Pork · oven
Fresh Ham (Uncooked)
Fresh Ham (Uncooked)
cooking times
4 hr 25 min – 5 hr 10 min At the most common temperature, 325°F, an uncooked fresh ham runs about 4 hr 25 min – 5 hr 10 min at 12 lb. Pick your temperature below for the full chart. Done is always 145°F internal.
Pick your temperature
All temperatures compared
| Oven temp | Time for a 12 lb fresh ham (uncooked) | Per pound |
|---|---|---|
| 325°F | 4 hr 25 min – 5 hr 10 min | 22–26 min/lb |
When is it actually done?
145°F internal The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for this cut is 145°F, followed by a rest of about 20 minutes. The clock estimates; the thermometer decides. Every time on this page is a planning range, not a doneness test.
Source note: 22–26 min/lb at 325°F for a whole fresh leg is the USDA FSIS published timetable. This is raw pork roast — the 140°F reheat rule for cured 'city' hams does not apply.
Worth knowing before you start
- A fresh ham is simply the pig's rear leg, uncured — it roasts like an enormous pork loin and tastes of pork roast, not of 'ham'.
- Score the skin in a diamond pattern; at 325°F it renders into crackling by the end of the long cook.
- This is one of the longest oven cooks in this book — a 14 lb fresh ham is a 5–6 hour project.