Estimate oven roasting time for beef, pork, lamb or chicken by weight and doneness.
Usage Tip
Rest a roast 10–20 minutes before carving so juices redistribute.
How Roasting Time Works
Roasting time depends on three things: the weight of the cut, the oven temperature, and your target doneness. The calculator above multiplies weight by a per-pound (or per-kg) rate for your meat and doneness, adds a base allowance, and – in planning mode – works backwards from your serving time so you know exactly when to put it in the oven.
Roasting Time Chart (minutes per pound)
| Meat | Oven | Minutes per pound |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey (whole, unstuffed) | 325°F | 13–15 |
| Chicken (whole) | 375°F | 18–22 |
| Beef roast | 325°F | 15–25 (by doneness) |
| Prime rib | 325°F | 15–20 |
| Pork loin | 350°F | 20–25 |
| Ham (pre-cooked, reheat) | 325°F | 15–18 |
| Lamb (leg) | 325°F | 15–22 |
Stuffed birds and bone-in roasts run a little longer; convection ovens run shorter (see below).
Meat Doneness & Internal Temperature Guide
| Meat / doneness | Pull temp | Final (after carryover) |
|---|---|---|
| Beef – rare | 120°F | 125°F |
| Beef – medium rare | 130°F | 135°F |
| Beef – medium | 140°F | 145°F |
| Beef – well done | 150°F | 155°F+ |
| Lamb – medium rare | 130°F | 135°F |
| Pork | 140°F | 145°F |
| Chicken | 160°F | 165°F |
| Turkey | 157°F | 165°F |
| Ham (reheat) | 135°F | 140°F |
Roasting Temperature Guide
Most roasts do well at 325–350°F (160–175°C): hot enough to brown, gentle enough to cook evenly. Poultry often starts or finishes hotter (375–425°F) for crisp skin. A common prime-rib method sears at 450°F for 15–20 minutes, then drops to 325°F. Lower and slower gives more even, edge-to-edge doneness; higher and faster gives more crust and more of a gradient.
Convection Ovens
Convection circulates hot air, so it cooks faster and more evenly. As a rule of thumb, reduce the temperature by 25°F (about 15°C) or cut the time by roughly 25%. The calculator’s convection toggle applies the time reduction for you.
Turkey Roasting Guide
Roast a whole unstuffed turkey at 325°F, about 13–15 minutes per pound, to a thigh temperature of 165°F. Stuffed birds add roughly 30–45 minutes and the stuffing itself must reach 165°F. Tent the breast with foil if it browns too fast, and rest the bird 30–45 minutes before carving – a big turkey holds heat well and carves far better rested.
Chicken Roasting Guide
A whole chicken roasts at 375°F for about 18–22 minutes per pound to 165°F in the thigh. Higher heat (425°F) crisps the skin; start breast-up and do not skip the 10–15 minute rest.
Beef Roast Guide
Roast beef (and prime rib) is all about pull temperature, not the clock. At 325°F, figure roughly 15 min/lb for rare up to ~25 min/lb for well done, but start checking early with a thermometer and pull 5–10°F below your target to allow for carryover.
Pork Roast Guide
Modern pork is safe at 145°F with a short rest – juicy and slightly pink, not the dry 170°F of decades past. Roast loin at 350°F, about 20–25 min/lb, and rest 10–15 minutes.
Carryover Cooking
Meat keeps cooking after it leaves the oven – residual heat drives the internal temperature up another 5–10°F (large roasts more, thin cuts less) during the rest. That is why you pull early: take a medium-rare roast out at about 130°F so it climbs to 135°F while resting. Ignore carryover and you will routinely overshoot.
Resting Time Chart
| Cut | Rest |
|---|---|
| Chicken (whole) | 10–15 min |
| Pork loin | 10–15 min |
| Beef / lamb roast | 15–30 min |
| Prime rib | 20–30 min |
| Whole turkey | 30–45 min |
Resting lets the juices redistribute so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board. See the dedicated Resting Time Calculator for more.
Holiday Meal Planning Examples
The hard part of a holiday roast is not cooking it – it is timing it so it is ready when guests sit down. Work backwards from the serving time:
| Step | Example: 12 lb turkey, dinner 5:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Start roasting | ~12:40 PM |
| Finish roasting | ~4:00 PM (about 3 h 20 m) |
| Rest | 4:00–4:45 PM |
| Carve | 4:45 PM |
| Serve | 5:00 PM |
Enter your serving time in the planner above and it builds this schedule for your exact weight and meat. Add 30–45 minutes of slack – ovens and birds finish on their own timetable, and a rested roast holds heat happily.
Roasting Pan & Thermometer Tips
Use a heavy roasting pan with a rack so air circulates underneath; a too-small pan steams the meat, a too-large pan scorches the drippings. A leave-in probe thermometer is the single best upgrade – set the alarm to your pull temp and stop guessing. An instant-read thermometer works too; check the thickest part, not touching bone.
Common Roasting Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Roasting straight from the fridge | Let the meat sit out 30–60 min first for even cooking. |
| Trusting the clock, not a thermometer | Weight-based time is an estimate; temperature is truth. |
| Not accounting for carryover | Pull 5–10°F early. |
| Skipping the rest | Carving immediately spills the juices. |
| Opening the oven constantly | Each peek drops the temperature and adds time. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long to roast a turkey?
About 13–15 minutes per pound at 325°F, unstuffed, to 165°F in the thigh – roughly 3 hours for a 12 lb bird. Use the planner above to get start and serve times for your exact weight.
What temperature is roast beef done?
Pull at 120°F for rare, 130°F medium-rare, 140°F medium – it rises ~5°F while resting. Final targets are 125 / 135 / 145°F.
How long per pound for pork?
About 20–25 minutes per pound at 350°F to an internal 145°F, then rest.
Do I cook longer for bone-in?
Bone-in and stuffed roasts run a little longer; boneless rolled roasts cook a touch faster. The calculator adjusts for bone-in vs boneless.
When should I start the turkey?
Enter your dinner time in the planner and it tells you exactly – counting back through resting and roasting from when you want to serve.
Printable Roasting Chart
The charts above print cleanly – use your browser print command. Navigation and related-link buttons are hidden automatically.