New version of cookCal, a cookery calculator for the iPhone and iPod Touch, released

A new version of cookCal for the iPhone and iPod Touch has just become available on the App store – download link. cookCal is very easy to use. You just touch on the number that you wish to enter until it turns green (see the screen shot below – standing time shown), and then using the number buttons to enter new values.

The new version is a version 2.0 release as it contains a bunch of new features.

First, two fixed times can now be entered (see the screen shot below). These numbers can be used in situations where, for example, you have to cook some meat for 30 minutes and then for 20 minutes per pound (lb), or 45 minutes per kilo, followed by a 20 minutes rest after cooking before carving. The first 30 minutes can be added as one of the fixed terms, and the second standing (resting/relaxing) time as the second fixed time.

New imperial cookCal calculator
If your recipe called for the meat to be cooked for 15 minutes and then at 20 minutes per pound, with a 10 minutes rest before carving, then the data would be entered as shown above. The 10 minutes would be entered as the ‘Set Time’ and the resting time as the ‘Standing’ time.

Alternatively the calculator can be used in metric mode with weight in kilos (kg).

New metric cookCal calculator
If your recipe called for the meat to be cooked for 15 minutes and then at 44 minutes per pound, with a 10 minutes rest before carving, then the data would be entered as shown above. The 10 minutes would be entered as the ‘Set Time’ and the resting time as the ‘Standing’ time.

One great feature of cookCal is it possible to enter cooking times as minutes per pound, and weight as kilos (kg), and the calculator will give the total cooking time.

With the new ‘Set’ and ‘Standing’ times feature there was also a need to update ‘Time’ function. Now the ‘Time’ screen allows you to calculate preparation times that include post-cooking standing (relaxing) periods (see the screen shot below).

Cooking start and end times calculator
Once the required cooking time (including any resting time) has been calculated it is possible to calculate start and/or end times. If you enter a start time the time to remove from the oven (assuming there is a rest time) and the time for serving will be calculated. Alternatively, the end time can be entered and the start time calculated. It is even possible to enter the time you wish to remove the food from the oven and have the start and end time calculated.

Finally, a ‘Preset’ feature has been added. If you touch ‘Touch for Preset’ the screen will flip to give you a range of preset times for different meats (see screen shot below).

Suggested cooking times and temperatures
cookCal now has inbuilt cooking guide for a range of meats including beef (rare, medium, and well done), chicken, duck, goose, lamb (medium rare, medium, and well done), pork and a range of turkey sizes. The calculator gives suggested cooking temperature, cooking time, cooking time per weight, rest times, and some cooking hints.

Once the meat type has been selected the information will then be transferred to the calculator.

As with version 1 of the calculator there is also an extensive help system to help you use the calculator.

Suggested cooking times and temperatures
cookCal also comes with an extensive help section.

cookCal is now available for download on the iTunes App Store.