Get the water bath temperature and how long to cook, based on the food, how thick it is and how done you like it. Minimum times come from a heat-transfer model of your piece's thickness (plus pasteurization time for poultry); maximum times keep the texture right.
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Thinnest dimension of the thickest piece (diameter for round cuts).
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Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Sous Vide Time Calculator
Pick the food you are cooking.
Choose the doneness; only the levels that make sense for that food are listed.
Measure the thickness of the thickest piece and choose flat or round shape.
Tick frozen if the food goes into the bath straight from the freezer.
Set your circulator to the bath temperature and cook for at least the minimum time, and no longer than the maximum, then sear and serve.
How the sous vide time is calculated
For a flat piece of thickness d, the time for the center to get within 0.5°C of the bath is approximately
where α ≈ 1.2 × 10⁻⁷ m²/s is the thermal diffusivity of meat and fish, and Tstart is 5°C (fridge). For round cuts the constants become 2.405 and 1.602 instead of π/2 and 4/π. Poultry also gets a pasteurization hold of about 35 min × 10(60 − T)/5.9 at bath temperature T (°C), which gives a 7-log Salmonella reduction.
Sous vide temperature chart
Food
Doneness
°C
°F
Typical time (1 in / 25 mm)
Beef steak
Rare
52
126
1–2.5 h
Beef steak
Medium-rare
55
131
1–4 h
Beef steak
Medium
60
140
1–4 h
Short ribs, chuck
Medium-rare
57
135
24–48 h
Pork chop
Pink, juicy
57
135
1–4 h
Pork shoulder
Pulled
74
165
16–24 h
Chicken breast
Juicy
60–63
140–145
1¼–4 h
Chicken thighs
Tender
65
149
1.5–4 h
Salmon
Tender, flaky
50
122
40 min–1.5 h
Shrimp
Tender
57
135
20–45 min
Thickness rule of thumb for a flat cut at 55–60°C: ½ in (13 mm) about 12–15 min, 1 in (25 mm) about 45–60 min, 1½ in (38 mm) about 1½–1¾ h, 2 in (50 mm) about 3 h.
Frequently asked questions
Why does thickness matter so much in sous vide?
Heat moves into food by conduction, and the time to heat the center grows with the square of the thickness. Doubling the thickness makes the heat-through time about four times longer: a 1-inch steak needs roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour, a 2-inch steak about 3 hours.
Is it safe to cook chicken breast at 60°C (140°F)?
Yes, if it is held long enough. Safety depends on time and temperature together: at 60°C, chicken needs about 35 minutes after the center reaches temperature to reduce Salmonella by 7 logs (the same result as reaching 74°C/165°F instantly). The calculator adds this hold time for poultry.
Can I overcook food with sous vide?
Not in temperature, but in texture. Tender cuts left too long get soft and mealy, which is why there is a maximum time. Fish should be served soon after heating through. Tough cuts like short ribs need 24 to 48 hours to become tender.
How much longer does frozen food take?
A common rule of thumb is to add about 50% to the heat-through time when you start from frozen. Frozen food goes straight into the bath; there is no need to thaw it first.
What is the 4-hour rule for low temperatures?
Below 54.4°C (130°F), food is not pasteurized and bacteria may still grow slowly, so keep total cooking time under 4 hours. Rare steak at 52°C and fish at 46 to 50°C fall into this group: use fresh, high-quality food and eat it right away.
How accurate are these times?
The heat-through times use the standard solution for heat conduction in a slab or cylinder with a typical thermal diffusivity for meat, starting from fridge temperature. Real food varies, so treat the minimum as a guide and add 10 to 15 minutes if your bath is crowded or your circulator is small.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.