How Long Does It Really Take, and How Do You Know It Is Done?

Recipes give a number of minutes, but your oven, your pan and the size of what you are cooking all move that number. These answers give you a realistic time range first, then the signs that matter more than the clock: the internal temperature, the color, the texture, the way it feels under a fork.

Most questions here come down to meat, eggs and grains. If you only learn one habit, make it checking the thickest part with a quick read thermometer. Once dinner is done, cooked leftovers keep three to four days in the fridge.