Target Finish Time Calculator
Pick what you are cooking and when you want to eat. We work backwards to tell you when to start.
Choose the time you want to eat.
Reference and detail
Resting is not spare time
Meat needs to rest before carving, so the resting minutes come out of the time before serving rather than after. Our timings already allow for it.
Cooking more than one dish?
Use the Meal Synchroniser to line up several dishes around a single serving time and spot oven clashes.
Questions and answers
Questions about the Target Finish Time Calculator
What does the Target Finish Time Calculator actually work out?
Tell it what time you want to eat and it works backwards through the cooking (and resting, where relevant) time to tell you what time to start. Enter your dish's timings above for the schedule.
Does the start time it gives me include resting time?
Yes, resting is treated as a real stage that has to happen before serving, so the start time already allows for it rather than assuming the dish is ready the moment it leaves the oven or hob.
What should I do if the calculator says I needed to have started already?
It will show you the earliest time you can realistically serve instead. Either move your serving time to that, or confirm you want to start now and accept the meal will be a little late.
Can I use this for more than one dish at a time?
This tool is for a single dish. For several dishes that need to come together at the same time, use the Meal Synchroniser, which also spots clashes between them.
Guidance
Read the full guide
- How to Make a Roast Dinner Finish at the Same TimeWork backwards from the time you want to eat, use the resting window for everything that needs a hot oven, and stop two dishes wanting different temperatures.