Recipe: Holiday Meat Roasting Chart

HOLIDAY MEAT ROASTING CHART

meat type, size,
oven temperature degrees F
timing minutes/per lb (internal temp degrees F

---

BEEF, FRESH
Beef, rib roast, bone-in; 4 to 8 pounds
325 degrees F,
23 to 30 minutes per lb (145 degrees F medium rare internal temp)
27 to 38 minutes per lb (160 degrees F medium internal temp)

Beef, rib roast, boneless; 4 pounds
325 degrees F
39 to 43 minutes per lb (145 degrees F internal temp)

Beef, eye round roast; 2 to 3 pounds
325 degrees F
20 to 22 minutes per lb (145 degrees F internal temp)

Beef, tenderloin roast, whole; 4 to 6 lbs
425 degrees F
45 to 60 minutes total (145 degrees F internal temp)

Beef, tenderloin roast, half; 2 to 3 lbs
425 degrees F
35 to 45 minutes total (145 degrees F internal temp)

---

LAMB
Lamb, leg, bone-in; 5 to 9 pounds
325 degrees F
20-30 minutes per lb (160 medium or 170 degrees F well done internal temp)

Lamb, leg, boneless; 4 to 7 pounds
325 degrees F
30-35 minutes per lb (160 medium or 170 degrees F well done internal temp)

Lamb, crown roast; 5 pounds
325 degrees F
30-35 minutes per lb (170 degrees F internal temp)

---

PORK, FRESH
Pork, loin roast, bone-in; 3 to 5 pounds
325 degrees F
20-25 minutes per lb(160 degrees F internal temp)

Pork, loin roast boneless; 2 to 4 pounds
325 degrees F
23-33 minutes per lb(160 degrees F internal temp)

Pork, crown roast; 6 to 10 lbs
325 degrees F
20-25 minutes per lb(160-170 degrees F internal temp)

Pork, tenderloin
1/2 to 1 1/2 lbs 425 degrees F
20-30 minutes total (160 degrees F internal temp)

---

PORK, CURED
Ham, cook-before-eating, bone-in; Whole, 14 to 16 pounds
325 degrees F
18-20 minutes per lb (160 degrees F internal temp)

Ham, cook-before-eating, bone-in; Half, 7 to 8 pounds
325 degrees F
22-25 minutes per lb (160 degrees F internal temp)

Ham, fully cooked, bone-in; Whole, 14 to 16 pound
325 degrees F
15-18 minutes per lb (140 degrees F internal temp)

Ham, fully cooked, bone-in; Half, 7 to 8 pounds
325 degrees F
18-25 minutes per lb (140 degrees F internal temp)

Ham, fully cooked, boneless; 3 to 4 lbs
325 degrees F
27-33 minutes per lb (140 degrees F internal temp)

Ham, country, dried (see label directions)

---

THE SAFETY OF SPECIAL HOLIDAY MEATS

When choosing your holiday meat, be assured that all beef, lamb, pork, veal and poultry sold at your supermarket have been inspected for wholesomeness by the USDA or State inspection systems. Once your purchase is at home, refrigerate it immediately. Cook or freeze fresh poultry within 1 or 2 days; fresh meats, 3 to 5 days.

There are two types of hams: fully cooked and those that need cooking. Fully cooked hams may be eaten cold or reheated to 140 degrees F. When storing these hams, observe "use-by" dates on hams sealed at the plant; use store-wrapped cooked ham portions within 3 to 5 days. "Cook-before-eating" hams must be cooked to 160 degrees F to destroy harmful bacteria that may be present. Use within 7 days.

---

ABOUT ROASTING:
Because holidays are special times, people tend to spend more money for a specialty meat. These fancy meats and poultry may cost more because they are exceptionally tender or special.

Roasting is the recommended method for cooking tender meats. To roast, meat is placed on a rack in a shallow, uncovered pan and is cooked by the indirect dry heat of an oven. To keep the meat tender and minimize shrinkage due to the evaporation of moisture, a moderately slow oven temperature of 325 degrees F should be used.

USDA does not recommend cooking meat and poultry at oven temperatures lower than 325 degrees F because these foods could remain in the "Danger Zone" (temperatures of 40 degrees to 140 degrees F) too long. Bacteria which may be present on these foods multiply rapidly at these temperatures.

Boned and rolled meats require more cooking time per pound than bone-in cuts because it takes longer for the heat to penetrate through the solid meat.

---

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT HOLIDAY MEATS

BEEF:
Beef is leaner these days so roasting cuts from the rib, tenderloin, and eye round to medium rare (145 degrees F) keeps these roasts tender and juicy.

LAMB:
Technically, "Spring lamb" is meat from lambs slaughtered from March to the first week in October. The term comes from olden times when lambs born in harsh winter weather would have little chance to survive until the next year. Today with more protected animal husbandry conditions, enjoying "lamb" - meat from sheep about one year old, is not confined to a particular season of the year.

Some people may view lamb as a fatty meat. However, leg and loin lamb meat has a similar fat content to lean beef and pork loin when trimmed of visible fat. The "fell" is a paper-like covering on lamb and is usually removed from steaks and chops at the retail market. Leave the fell on leg roasts to help retain shape. Cook lamb to 170 degrees F (well done), as measured with a food thermometer.

PORK:
Because hogs are about 50 percent leaner than they were 25 years ago, today's pork cooks faster and can dry out when overcooked. Years ago when pork had more fat than it does today, the meat could be overcooked and still be fairly tender and flavorful.

Cook fresh pork to 160 degrees F (medium) or to 170 degrees F (well done). Fresh pork cooked to medium doneness as measured with a food thermometer may still be pale pink inside but will be safe. Heating to 160 degrees F kills foodborne bacteria - such as Salmonella - as well as parasites that cause trichinosis and toxoplasmosis.

Source: USDA