Lamb · oven
Leg of Lamb (Bone-In)
Leg of Lamb (Bone-In)
cooking times
2 hr 20 min – 3 hr At the most common temperature, 325°F, a bone-in leg of lamb runs about 2 hr 20 min – 3 hr at 7 lb. Pick your temperature below for the full chart. Done is always 145°F internal.
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.
Doneness temperatures
| Doneness | Internal temp | |
|---|---|---|
| Medium-rare | 130–135°F | below the USDA minimum |
| Medium | 135–145°F | |
| Medium-well | 145–155°F |
USDA FSIS recommends a minimum of 145°F with a 20-minute rest for whole cuts. Rare and medium-rare sit below that guideline — a personal choice many cooks make with fresh, well-handled meat, listed here because these are the temperatures cookbooks and restaurants use.
Worth knowing before you start
- The low end of the range lands medium-rare, the high end medium — lamb leg is best decided by pull temperature, not by the clock.
- A boneless, rolled leg cooks slightly faster per pound and carves far more easily; bone-in has the better flavour argument.
- The muscle around the bone reads cooler — probe the thickest part of the meat away from the bone.