Lamb cooking temperature
Are you preparing lamb recipes this holiday season and need a lamb temperature chart to guide you? You are right here. Let our new free lamb temperature chart guide you!
This comprehensive guide will help you achieve the desired doneness for each cut of lamb, ensuring a delicious and impressive meal every time.
Whether you’re preparing our sous vide lamb shank, smoked lamb shank, sous vide lamb chops, or smoked rack of lamb with lamb seasoning, you can refer to this lamb temperature chart for reference.
Lamb cooking temperature
Here are the internal temperatures to keep when preparing a lamb dish. Temperatures are the same whether you’re cooking a boneless or boneless roast or lamb chops. Please note that these temperatures are in Fahrenheit.
| degree of doneness of the lamb | Indoor Temperature (°F) |
| Rarely | 120-129°F |
| Half done | 130-134°F |
| Middle | 135-144°F |
| middle fountain | 145-154°F |
| Well done | 155-164°F |
The USDA recommends a minimum temperature of 145°F.
Internal lamb temperature
Not sure what doneness to cook to? Here’s a visual guide to help you choose your ideal temperature:
- Rarely: Bright red center, lukewarm.
- Half done: Bright red center, pink edges, warm.
- Middle: Solid pink and warm.
- Middle fountain: Slightly pink center and warm throughout.
- Well done: Very little pink.
Relax
When preparing it, you should consider the temperature of the roast lamb in relation to the time. The pull out/remove temperature will be below the final temperature at which you would like to serve the meat as the temperature will continue to rise while the meat is resting.
Here’s a guideline to look up:
- Rest 15 minutes – The pull temperature will be 7-10°F below the final temperature you are aiming for.
- Rest 20-25 minutes – The draw temperature is 10-12°F below the final temperature you are aiming for.
Plan your cooking schedule to ensure you have enough time to cook your dish to the degree of doneness you want.
Medium Rare Lamb
Medium rare lamb temperature is most popular for all cuts of meat. It’s usually served in restaurants as “Medium Rare” unless you specifically want it to be cooked at a different temperature.
At this temperature (130-134°F), the flesh has a bright red center, pink edges, and is consistently warm. It’s like biting into butter. To be honest we prefer medium, but to each their own.
Cooking times for lamb
Cooking times will vary depending on the cut, thickness, and cooking method. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure accurate readings.
cuts
These temperatures apply to the following popular cuts:
- Lamb shank
- rack of lamb
- lamb shoulder
- lamb breast
- chops
- Lamb loin chop
- lamb neck
- lamb fillet
expert tips
Here are some helpful tips to ensure your dishes are cooked to perfection every time:
- Let your meat sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. This will cook the meat more evenly
- Let your cooked meat rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This allows the juice to disperse better, resulting in a more tender and flavorful dish.
- It is imperative to use an instant-read thermometer to measure the internal temperature while cooking. If you haven’t bought a meat thermometer yet, you definitely should! Here is our favorite brand: Thermaworks Dot.
More resources
Temperature chart for prime rib
Temperature table for steak
Pork temperature chart
Tri-Tip Temperature Chart
Related Recipes
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions! We’re here to help you make your Easter and Christmas recipes less stressful!