What This Calculator Does
The Steak Cook Time Calculator gives you a quick, practical estimate of how long to cook a steak per side and in total, based on two things you can easily measure: the thickness of the cut and how done you want it. It is designed for high-heat searing in a hot pan or on a grill, the most common way to cook steaks like ribeye, sirloin, strip and filet.
How to Use It
Measure the thickness of your steak at the thickest point and enter it in inches. Choose your target doneness — from rare through well done. The calculator returns the recommended minutes per side and the total time across both sides, plus the breakdown of base time and doneness adjustment.
Always rest the steak for 5 minutes after cooking and, for accuracy, confirm with an instant-read thermometer: rare ~52°C/125°F, medium rare ~57°C/135°F, medium ~63°C/145°F, medium well ~68°C/155°F, well done ~74°C/165°F.
The Formula Explained
Cook time scales with thickness because heat has to travel to the center of the meat. We use a base of 2.5 minutes per inch per side. A doneness adjustment is then added: rare subtracts 1 minute, medium rare is the baseline (0), medium adds 1, medium well adds 2 and well done adds 3 minutes per side. Total time is simply twice the per-side figure.
$$\text{Total} = 2 \times \left( 2.5 \times \text{Thickness (in)} + 0 \right)$$Worked example: A 1-inch steak cooked to medium. Base time = \(2.5 \times 1 = 2.5\) minutes. Medium adjustment = +1 minute. Per side = 3.5 minutes. Total = 7 minutes.
FAQ
Does this work for any heat level? The estimates assume high heat (a screaming-hot cast-iron pan or grill). On lower heat you will need more time.
Why per side? Steaks are flipped once for an even sear; the per-side number tells you when to turn.
Should I trust time over temperature? Time is a guide. A thermometer is the only reliable way to hit your exact doneness, especially for thick cuts.
