Sous Vide Times and Temperatures: The Complete Chart
By Dana Cole | Reviewed by Chef Daniel Pryce
Published · Last reviewed · 2 min read
Key takeaways
- Temperature sets doneness and time sets tenderness, so pick the temperature for the result you want and the time for the cut and its thickness.
- Steak medium-rare is about 129 to 134°F (54 to 57°C); chicken breast about 145 to 150°F (63 to 66°C); salmon about 120 to 125°F (49 to 52°C).
- Time depends on thickness, not weight, and you add roughly 50% more time when cooking from frozen.
- Cook to standard safe temperatures, and avoid long cooks below about 130°F (54.4°C), for higher-risk eaters.
In sous vide, the temperature you set is the doneness you get, and the time depends on the cut and its thickness, so this chart pairs a target temperature with a sensible time for each food1. Keep it bookmarked; it is the reference I reach for most. Remember the rule from our sous vide guide: temperature sets doneness, time sets tenderness and safety.
How to read the chart
- Pick the temperature for the result you want.
- Pick the time for the cut and, above all, its thickness (not its weight).
- From frozen, add roughly 50% more time to reach temperature.
- Then pat dry and sear for colour; see how to sear.
Beef and steak
- Rare: 120 to 128°F (49 to 53°C)
- Medium-rare: 129 to 134°F (54 to 57°C)
- Medium: 135 to 144°F (57 to 62°C)
- Time: about 1 to 4 hours for tender cuts; tough cuts (chuck, brisket) go much longer, 24 to 48 hours, to tenderise. More in sous vide steak.
Poultry
- Chicken breast: 145 to 150°F (63 to 66°C), juicy and pasteurised when held to thickness
- Chicken thighs: 165 to 175°F (74 to 79°C) for a better texture
- Time: roughly 1 to 4 hours depending on thickness
Pork
- Pork chops / loin: 140 to 145°F (60 to 63°C)
- Time: about 1 to 4 hours; tough cuts longer
Fish and seafood
- Salmon: 120 to 125°F (49 to 52°C) for silky; firmer if higher
- Time: about 30 to 60 minutes; fish has a short window before it softens
Eggs
- Soft “63-degree” egg: 63 to 64°C (145 to 147°F)
- Time: about 45 to 60 minutes
Vegetables
Vegetables need a higher temperature than meat to soften, around 183 to 185°F (84 to 85°C), because that is where their fibres break down, for roughly 30 to 60 minutes.
Food safety, briefly
These ranges assume healthy eaters and proper hold times. Pasteurisation is time plus temperature: lower temperatures need longer holds. Avoid extended cooks below about 130°F (54.4°C), follow reputable tables1, and use standard safe internal temperatures for anyone pregnant, very young, elderly, or immunocompromised2. Full detail in our food-safety guide.
This chart is general guidance based on reputable sources and a chef’s review, not a safety guarantee for every situation. Use a reliable thermometer and follow current food-safety advice.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature do you sous vide a steak?
Set the bath to the doneness you want: roughly 120 to 128°F (49 to 53°C) for rare, 129 to 134°F (54 to 57°C) for medium-rare, and 135 to 144°F (57 to 62°C) for medium. A typical steak needs about 1 to 4 hours; an hour or two is plenty for a tender cut. Then pat dry and sear hard and fast for the crust.
What temperature for sous vide chicken breast?
About 145 to 150°F (63 to 66°C) gives juicy, tender chicken breast that is still safely pasteurised when held for the time appropriate to its thickness, which is lower than the instant 165°F (74°C) people expect because pasteurisation is time plus temperature. Chicken thighs are better higher, around 165 to 175°F (74 to 79°C), for texture.
Does sous vide time depend on weight or thickness?
Thickness, not weight. Heat travels from the surface to the centre, so a thick steak takes longer to come up to temperature than a thin one of the same weight. Charts give times by thickness for this reason. Cooking from frozen adds roughly 50% more time to reach temperature.
How long can you leave food in a sous vide bath?
Within each food's window, sous vide is forgiving, but not unlimited. Tender cuts and fish have shorter windows before texture suffers (fish can turn mushy in an hour or two past target), while tough cuts can go many hours to tenderise. Going far beyond the recommended time changes texture and, for very long holds, raises safety questions. Follow a reputable chart.
Is lower-temperature sous vide safe?
It can be, but only with the right hold time, and with limits. Pasteurisation depends on temperature and time together, so lower temperatures need longer holds. Avoid extended cooks below about 130°F (54.4°C), follow tables like Douglas Baldwin's, and use standard safe internal temperatures for anyone pregnant, very young, elderly, or immunocompromised.
References
- A Practical Guide to Sous Vide Cooking (time and temperature tables), Douglas Baldwin. ↩
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. ↩
- Sous Vide Steak Guide, Serious Eats.
Written by Dana Cole. Reviewed by Chef Daniel Pryce.
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