Lamb cooking time calculator
Pick the cut and the weight, get the USDA cooking time and when it is done.
How long do I cook a leg of lamb?
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) gives 20 to 25 minutes per pound at 325 °F for a bone-in leg of 5 to 7 pounds, so a 6-pound leg takes 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes. A bone-in leg of 7 to 9 pounds takes 15 to 20 minutes per pound, and a boneless rolled leg of 4 to 7 pounds 25 to 30 minutes per pound. A second FSIS chart, for holiday roasts, lists 20 to 26 minutes per pound at 325 °F for a bone-in leg of 5 to 9 pounds or a boneless leg of 4 to 7 pounds.
What temperature should lamb reach?
FSIS says to cook raw lamb steaks, chops and roasts to at least 145 °F, measured with a food thermometer before you take the meat off the heat, and to let it rest for at least three minutes before carving. Ground lamb, lamb patties and organ meats need 160 °F. FSIS says you may choose a higher temperature for personal preference.
How long do lamb chops take?
FSIS lists total times, not per side: rib or loin chops 1 to 1½ inches thick take 7 to 11 minutes broiled or grilled, and ¾-inch leg steaks, broiled 4 inches from the heat, take 14 to 18 minutes. Cubes for kabobs, 1 to 1½ inches thick, take 8 to 12 minutes, and 2-inch lamb patties 5 to 8 minutes (to 160 °F). Grill temperatures vary, so check with a thermometer.
How long does a lamb shoulder, shank or stew meat take?
FSIS lists a 3- to 4-pound shoulder roast, or the shank half of a leg, at 30 to 35 minutes per pound in a 325 °F oven. Lamb shanks of ¾ to 1 pound and stew pieces of 1 to 1½ inches take 1½ to 2 hours covered with liquid and simmered, and a rolled breast of 1½ to 2 pounds takes 1½ to 2 hours braised at 325 °F. FSIS gives these times for cooking to a safe temperature; it lists no times for meat cooked until falling-apart tender.
Can I cook lamb from frozen?
FSIS says it is safe to cook frozen lamb in the oven, on the stove or on the grill without thawing it first, but the cooking time may be about 50% longer. Do not cook frozen lamb in a slow cooker. The times in the charts are for lamb straight from the refrigerator, at 40 °F.
For other meats, see the pork cooking time calculator, the ham cooking time calculator and the prime rib calculator. The meat temperature chart lists the safe internal temperatures.
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Lamb From Farm to Table (Approximate Lamb Cooking Times, updated December 3, 2024) and Roasting Those “Other” Holiday Meats (Holiday Meat Roasting Chart, updated December 5, 2024). How we check our calculators.