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The tables here give approximate cooking times and temperatures for roasting beef, poultry, pork, and lamb. You want to remove a meat roast when its internal temperature is 5 to 10 degrees F less than final internal temperature, and then let it rest for about 15 minutes.
During the resting time, the roast cooks 5 to 10 degrees F more. None of this is an exact science, though; you have to use a meat thermometer to get the results you like.
When inserting a meat thermometer into a roast, donât let the metal touch the bone â the bone is hotter than the meat and registers a falsely higher temperature.
Keep in mind that every oven is different. Some ovens are off by as much as 50 degrees F, which can be like trying to make gourmet coffee with hot tap water. Roasting can be a disaster without precision. Investing in an oven thermometer is worthwhile.
| Beef Roast | Preheated Oven Temperature (Degrees F) | Weight | Approximate Total Cooking Time | Remove from Oven at This Meat Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boneless rib eye roast (small end) | 350 degrees | 3 to 4 pounds | Medium rare: 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours | 135 degrees F |
| Medium: 1-3/4 to 2 hours | 150 degrees F | |||
| 4 to 6 pounds | Medium rare: 1-3/4 to 2 hours | 135 degrees F | ||
| Medium: 2 to 2-1/2 hours | 150 degrees F | |||
| 6 to 8 pounds | Medium rare: 2 to 2-1/4 hours | 135 degrees F | ||
| Medium: 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 hours | 150 degrees F | |||
| Bone-in rib roast (chine bone removed) | 350 degrees F | 4 to 6 pounds (2 ribs) | Medium rare: 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours | 135 degrees F |
| Medium: 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 hours | 150 degrees F | |||
| 6 to 8 pounds (2 to 4 ribs) | Medium rare: 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 hours | 135 degrees F | ||
| Medium: 2-3/4 to 3 hours | 150 degrees F | |||
| 8 to 10 pounds (4 to 5 ribs) | Medium rare: 2-1/2 to 3 hours | 135 degrees F | ||
| Medium: 3 to 3-1/2 hours | 150 degrees F | |||
| Round tip roast (sirloin tip) | 325 degrees F | 3 to 4 pounds | Medium rare: 1-3/4 to 2 hours | 140 degrees F |
| Medium: 2-1/4 to 21/2 hours | 155 degrees F | |||
| 4 to 6 pounds | Medium rare: 2 to 2-1/2 hours | 140 degrees F | ||
| Medium: 2-1/2 to 3 hours | 155 degrees F | |||
| 6 to 8 pounds | Medium rare: 2-1/2 to 3 hours | 140 degrees F | ||
| Medium: 3 to 3-1/2 hours | 155 degrees F | |||
| Tenderloin roast | 425 degrees F | 2 to 3 pounds | Medium rare: 35 to 40 minutes | 135 degrees F |
| Medium: 45 to 50 minutes | 150 degrees F | |||
| 4 to 5 pounds | Medium rare: 50 to 60 minutes | 135 degrees F | ||
| Medium: 60 to 70 minutes | 150 degrees F |
Source: National Cattlemenâs Beef Association
Medium rare doneness: 140 degrees F to 145 degrees F final meat temperature after 10 to 15 minutes standing time
Medium doneness: 155 degrees F to 160 degrees F final meat temperature after 10 to 15 minutes standing time
Allow 1/4 to 1â3 pound of uncooked boneless beef per serving and 1/2 to 1 pound of bone-in meat per serving, depending on the cut.
| Bird | Weight | Preheated Oven Temperature | Cooking Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken, broiler/fryer (unstuffed) | 3 to 4 pounds | 350 degrees F | 11/4 to 1-1/2 hours |
| Chicken, roaster (unstuffed) | 5 to 7 pounds | 350 degrees F | 2 to 2-1/4 hours |
| Whole turkey (thawed and unstuffed) | 8 to 12 pounds | 325 degrees F | 2-3/4 to 3 hours |
| Whole turkey (thawed and unstuffed) | 12 to 14 pounds | 325 degrees F | 3 to 3-3/4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 325 degrees F | 3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours | |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 325 degrees F | 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 hours | |
| Duck (whole, unstuffed) | 4 to 5-1/2 pounds | 325 degrees F | 2-1/2 to 3 hours |
Source: National Chicken Council
Depending on the size of the bird, allow 15 to 20 minutes additional cooking time if stuffed.
Internal temperature for stuffing should be 165 degrees F.
Internal temperature for meat should be minimum 165 degrees F in the thigh.
Allow about 3/4 to 1 pound of uncooked chicken or turkey on the bone per serving.
The associations and companies that produce and market poultry use these roasting tables only as a rough guideline. For actual cooking times, they recommend always using a meat thermometer to ensure that poultry of any kind reaches a safe minimal internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
| Cut | Thickness/Weight | Remove from Oven at This Meat Temperature | Cooking Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loin roast (bone-in) | 3 to 5 pounds | 145 degrees F | 20 minutes per pound |
| Boneless pork roast | 2 to 4 pounds | 145 degrees F | 20 minutes per pound |
| Tenderloin (roast at 425 degrees F to 450 degrees F) | 1/2 to 1-1/2 pounds | 145 degrees F | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Crown roast | 6 to 10 pounds | 145 degrees F | 20 minutes per pound |
| Boneless loin chops | 1 inch thick | 145 degrees F | 12 to 16 minutes |
| Ribs | Tender | 1-1/2 to 2 hours |
Source: National Pork Producers Council
Roast in a shallow pan, uncovered, at 350 degrees F.
Internal temperature should be minimum 145 degrees F.
Allow about 1/4 to 1â3 pound of uncooked boneless meat per serving and about 1/2 to 1 pound of bone-in meat per serving, depending on the cut.
| Roast | Weight | Final Internal Temperature | Approximate Cooking Time Per Pound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg (bone-in) | 5 to 7 pounds | Medium rare: 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F | 15 minutes |
| Medium: 150 degrees F to 155 degrees F | 20 minutes | ||
| Boneless (rolled and tied) | 4 to 7 pounds | Medium rare: 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F | 20 minutes |
| Medium: 150 degrees F to 155 degrees F | 25 minutes | ||
| Sirloin roast (boneless) | about 2 pounds | Medium rare: 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F | 25 minutes |
| Medium: 150 degrees F to 155 degrees F | 30 minutes | ||
| Top round roast | about 2 pounds | Medium rare: 145 degrees F to 150 degrees F | 45 minutes |
| Medium: 150 degrees F to 155 degrees F | 55 minutes |
Source: American Lamb Council
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and remove from oven about 10 degrees F below desired temperature.
Internal temperature should be minimum 145 degrees F.
Allow 1/4 to 1â3 pound of boneless lamb per serving and 1â3 to 1/2 pound of bone-in lamb per serving.
Although it can be irresistible, donât keep opening the oven door to see whether your roasted dish is done. Your kitchen will get hot, youâll get hotter, and the meat or vegetables will take longer to cook.
1 Answer 1 Sorted by:
It sounds like theres going to be some time between when it is cooked to when it is served, in which case the last thing youd want to do is pre-carve it as it will dry out. Beef should rest after roasting, some chefs recommend roasting it as long as you cooked it, so dont worry if it takes 2-3 hours.
The important thing is to make sure you keep it warm and as moist as possible, so what I would do is wrap it in foil and put it in the bottom part of a tupperware container. The foil will keep it warm while the container will catch any drips. You can put the container at the bottom of a bag for transport, just keep the bag open. Its not going to overcook as long as you take it out 10-15 degrees F below the target temperature.
Just today I made a 2 rib roast and rested it by wrapping it in foil. The temperature climbed about 12 degrees after I took it out, and an hour and a half later it was still warmer than when I took it out of the oven, so the method works.
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