Fresh Ham (Uncooked)
at 325°F
4 hr 25 min – 5 hr 10 min Plan on 22 to 26 minutes per pound in a 325°F oven. A 12 lb fresh ham (uncooked) lands around 4 hr 25 min – 5 hr 10 min. Done is 145°F on a food thermometer, plus a 20-minute rest — never the clock alone.
Time by weight at 325°F
Planning ranges for a fully thawed, fridge-temperature fresh ham (uncooked). The right-hand column is when to take the first thermometer reading.
| Weight | Estimated time at 325°F | Check thermometer from |
|---|---|---|
| 8 lb | 2 hr 55 min – 3 hr 30 min | 2 hr 30 min in |
| 9 lb | 3 hr 20 min – 3 hr 55 min | 2 hr 50 min in |
| 10 lb | 3 hr 40 min – 4 hr 20 min | 3 hr 5 min in |
| 11 lb | 4 hr – 4 hr 45 min | 3 hr 25 min in |
| 12 lb | 4 hr 25 min – 5 hr 10 min | 3 hr 45 min in |
| 13 lb | 4 hr 45 min – 5 hr 40 min | 4 hr 5 min in |
| 14 lb | 5 hr 10 min – 6 hr 5 min | 4 hr 20 min in |
| 15 lb | 5 hr 30 min – 6 hr 30 min | 4 hr 40 min in |
| 16 lb | 5 hr 50 min – 6 hr 55 min | 5 hr in |
Start checking the internal temperature well before the low end of the range — an early check costs nothing; a late one costs the meal. Done means 145°F on a food thermometer.
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.
Answers people ask
How long does an uncooked fresh ham take at 325°F?
Plan on 22 to 26 minutes per pound at 325°F. A 12 lb example takes about 4 hr 25 min – 5 hr 10 min. It is done when the internal temperature reaches 145°F on a food thermometer, not when the clock runs out.
What internal temperature is an uncooked fresh ham done at?
145°F, measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part, then rested about 20 minutes. That is the USDA FSIS safe minimum.
Is 325°F a good temperature for an uncooked fresh ham?
It is the standard published temperature for this cut.
More pork timings
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are anchored to USDA FSIS published timetables where they exist, and derived from that anchor plus cross-checked published sources where they do not — widened to cover the disagreement between sources rather than split down the middle. The full reasoning is on the method page. If a figure here looks wrong, say so — corrections are prioritised.