Sous Vide Time & Temperature Calculator
Pick your protein, cut, thickness, and doneness — get the exact temp and time to set your circulator to.
Protein
Cut
Thickness
1.5"Doneness
Set your circulator to
Temperature
129°F
53.9°C
Time
1 hr
For 1.5" thick steak (ribeye, ny strip, sirloin). Most cuts have a wide pasteurization window — going an extra hour rarely hurts.
Top-rated sous vide circulators
Reliable temperature accuracy is the spec that matters most for these times to hit.
MEAT! Your Maker.
MEAT! Sous Vide 10 Commercial Grade Quality Cooker with a 10 Gallon Cooking Capacity for Vacuum-Sealed Meat or Vegetables
outohome
1300W Sous Vide Cooker,WIFI Sous Vide Machines,Immersion Circulator,Precision Cooker,Recipes,Accurate Temperature and Time Control,IPX7 Waterproof,Ultra Quiet,Fast Heating,APP Recipes Timer
Anova Culinary
Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano 2.0
Instant Pot
Instant Pot Accu Slim Sous Vide 800W Precision Cooker,Immersion Circulator,Ultra-Quiet Fast-Heating with Big Touchscreen Accurate Temperature and Time Control,Waterproof
How this works
How is sous vide time calculated for thickness?
Heat penetrates the center of a cut roughly proportional to the square of thickness. A 2" steak takes ~4× the time of a 1" steak, not 2×. We scale the base time accordingly and cap at the maximum safe holding time.
Can I leave food in longer than the recommended time?
For most cuts, yes — within the cut's max time. Beef, pork, and lamb tolerate going an extra hour without quality loss. Fish and eggs are time-sensitive. Vegetables get mushy if held too long.
Are these times safe at low temperatures?
Yes, when the time is long enough for pasteurization at that specific temperature. The default times here meet USDA pasteurization standards. Lower temps require longer hold times.
How do I get a good sear after sous vide?
Dry the surface thoroughly with paper towels, then sear in a screaming-hot cast iron with high-smoke-point oil for 30-45 seconds per side. A torch works for hard-to-reach surfaces.