(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
A. It is not necessary to preheat your oven.
the completion of cooking time is recommended.
Temperatures are shown in the Roasting Guide. For
Q. When buying a roast, are there any special tips
that would help me cook it more evenly?
roasts over 8 pounds, check with thermometer at
hour intervals after half the cooking time has passed.
A. Yes. Buy a roast as even in thickness as possible,
Q. Why is my roast crumbling when I try to
or buy rolled roasts.
carve it?
Q.
Can
I seal the
sides of my
foil
when
A. Roasts
easier to slice if allowed to cool 10 to
roasting a turkey?
20 minutes after removing them from the oven.
A. Sealing the foil will steam the meat. Leaving it
Be sure to cut across the grain of the meat.
unsealed allows the air to circulate and brown
the meat.
Frozen Roasts
Frozen roasts of beef, pork, lamb, etc., can be started
Make sure poultry is thawed before roasting.
without thawing, but allow 10 to 25 minutes per
poultry often does not cook evenly.
pound additional time (10 minutes per pound for
Some commercial frozen poultry can be cooked
roasts under 5 pounds, more time for larger roasts).
successfully without thawing. Follow the directions
given on the package label.
Type
Meat
Tender cuts; rib, high quality
sirloin tip, ramp or top round*
Lamb leg or bone-in shoulder*
Veal shoulder, leg or loin*
Pork loin, rib or shoulder*
Ham, precooked
Poultry
Chicken or Duck
Turkey
Turkey Breast
Oven
Temperature
325°
325°
325°
325°
325°
325°
325°
325°
Approximate Roasting Time
Doneness
in Minutes
Pound
Rare:
Medium:
Well Done:
Rare:
Medium:
Well Done:
Well Done:
Well Done:
To Warm:
Well Done:
3 to 5
lbs.
6 to 8 lbs.
24-33
18-22
35-39
22-29
4045
30-35
21-25
20-23
25-30
24-28
30-35
28-33
3545
3040
3545
3040
17–20
per pound (any weight)
3
to 5
lbs.
Over 5
3540
30-35
10 to 15 lbs.
Over 15 lbs.
Well Done:
18–25
15-20
3
to
lbs.
to 9 lbs.
Well Done:
15-22
Internal
Temperature
0
1
160°
170°
170°
170°
170°
140°
In breast
170°
In thigh
180°
In thigh:
185°–1900
170°
*For boneless rolled roasts over 6 inches thick, add 5 to 10 minutes per pound to times given above.
U. S. Department of Agriculture says “Rare beef is popular, but you should
know that cooking it to only
means some
food poisoning organisms may survive.” (Source: Safe Food Book. Your Kitchen Guide. USDA Rev. June 1985.)
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