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Cooking formula?

Tor
Tor Posts: 9
in EggHead Forum
Is there a formula out there that will give you an estimated cook time? I thought I saw one somewhere that looked like this:

pound of meat to cook*325/ cooking temp= total number of hours to cook

Thanks

Large Big Green Egg

Danville, VA

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Comments

  • onedbguru
    onedbguru Posts: 1,648
    The reason we cook to temp is that the formulas might only put you in the ballpark, but as we all know, some cuts seem to have a mind of their own.  I have had same weight pork butt cook in 8hrs and others of same weight take 12-14.  Best thing is to keep a log because your EGG may cook differently than say, my EGG. 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,789
    @Tor - any Q cook is analog not digital.  As @onedbguru notes the variables are always present.  You can get ball-park cooking estimates with the search function here or google.  Better to get a quick response thermo.  That way you can always nail the finish temp which is the objective. FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    edited July 2017
    There is no set formula. Every piece of meat you cook, even among similar cuts, will cook differently. Time is just a ball park. Butts and briskets are usually LONG cooks. If you think a particular cook will take some time, factor that and some extra time into your cook. Cook to IT and feel of the meat and don't rush the cook. 

    If your cook gets done ahead of schedule, you can usually Foil, Towel, Cooler (FTC) to hold for serving. 
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Tor said:
    Is there a formula out there that will give you an estimated cook time? I thought I saw one somewhere that looked like this:

    pound of meat to cook*325/ cooking temp= total number of hours to cook

    Thanks

    NO.

    Depends on the type of meat it is, the cut of meat, size, shape, and desired outcome.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    When I first started down this cooking road, I had no idea. But I did have a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Just the basics, but that was fine. If I wanted a 3 lb roast, I just looked it up, set the oven for whatever temp it said and took it out when the meat got hot enough. The cookbook told me how long it should take so I had an approximate cook time. But a thermapen was helpful.

    As for a formula, I've never heard of one.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • GregW
    GregW Posts: 2,678
    You may find this interesting and maybe helpful:
    http://up.csail.mit.edu/science-of-cooking/home-screen.html

    About

    Created by: MIT students Kate Roe, Laura Breiman, and Marissa Stephens

    Advised by: Rob Miller, Fredo Durand, Michael Brenner, and Pia Sorenson

    Developed for the 2013 edX course Science and Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science. It demonstrates the heat diffusion through meat over time. This heat diffusion is calculated by modeling the meat using the diffusion constant of water. The heat at each point in the meat is calculated at each time step by using a Crank-Nicolson scheme to solve the heat equation.

    The temperatures for the different stages of protein denaturization come from Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (pages 152 and 210). It is important to note, however, that these temperatures are estimates and not completely universal. This simulation is not a perfect model for cooking actual meat. Stove temperatures, pan types, and meat consistency are variable from case to case. Please be certain to check that your meat is thoroughly cooked before consumption unless you enjoy getting food posioning.

    Please send questions and comments to cookmymeat@mit.edu

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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    Image result for most complicated math formula in the world
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    nolaegghead said:
    Image result for most complicated math formula in the world
    You and your time based polynomials!  Let's go to frequency domain, radian units and simplify.  
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
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