests, instead of overshooting into dry, grey meat.
Should I trust the time or the temperature?
The temperature. Weight-based times are a schedule so you know roughly when dinner lands, but oven calibration, roast shape, bone, and how cold the meat started all move the real time. Start checking with an instant-read thermometer well before the estimated finish.
What oven temperature should I use?
The tool suggests one per cut: 325°F for large roasts and turkey for even cooking, 425°F for a quick tenderloin, 375°F for chicken, and a low 300°F for pork shoulder destined to be pulled. Some cooks sear at high heat first, then drop the temperature to finish.
Is this food-safety advice?
No. This is general educational guidance, not a substitute for food-safety authorities such as the USDA or FSA. Always finish to the safe minimum internal temperature for the meat and confirm it with a calibrated thermometer, especially for poultry and pork.