Roast calculator
Roast cooking time calculator: beef, lamb, pork and gammon
Pick your joint, type the weight and choose how you like it. We give you the cooking time, oven temperature, resting time and when to put it in the oven. Skip the middle man on the joint too.
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- Times by weightRare, medium or well done
- Plan your carving timeWe work back to oven-in time
- Published guidanceSources listed under the table
- Free weekday delivery over £85Joints delivered on the day you choose
How long to cook your joint
Times are for a conventional oven at the temperature shown. The weight fills in from the joint we sell; change it to match yours.
Your cooking time
Choose a joint and weight to see the time.
Roasting times at a glance
| Joint | Oven | Timing | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sirloin joint | 180–190°C (160–170°C fan), Gas 4–5 | Rare: 20 min per 450g + 20 min (about 60°C) Medium: 25 min per 450g + 25 min (about 70°C) Well done: 30 min per 450g + 30 min (about 80°C) |
At least 20 min |
| Topside joint | 180–190°C (160–170°C fan), Gas 4–5 | Rare: 20 min per 450g + 20 min (about 60°C) Medium: 25 min per 450g + 25 min (about 70°C) Well done: 30 min per 450g + 30 min (about 80°C) |
At least 20 min |
| Rib-eye joint | 180–190°C (160–170°C fan), Gas 4–5 | Rare: 20 min per 450g + 20 min (about 60°C) Medium: 25 min per 450g + 25 min (about 70°C) Well done: 30 min per 450g + 30 min (about 80°C) |
At least 20 min |
| Leg of lamb | 180–190°C (160–170°C fan), Gas 4–5 | Medium: 25 min per 450g + 25 min (70–75°C) Well done: 30 min per 450g + 30 min (75–80°C) |
15–20 min |
| Pork loin joint | 180°C (160°C fan), Gas 4 | Medium: 30 min per 450g + 30 min (75–80°C) Well done: 35 min per 450g + 35 min (80–85°C) |
10 min |
| Pork shoulder joint | 180°C (160°C fan), Gas 4 | Medium: 30 min per 450g + 30 min (75–80°C) Well done: 35 min per 450g + 35 min (80–85°C) |
10 min |
| Belly pork joint | 180°C (160°C fan), Gas 4 | Medium: 30 min per 450g + 30 min (75–80°C) Well done: 35 min per 450g + 35 min (80–85°C) |
10 min |
| Gammon joint | 180°C (160°C fan), Gas 4 | Cooked through: 20 min per 450g + 20 min (steaming hot, 70°C for 2 min) Simmer for half the total time, then wrap in foil and roast for the rest, opening the foil to glaze for the last 20–30 minutes. |
Rest briefly before carving |
Sources. Beef and lamb timings and centre temperatures: Simply Beef & Lamb (AHDB), how to roast beef and how to roast lamb. Pork timings: LovePork (AHDB) roasting joint guidance. Gammon: BBC Good Food, how to cook gammon. Safety: the Food Standards Agency advises cooking pork and rolled joints until steaming hot with no pink meat (70°C for 2 minutes in the centre); whole cuts of beef and lamb can be served pink once the outside is sealed. Ovens vary, so check with a meat thermometer. A whole beef fillet roasts much faster than these rules; see our chateaubriand guide.
How much meat per person for a roast?
Choose how many are eating and the joint. We work out the raw weight and how many joints to order.
Your amount
Choose the number of people and a joint.
| Joint | Per person | With leftovers |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless beef | 200–250g | 300–350g |
| Gammon | 200–250g | 300–350g |
| Pork loin | 200–250g | 300–350g |
| Leg of lamb (bone-in) | 350–400g | 450–500g |
| Whole beef fillet | 180–200g | 250g |
| Brisket (slow-cooked) | 250–300g | 350g |
Portion sizes are raw weights per adult with a normal appetite, from our Christmas meat guide 2026 and how much meat per person guide. Pack sizes are read from the live product names; ranges use the midpoint.
Joints in stock for this weekend
How we work out roasting times
Most UK roasting guidance gives a time per 450g (1lb) plus a fixed extra time. The calculator takes your weight in kilograms, converts it and adds the extra minutes, then rounds to the nearest 5 minutes.
For example, a 1.5kg beef joint cooked to medium at 180–190°C needs 25 minutes per 450g plus 25 minutes: about 1 hour 50 minutes, then at least 20 minutes resting.
Resting
Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat before carving. Cover the joint loosely with foil while it rests: at least 20 minutes for beef, 15–20 minutes for lamb and about 10 minutes for pork.
Check the centre
A meat thermometer in the thickest part is the most reliable test. Beef and lamb can be served pink; pork, gammon and rolled joints should be cooked until steaming hot with no pink meat.
More guides
Step-by-step recipes: roast beef cooking times per kg, roast pork cooking times per kg, leg of lamb in the oven, how to boil a gammon joint and rib-eye roast. Some of our recipes start the joint in a hotter oven, so their times differ from the steady-temperature times here. For centre temperatures for every meat, see our meat cooking temperatures guide.
Shop and plan
Roasting time questions
How long do I cook a 1.5kg beef joint?
At 180–190°C (160–170°C fan, Gas 4–5): about 1 hour 25 minutes for rare, 1 hour 50 minutes for medium or 2 hours 10 minutes for well done. Rest it for at least 20 minutes before carving.
How long do I roast a 2kg leg of lamb?
At 180–190°C: about 2 hours 15 minutes for medium (25 minutes per 450g plus 25) or 2 hours 45 minutes for well done (30 minutes per 450g plus 30). Rest for 15–20 minutes.
How long does a 1kg pork loin joint take?
At 180°C (160°C fan, Gas 4): about 1 hour 35 minutes for medium or 1 hour 55 minutes for well done, then rest for 10 minutes. Pork should be cooked until the juices run clear with no pink meat.
How long do I cook a 1kg gammon joint?
Allow 20 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes in total, about 1 hour 5 minutes for 1kg. Simmer it for half that time, then roast it wrapped in foil at 180°C for the rest, opening the foil to glaze for the last 20–30 minutes.
What temperature should roast beef be in the middle?
About 60°C for rare, 70°C for medium and 80°C for well done, measured in the thickest part.
Do I need to rest a roast joint?
Yes. Rest beef for at least 20 minutes, lamb for 15–20 minutes and pork for about 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil.
Skip the middle man!
Roasting joints at butcher's prices, delivered chilled on the day you choose.
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