Roast Timer

Welcome to our roast calculator. Select your meat from the drop-down menu and type in your weight, for example turkey, 5.5 kg, then hit Calculate to find out suggested timings and temperatures. Read our additional tips below and check your meat throughout cooking for the best results.

How long to cook a turkey

For a standard turkey that's around 6kg/13lb, the cooking time will be around 4 hours. It's best to calculate your cooking time at 40 minutes per kg or 20 minutes per lb to get the most accurate time.

Is it ready?

The best way to check if your meat is cooked is by using a digital cooking thermometer.

Oven temperature for beef, lamb and venison:

Rare: 52C

Medium: 60C

Well done: 75C-80C

Oven temperature for pork:

75C-80C

Oven temperature for poultry (chicken, turkey, goose and duck):

75C-80C

Test for doneness

It’s particularly important that poultry is cooked through. If using a digital thermometer always double check the reading by sticking the probe in several different spots within the thigh or breast, to find the lowest reading. If returning to the oven allow 10-15 mins then test again until the correct temperature is reached.

Without a thermometer, the classic way to test is to push a spoon under the leg of the bird so that it pierces the skin (or use a skewer), and inspect the juices that collect in the spoon. The juices should be pale gold and clear; if there are traces of blood return to the oven allow 10-15 mins then test again.

Finishing touches

To make sure you get the perfect juicy roast, leave the joint to rest on a platter so the juices get a chance to settle and run back into the meat. Cover with foil to stop all the heat escaping. Leave for 10 mins for a small joint, 20-30 mins for larger ones.
Tip tip: If you’re cooking a turkey it’s important to note that not all turkeys are the same. Our timings for a regular turkey are based on a standard supermarket bird. Cooking times are different for special breed turkeys.

Resting

It is essential to rest your meat before carving. Allow 20-30 mins for a small joint or 30-45 mins for a large joint or turkey. Put the meat in a warm place, tented with foil. During this time the roast will finish cooking, become juicier and easier to carve – and don’t worry, it won’t get cold.

Top tip: Watch our Senior food editor Barney Desmazery carve a roast bird