ROASTING
(continued)
Questions and Answers
Q. Is it necessary to check for doneness with | Q. Do I need to preheat my oven each time I cook | |
a meat thermometer? | a roast or poultry? | |
A. Checking the finished internal temperature at the | A. It is not necessary to preheat your oven. | |
completion of cooking time is recommended. | Q. When buying a roast, are there any special tips | |
Temperatures are shown in Roasting Guide. | ||
that would help me cook it more evenly? | ||
For roasts over 8 lbs., check with thermometer at | ||
A. Yes. Buy a roast as even in thickness as possible, | ||
or buy rolled roasts. | ||
Q. Why is my roast crumbling when I try to | ||
Q. Can I seal the sides of my foil “tent” when | ||
carve it? | ||
roasting a turkey? | ||
A. Roasts are easier to slice if allowed to cool | ||
A. Sealing the foil will steam the meat. Leaving it | ||
10 to 20 minutes after removing from oven. | ||
unsealed allows the air to circulate and brown | ||
Be sure to cut across the grain of the meat. | ||
the meat. | ||
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ROASTING GUIDE
Frozen Roasts
Frozen roasts of beef, pork, lamb, etc., can be started without thawing, but allow 15 to 25 minutes per pound additional time (15 minutes per pound for roasts under 5 pounds, more time for larger roasts).
Make sure poultry is thawed before roasting. Unthawed poultry often does not cook evenly. Some commercial frozen poultry can be cooked successfully without thawing. Follow directions given on package label.
| Oven |
| Approximate Roasting Time | Internal | |
Type | Temperature | Doneness | in Minutes per Pound |
| Temperature °F. |
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Meat |
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| 3 to 5 lbs. | 6 to 8 lbs. |
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Tender cuts; rib, high quality | 325° | Rare: | |||
sirloin tip, rump or top round* |
| Medium: | |||
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| Well Done: | |||
Lamb leg or | 325° | Rare: | |||
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| Medium: | |||
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| Well Done: | |||
Veal shoulder, leg or loin* | 325° | Well Done: | |||
Pork loin, rib or shoulder* | 325° | Well Done: | |||
Ham, precooked | 325° | To Warm: | |||
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Poultry |
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| 3 to 5 lbs. | Over 5 lbs. |
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Chicken or Duck | 325° | Well Done: | |||
Chicken pieces | 350° | Well Done: |
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| 10 to 15 lbs. | Over 15 lbs. | In thigh: |
Turkey | 325° | Well Done: | |||
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*For boneless rolled roasts over 6 inches thick, add 5 to 10 minutes per pound to times given above.
†The U.S. Department of Agriculture says “Rare beef is popular, but you should know that cooking it to only 140°F. means some food poisoning organisms may survive.” (Source: Safe Food Book. Your Kitchen Guide. USDA Rev. June 1985.)
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