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.