REFERENCE
A good roast comes down to two numbers: the right oven temperature, and the right time for the weight. Get those into your head and almost anything roasts well.
Below are the temperatures and timings for the joints you will cook most often, the internal temperatures that tell you when they are truly done, and why resting matters as much as the cooking. The times are a reliable guide — a meat thermometer is what makes it certain.
IN THIS GUIDE
The basics
Most roasting happens between 180°C and 220°C (Gas 4 to 7). A common approach is to start hot to brown and crisp the outside, then drop the heat to cook through gently. Fan ovens run about 20°C hotter than conventional, so lower the temperature by 20°C if you are using fan. More than any chart, an instant-read thermometer is what turns a good roast into a reliable one — it removes the guesswork entirely.
Roasting times — meat and poultry
Times below are per 450g (1 lb) at the oven temperature shown. Weigh the joint after stuffing, and treat these as a guide — confirm with a thermometer (see below).
| Meat | Oven (fan) / Gas | Time per 450g |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 200°C (180°C) / Gas 6 | 20 min, plus 20 min extra |
| Turkey (up to 4.5kg) | 180°C (160°C) / Gas 4 | about 18–20 min |
| Beef (after a 20-min hot start) | 190°C (170°C) / Gas 5 | rare 15 / medium 20 / well 25 min |
| Pork (start hot for crackling) | 180°C (160°C) / Gas 4 | 30–35 min |
| Lamb | 190°C (170°C) / Gas 5 | pink 20 / medium 25 / well 30 min |
As a worked example, a 1.5kg chicken is roughly (1.5 ÷ 0.45 × 20) + 20 ≈ 1 hour 25 minutes. For pork crackling, start at 220°C (Gas 7) for the first 25 minutes, then drop to the temperature above for the rest of the time.
Internal temperatures
This is the real test of doneness. Push a thermometer into the thickest part, away from any bone. The temperature climbs another 3–5°C while the meat rests, so pull it from the oven a few degrees below your target.
| Meat | Take it out at |
|---|---|
| Chicken and turkey | 74°C (juices run clear, no pink) |
| Pork | 71°C |
| Beef and lamb — rare | 52°C |
| Beef and lamb — medium | 60°C |
| Beef and lamb — well done | 70°C |
Poultry and pork should always be cooked through; beef and lamb are down to taste.
Resting — do not skip it
Resting is not optional. As meat cooks, the juices are driven towards the centre; resting lets them settle back through the meat, so they stay in the joint instead of running out onto the board the moment you carve. Rest chicken and small joints for 10–15 minutes, and large joints or turkey for 20–30, loosely covered with foil. The internal temperature keeps rising during this time, which is exactly why you take it out a few degrees early.
Roast potatoes and vegetables
Roast potatoes want a hot oven — around 200°C fan (Gas 7) — for 45 to 60 minutes. Parboil for 8–10 minutes, rough up the edges in the colander, and get them straight into hot fat. Most vegetables roast happily at 200°C (180°C fan) for 25 to 40 minutes depending on size: root vegetables take longer, courgettes and peppers less. If they are sharing the oven with a joint, add them partway through so everything finishes together.
Five tips for a better roast
- Take the meat out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before cooking, so it roasts evenly.
- Pat it dry and salt the skin well — dry skin is crisp skin.
- Use a thermometer. It is the only way to be sure, and it saves a great deal of anxious peering.
- Do not carve straight away — rest it first.
- Tip the resting juices into your gravy, not down the sink.
Master the temperature, the timing and the rest, and a proper roast stops being a gamble.
