Steak Cooking Time Calculator

Getting a steak right comes down to timing, and timing depends on thickness, the doneness you're after, and how you're cooking it. Feed those into this tool and it estimates the cook so you land on a tender, juicy result instead of a dried-out or raw one.

Behind the estimate is a simple rule of thumb rather than a heat-transfer model: 3 minutes per side for every inch of thickness, plus 0 to 4 minutes per side as you move from rare to well done. Pan-searing multiplies that by 1.1 and the oven by 1.8, and the total cook time is twice the per-side figure. Target temperatures run from 125°F for rare through 135°F medium-rare, 145°F medium and 155°F medium-well to 165°F for well done, and the calculator tells you to pull the steak 5°F early because it keeps climbing while it rests.

A reliable meat thermometer is the real check here; the tool gives a close estimate, but your specific appliance will vary. The suggested rest is about 3 minutes per inch of thickness, never less than 3 minutes. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service sets the safe minimum for beef steaks at 145°F with a 3-minute rest, so the rare and medium-rare settings stop below that mark; ground beef, such as burgers, needs 160°F. Crowding the pan or grill drops the surface temperature, which drags out the cook and kills the sear, so work in batches when you need to.