How long to cook it —
and when it's actually done
Per-pound timing charts for every common cut and temperature, anchored to USDA guidance. The clock plans the meal; the thermometer finishes it.
SOURCE·USDA safe-temperature guidance·REVIEWED JUL 2026
The pages people come here for
Whole Chicken at 375°F
1 hr 40 min – 2 hr for 6 lb · done at 165°F
Whole Turkey (Unstuffed) at 325°F
4 hr – 4 hr 25 min for 16 lb · done at 165°F
Prime Rib (Standing Rib Roast) at 325°F
3 hr 5 min – 4 hr for 8 lb · done at 145°F
Smoked Brisket at 250°F
12 hr – 15 hr for 12 lb · done at 145°F
Pork Shoulder (Oven) at 300°F
7 hr – 8 hr 45 min for 7 lb · done at 145°F
Baby Back Ribs at 250°F
4 hr – 5 hr · done at 145°F
Salmon Fillet at 400°F
10 min – 15 min · done at 145°F
Leg of Lamb (Bone-In) at 325°F
2 hr 20 min – 3 hr for 7 lb · done at 145°F
Pork Tenderloin at 400°F
20 min – 25 min · done at 145°F
SOURCE·USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperatures·the doneness temperature on every card·REVIEWED JUL 2026
SOURCE·USDA safe-temperature guidance·timing ranges derived, see method·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Chicken
Whole birds and pieces — everything cooks to the same 165°F.
Whole Chicken
325°F · 350°F · 375°F · 400°F · 425°F
Smoked Whole Chicken
225°F · 250°F · 275°F · 300°F
Chicken Breast (Boneless)
350°F · 375°F · 400°F · 425°F
Chicken Thighs (Bone-In)
375°F · 400°F · 425°F
Chicken Drumsticks
375°F · 400°F · 425°F
Chicken Wings
400°F · 425°F
Cornish Game Hens
350°F · 375°F · 400°F
Whole Duck
350°F
Turkey
Whole birds, breasts and the spatchcock shortcut.
Pork
Roasts, shoulders, ribs and ham — modern pork cooks to 145°F, not 160°F.
Lamb
Legs, shoulders and racks.
Seafood
Salmon and whole fish — the fastest proteins in the book.
Why every number here is a range
Ovens run hot and cold, smokers swing with the weather, and two roasts of the same weight cook differently if one is thicker. A single "exact" time is a false promise. This site publishes honest ranges anchored to USDA timetables, tells you when to start checking, and puts the number that actually matters — the safe internal temperature — on every page. The method page shows the arithmetic.
