Grill Time Calculator
Calculate grilling times per side for steak, chicken, pork, and fish by thickness and doneness.
Covers rare through well-done with safe internal temperatures.
Grilling time and temperature depend on the protein, thickness, starting temperature, grill surface temperature, and desired doneness. Thickness is the dominant variable — a 1-inch steak cooks in roughly half the time of a 2-inch steak, and surface area matters less than depth.
The thickness-time relationship: Cooking time scales with the square of thickness because heat must penetrate to the center:
Time ∝ Thickness²
Doubling thickness increases cook time by approximately 4× for the center to reach the same temperature.
Safe internal temperature reference (USDA guidelines):
| Protein | Rare | Med-Rare | Medium | Well Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef steak | 125°F | 135°F | 145°F | 160°F+ |
| Pork | , | — | 145°F | 160°F |
| Chicken | , | — | , | 165°F |
| Fish | , | — | 145°F | , |
| Lamb | 125°F | 135°F | 145°F | 160°F+ |
| Burgers (ground beef) | , | — | , | 160°F |
Typical grilling times at 450–500°F (high heat):
| Cut | Thickness | Per Side |
|---|---|---|
| Ribeye | 1 inch | 4–5 min |
| Ribeye | 1.5 inches | 6–7 min |
| Chicken breast | ¾ inch | 6–7 min |
| Salmon fillet | 1 inch | 4 min |
| Pork chop | 1 inch | 5–6 min |
| Burger patty | ¾ inch | 4–5 min |
The rest period: Always rest meat after grilling. Resting allows internal temperature to equalize and juices to redistribute.
Rest Time ≈ Grill Time × 0.25 to 0.50
A steak grilled for 10 minutes should rest 2.5–5 minutes before cutting. Cutting immediately releases 30–40% more juice onto the plate.
Reverse sear method: For thick cuts (1.5"+), cook at 250°F indirect until 10°F below target temperature, then sear 90 seconds per side at maximum heat. This produces perfectly even doneness throughout the entire cut.
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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