Sous Vide Calculator

The Sous Vide Calculator helps you choose a practical water-bath temperature and time window for common proteins such as steak, pork, chicken, salmon, and turkey. Instead of treating sous vide like a single magic number, it separates the two variables that actually matter in home cooking: temperature sets the final doneness and texture, while time gives heat enough time to reach the center and, for some proteins, enough time to satisfy a longer pasteurization-style hold. That makes the tool useful for real kitchen decisions such as cooking a 1-inch pork chop from the fridge, reheating a frozen salmon portion, or planning a turkey breast for a holiday meal.

How to Use

1. Select the protein cut you are cooking. The calculator includes tender beef steaks, small roasts, pork chops, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, chicken thigh, salmon fillet, and turkey breast.
2. Measure the thickest part of the protein, then enter that thickness in inches or centimeters. In sous vide cooking, thickness is usually a better predictor of cook time than total weight.
3. Choose the doneness target you want. For red meat this means rare, medium rare, or medium; for poultry and fish it usually means a texture target such as juicy, firm, silky, or flaky.
4. Tell the calculator whether the food is fresh or frozen. Frozen protein needs extra bath time because the center must thaw before it can fully heat through.
5. Use the result as a working plan: preheat the bath, stay inside the recommended time window, then finish with a short sear, broil, or skin-side crisp.

How the Recommendation Works

Common Mistakes and Better Results

• Using weight instead of thickness. A wide but thin steak does not need the same bath time as a thick steak of the same weight.
• Searing too long after the bath. Sous vide already cooks the center, so the finishing step should be fast and intense, not slow and cumulative.
• Leaving delicate proteins in the bath for convenience. Salmon and premium steaks have a serving window, but they are not all-day braises.
• Skipping surface drying. A dry exterior browns faster, which protects the interior temperature and gives better crust or skin texture.
• Assuming every protein needs 165°F. Conventional food-safety numbers are usually built around faster cooking methods; sous vide can reach safe outcomes at lower temperatures if the food is held long enough.

FAQ