Better Homes & Gardens

roasting poultry
TIMING varies based on the size and shape of each bird. Use MEAT THERMOMETER (oven-going) may be inserted into the
times as general guides. For stuffed birds, see tip at bottom of center of an inside thigh muscle of large birds, not touching the
chart (next page). bone. (Or, during/after roasting, insert an instant-read
thermometer into center of the inside thigh muscle, away from
ADD AROMATICS, if desired, by placing quartered onions and bone, checking temperature in several places.)
celery in body cavity. Pull neck skin to back and fasten with a
skewer. If a band of skin crosses tail, tuck drumsticks under ROAST in an uncovered pan. Two-thirds of the way through
band. If there is no band, tie drumsticks to tail with 100%-cotton roasting time, cut band of skin or string between drumsticks.
kitchen string. Twist wing tips under back. Place bird, breast Uncover large birds the last 45 minutes of roasting; uncover
side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan; brush with small birds the last 30 minutes of roasting. Continue roasting
vegetable oil and, if desired, sprinkle with dried herbs, such as until meat thermometer registers 175°F in thigh muscle or until
thyme or oregano (crushed). (When cooking a domestic drumsticks move easily in sockets. (For a whole or half turkey
duckling or goose, prick skin generously all over and omit oil.) breast, bone in, thermometer should register 170°F. For whole
boneless breast, thermometer should register 165°F.) Remove
COVER Cornish game hens, pheasants, and whole turkeys with bird from oven; cover. Allow whole birds and turkey portions
foil, leaving air space between bird and foil. Lightly press foil to stand 15 minutes before carving.
at ends of drumsticks and neck to enclose bird. Leave other
poultry uncovered.

Type of Bird Weight Oven Temperature Roasting Time

CHICKEN
Capon 5 to 7 lb. 325°F 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours
Meaty pieces (breast halves, 2 1/2 to 3  lb. 375°F 45 to 55 minutes
drumsticks, and thighs with bone)
Whole 2 1/2 to 3 lb. 375°F​ 1 to 11/4 hours​
​3 1/2 to 4 lb. 375°F 11/4 to 1 1/2 hours
​4 1/2 to 5 lb. ​375°F 13/4 to 2 hours

GAME
Cornish game hen 11/4 to 11/2 lb. 375°F 1 to 11/4 hours
Duckling, domestic 4 to 6 lb. 350°F 13/4 to 21/2 hours
Goose, domestic 7 to 8 lb. 350°F​ 2 to 2 1/2 hours​
8 to 10 lb. 350°F 2 1/2 to 3 hours
Pheasant 2 to 3 lb. 325°F 11/2 to 2 hours

1
Better Homes & Gardens

roasting poultry (continued)

TURKEY
Breast, whole 4 to 6 lb. 325°F​ 11/2 to 2 1/4 hours
6 to 8 lb. 325°F ​2 1/4 to 3 1/4 hours
Breast, boneless whole* 2 1/2 to 3  lb. 325°F 40 to 60 minutes​
Breast, half 2 to 21/2 lb. 325°F 60 to 70 minutes
Breast, boneless half 11/4 to 11/2 lb. 325°F 35 to 40 minutes
Drumstick 1 to 11/2 lb. 325°F 11/4 to 13/4 hours
Thigh 11/2 to 13/4 lb. 325°F 11/2 to 13/4 hours
Whole (unstuffed)** 8 to 12 lb. 325°F​ 2 3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 lb. 325°F​ 3 to 3 3/4 hours​
14 to 18 lb. 325°F​ 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours​
18 to 20 lb. 325°F​ 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours​
20 to 24 lb. 325°F 4 1/2 to 5 hours

*If you can’t find a boneless whole turkey breast, have the butcher remove the bone.
**Stuffed birds generally require 15 to 45 minutes more roasting time than unstuffed birds.
Always verify doneness temperatures of poultry and center of stuffing (165°F) with a meat thermometer. 2
Better Homes & Gardens

roasting meat
SELECT A PAN that fits the task of roasting big pieces of meat—a large, sturdy shallow pan with a rack set inside. The pan’s
sides should be 2 to 3 inches high. This setup keeps the meat above the juices so the heat circulates all around the meat. You
can also use a 13×9-inch baking pan with an oven-safe wire rack set inside.
TO ROAST, place meat, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. (Roasts with a bone do not need a rack.) Insert a meat
thermometer in the thickest part of the roast (or check with an instant-read thermometer near the end of cooking time). Do
not add water or liquid and do not cover. Roast in a 325°F oven (unless chart says otherwise) for time given (below) and until
thermometer registers the temperature listed under “Doneness.” Remove the meat from the oven.
Tent with foil; let stand 15 minutes before carving. The meat’s temperature will rise to the standard for medium rare (145°F)
and medium (160°F) during the time it stands.

Cut Weight Roasting Time* Doneness

BEEF
Boneless tri-tip roast 11/2 to 2 lb. 30 to 35 minutes​ 135°F medium rare
(bottom sirloin) 40 to 45 minutes ​150°F medium
(Roast at 425°F)
Eye round roast 2 to 3 lb. 11/2 to 13/4 hours 135°F medium rare
(Roasting past medium rare is
not recommended)
Ribeye roast 3 to 4 lb. 11/2 to 13/4 hours​ 135°F medium rare
(Roast at 350°F) 13/4 to 2 hours​ ​150°F medium
​​4 to 6 lb. 13/4 to 2 hours​ 135°F medium rare
2 to 2 1/2 hours​ ​150°F medium
6 to 8 lb. 2 to 2 1/4 hours 135°F medium rare
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours ​150°F medium
Rib roast 4 to 6 lb. 13/4 to 2 1/4 hours​ 135°F medium rare
(chine bone removed) 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours​ ​150°F medium
(Roast at 350°F) 6 to 8 lb. 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours​ 135°F medium rare
2 3/4 to 3 hours​ ​150°F medium
8 to 10 lb.** 2 1/2 to 3 hours 135°F medium rare
3 to 3 1/2 hours ​150°F medium
Round tip roast 3 to 4 lb. 13/4 to 2 hours​ 135°F medium rare
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours​ ​150°F medium
4 to 6 lb. 2 to 2 1/2 hours​ 135°F medium rare
2 1/2 to 3 hours​ ​150°F medium
6 to 8 lb. 2 1/2 to 3 hours 135°F medium rare
3 to 3 1/2 hours ​150°F medium
Tenderloin roast 2 to 3 lb. 35 to 40 minutes​ 135°F medium rare
(Roast at 425°F) 45 to 50 minutes​ ​150°F medium
4 to 5 lb. 50 to 60 minutes 135°F medium rare
​60 to 70 minutes ​150°F medium
Top round roast 4 to 6 lb. 13/4 to 2 1/2 hours 135°F medium rare
(Roasting past medium rare is 6 to 8 lb. ​2 1/2 to 3 hours 135°F medium rare
not recommended)

*All roasting times are based on meat removed directly from refrigerator.
**Roasts weighing more than 8 lb. should be loosely covered with foil halfway through roasting. 3
Better Homes & Gardens

roasting meat (continued)

LAMB
Boneless leg of lamb 4 to 5 lb. 13/4 to 2 1/4 hours​ 135°F medium rare
2 to 2 1/2 hours​ ​150°F medium
5 to 6 lb. 2 to 2 1/2 hours 135°F medium rare
​2 1/2 to 3 hours ​150°F medium
Boneless shoulder roast 3 to 4 lb. 11/2 to 2 hours​ 135°F medium rare
13/4 to 2 1/4 hours ​150°F medium
4 to 5 lb. ​2 to 2 1/2 hours 135°F medium rare
​2 1/4 to 3 hours ​150°F medium
Boneless sirloin roast 11/2 to 2 lb. 1 to 11/4 hours​ 135°F medium rare
11/4 to 11/2 hours ​150°F medium
Leg of lamb (with bone) 5 to 7 lb. 13/4 to 2 1/4 hours​ 135°F medium rare
2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours​ ​150°F medium
7 to 8 lb. 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours​ 135°F medium rare
2 1/2 to 3 hours ​150°F medium
Leg of lamb, shank half 3 to 4 lb. 13/4 to 2 1/4 hours 135°F medium rare
(with bone) ​2 to 2 1/2 hours ​150°F medium
Leg of lamb, sirloin half 3 to 4 lb. 11/2 to 2 hours​ 135°F medium rare
(with bone) 13/4 to 2 1/4 hours ​150°F medium

*All roasting times are based on meat removed directly from refrigerator.
**Roasts weighing more than 8 lb. should be loosely covered with foil halfway through roasting. 4
Better Homes & Gardens

roasting meat (continued)

PORK
Boneless sirloin roast 2 to 21/2 lb. 11/4 to 13/4 hours ​145°F
Boneless top loin roast 2 to 3 lb. 1 to 11/2 hours ​145°F
(single loin)
Loin center rib roast 3 to 4 lb. 11/4 to 11/2 hours ​145°F
(backbone loosened) 4 to 6 lb. ​11/2 to 2 1/2 hours ​145°F
Loin back ribs or spareribs 11/2 to 13/4 hours Tender
Boneless country-style ribs 30 minutes 145°F
(loin)
(Brown in oil before roasting)
(Roast at 350°F)
Boneless country-style ribs 50 minutes Tender (185°F)
(shoulder)
(Brown in oil before roasting)
(Roast at 350°F)
Crown roast 6 to 8 lb. 13/4 to 2 1/2 hours ​145°F
Tenderloin 1 lb. 30 to 35 minutes 145°F
(Roast at 425°F)
Ham, cooked (boneless)*** 11/2 to 3 lb. 3/4 to 11/4 hours​ 140°F​
3 to 5 lb. 1 to 13/4 hours 140°F​
​6 to 8 lb. ​13/4 to 2 1/2 hours​ 140°F​
8 to 10 lb.** 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours 140°F
Ham, cooked (with bone)*** 6 to 8 lb. 11/2 to 2 1/4 hours 140°F​
(half or whole) ​14 to 16 lb.** ​2 3/4 to 3 3/4 hours 140°F
Ham, cook before eating 3 to 5 lb. ​ 13/4 to 3 hours ​150°F
(with bone) 7 to 8 lb. ​2 1/2 to 3 1/4 hours​ ​150°F
14 to 16 lb.** 4 to 5 1/4 hours ​150°F
Smoked shoulder picnic, 4 to 6 lb. 11/4 to 2 hours 140°F
cooked (with bone)

VEAL
Loin roast (with bone) 3 to 4 lb. 13/4 to 2 1/4 hours ​150°F medium
Rib roast 4 to 5 lb. 11/2 to 2 1/4 hours ​150°F medium
(chine bone removed)

*All roasting times are based on meat removed directly from refrigerator.
**Roasts weighing more than 8 lb. should be loosely covered with foil halfway through roasting.
***If using a natural ham, cooking may require 45 to 60 minutes more to reach temperature. 5