Sous vide time and temperature calculator
Sous vide holds food in a water bath at the exact temperature you want it to reach. Choose the food, how tender or firm you like it and how thick it is, and the calculator suggests a bath temperature and the minimum time for the centre to get there.
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How to use it
- Choose the food and the texture you want. Tender is the lowest temperature for that food, firm the highest.
- Enter the thickness at the thickest point of the cut. Switch to US units if you measure in inches.
- Set the circulator to the bath temperature and start the clock once the food is in the water.
How it works
The bath temperatures come from a small table of commonly used values per food. The heating time uses the first term of the heat-conduction series for a slab: the centre reaches within 1 °C of the bath after t = −(l² ÷ π²α) × ln[(π/4) × 1 ÷ (bath − 4)], where l is the thickness, α = 1.4 × 10⁻⁷ m²/s is the diffusivity of meat and fish, and 4 °C is the starting temperature.
Worked example
A 25 mm steak in a 57 °C bath: l² = 0.000625 m², π²α = 1.38 × 10⁻⁶, so l² ÷ π²α is about 452 s. The logarithm is ln(0.785 ÷ 53) = −4.21, so t is about 1,905 s, or 32 minutes until the centre is within 1 °C of the bath.
Tips
- This is the heating time only. Pasteurization at low temperatures takes additional time at temperature, so look up a tested table for poultry and pork.
- Sear the surface afterwards; sous vide does not brown food.
- For oven-roasted cuts see the meat cooking time calculator, and always check with a thermometer.
Frequently asked questions
What temperatures does the calculator suggest?
Commonly used bath temperatures, for example 54 to 60 °C (129 to 140 °F) for steak and 60 to 70 °C (140 to 158 °F) for chicken breast. They are guidance for texture, not a safety standard: the lower the temperature, the more the final texture is also a matter of taste.
Is food cooked sous vide at a low temperature safe?
Pasteurization depends on both temperature and time at that temperature, not on temperature alone. A food held at 60 °C needs far longer than one held at 74 °C to reach the same safety. USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperatures (165 °F / 74 °C for poultry, 145 °F / 63 °C for whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb, 145 °F for fish) are reached instantly; at lower temperatures use a tested pasteurization table. People who are pregnant, elderly or immunocompromised should choose the higher temperatures.
How is the heating time calculated?
From the heat-conduction equation for a slab of food that starts at fridge temperature (4 °C) in a bath at the target: time is proportional to thickness squared. Doubling the thickness roughly quadruples the time. The result is how long until the centre is within 1 °C of the bath; it is an estimate for a vacuum-sealed, evenly thick piece.
What if the food is frozen?
The estimate assumes food that starts at fridge temperature. Frozen food takes noticeably longer, often about half as long again or more, so allow extra time and check that it is fully thawed through before you rely on the numbers.
Can I leave the food in longer than the minimum time?
Yes, tender cuts stay in range for hours, which is the point of sous vide. The last line shows the upper end people commonly hold each food at; after that texture usually turns mushy or dry. Fish is the shortest.