How it works
- Hold time decides the order: the dish that holds longest is cooked first, and the one that holds worst is cooked last. The calculator lets a dish finish up to 40 minutes early, never more than its hold time, so tolerant dishes clear the stove before the final stretch.
- The rest is the finishing window: a roast comes out 30 minutes before you sit down, rests under foil for 20, and is carved in the last 10. Oven dishes and pan sauces start once it is out, using the free oven and its drippings.
- Make-ahead dishes: braises, stews and casseroles are scheduled for earlier in the day and reheated, covered, at 350°F for about 15 minutes; check the center reaches 165°F.
- Plating: everything goes into serving dishes 5 minutes before you sit, and the plates warm for the 15 minutes before that.
- Slack: if guests arrive less than 45 minutes before the meal, the planner says so. If more than three dishes have to finish in the last 30 minutes, it suggests moving one earlier or changing the menu.
Check the roast with a probe thermometer rather than the clock (165°F in the thigh for poultry), and keep held food at 140°F or above until it is eaten.
The figures come from the guide Getting Every Dish to the Table Hot: A Timing Guide, which explains each one and the exceptions.
Sources
- FoodSafety.gov: safe minimum internal temperatures (165°F for poultry)
- USDA FSIS: the danger zone (hold hot food at 140°F or above)
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