---
title: "Stir-Fry Timing Planner: Order and Times | Weekend Wok"
description: "Plan a stir-fry: cut sizes, what goes in when, batches for a home burner and a running clock, with USDA safe temperatures for chicken, meat and fish."
url: https://weekendwok.me/stir-fry-timing-planner/
---

What goes in when

# Stir-fry timing planner

Tick what you're cooking, how many you're feeding and the burner you have. You get cut sizes, the order things go into the wok, how many batches to cook and when everything is safely done.

## How the plan works

The planner allows about 125 g (4½ oz) of raw protein and 150 g (5¼ oz) of vegetables per person, shared between whatever you tick. Make the sauce first with the [sauce builder](https://weekendwok.me/), and have everything cut before the wok goes on.

**Why batches?** A home burner can't keep a crowded wok hot, so meat stews in its own juices instead of browning. Anything over a sensible amount for your burner is split into batches, with a minute between them for the wok to heat up again.

**The order** follows one simple rule: protein first, then lifted out; hard vegetables next, then medium ones; garlic and ginger for 30 seconds; leafy greens last; then everything back in with the sauce. The running clock adds the steps up, so you know roughly when to start the rice.

Times are ranges for thin, even pieces in a hot pan. Thicker pieces take longer, so trust the thermometer and the doneness notes over the clock.

## Safe cooking temperatures

Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest piece. With thin strips, check two or three pieces from each batch.

| Food | °F | °C | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Poultry | 165 °F | 74 °C | All chicken and other poultry, pieces or mince. Measure the thickest piece. |
| Minced (ground) meat | 160 °F | 71 °C | Beef, pork, lamb and veal mince, and fillings made with it. |
| Beef, pork, lamb (steaks, chops, strips) | 145 °F | 63 °C | Whole cuts, including strips cut from them. Rest 3 minutes before eating. |
| Fish | 145 °F | 63 °C | Or cook until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork. |
| Prawns and shrimp | — | — | Cook until the flesh is pearly and opaque. FSIS lists fish and shellfish at 145 °F (63 °C). |
| Eggs | — | — | Cook until the yolk and white are firm. Dishes made with egg: 160 °F (71 °C). |

## Sources

- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, [Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart): beef, pork, veal and lamb steaks, chops and roasts 145 °F (62.8 °C) with a 3-minute rest; ground meats 160 °F (71.1 °C); all poultry 165 °F (73.9 °C); fish and shellfish 145 °F (62.8 °C); egg dishes 160 °F (71.1 °C). We round the Celsius figures to whole degrees.
- FoodSafety.gov, [Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature](https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures): fish until opaque and it separates easily with a fork; shrimp until the flesh is pearly and opaque; eggs until the yolk and white are firm.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, [FoodData Central: Egg, whole, raw, fresh (FDC 171287)](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171287/nutrients): 1 large egg = 50 g, used to turn grams of egg into a number of eggs.

## Questions

**Why does my stir-fry go watery?**

Usually too much in the pan at once, a wok that isn't hot enough, or wet vegetables. Cook in batches, dry washed vegetables well and add the sauce at the end.

**Can I use a frying pan instead of a wok?**

Yes. On electric, ceramic and induction hobs a wide, flat frying pan often works better than a round-bottomed wok, because more of it touches the heat. Choose the electric burner option to get smaller batches.

**Do I really need a thermometer?**

It is the only sure way to know chicken and mince are done. Check a few pieces from each batch: chicken at 165 °F (74 °C) and mince at 160 °F (71 °C), as the USDA chart says.