Homegrown Ontario’s Guide to Great Roasting
For some cooks, roasting large cuts of meat might seem a bit intimidating. The fact is, roasting large cuts for a sumptuous family dinner is the ultimate “set it and forget it” way to prepare a fabulous feast. All it requires from the cook is a few minutes of preparation and the oven does the rest. Let Homegrown Ontario’s comprehensive roasting guide make your next roast a smashing success.
Roasting 101
Pork*
| Cut | Pork Roast | Weight (lbs) | Cooking Time Min/lb @ 325 F (160 C) | Internal Temperature |
| Loin | centre, bone in rack sirloin, boneless single loin, boneless rib, boneless crown roast double loin |
3–5 3–5 3–4 3–4 2–4 8 & up 3–5 |
20–25 20–25 25–30 20–25 20–25 10–15 30–35 |
160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well done |
| Leg | inside outside |
3–4 3–4 |
20–25 20–25 |
160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well done |
| Shoulder | blade, boneless picnic boneless blade, bone-in picnic, bone-in |
3–6 3–6 5 5 |
30–35 30–35 25–30 25–30 |
160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well done |
| Tenderloin | roast at 375 F (190 C) | 3/4 –1 | 20–25 (total time) | 160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well done |
*Courtesy of putporkonyourfork.com.
Veal*
| Cut | Weight (lbs) | Cooking Time (hours) @ 325 F (160 C) | Internal Temperature |
| Leg rump or round roast | 5–6 | 2–3 1/4 | 160–170 F (71–75 C) |
| Loin roast | 4–6 | 2–3 | 160–170 F (71–75 C) |
| Rib roast | 3–5 | 1 3/4 –3 | 160–170 F (71–75 C) |
| Shoulder roast, boneless | 4–6 | 2 3/4 –4 | 160–170 F (71–75 C) |
*Courtesy of ontariovealappeal.ca.
Lamb*
| Cut | Weight (lbs) | Cooking Time Min/lb @ 325 F (160 C) | Internal Temperature |
| Leg, bone-in | 5–7
7–9 |
15–20 20–25 25–30 20–25 25–30 30–35 |
140 F (60 C) rare 160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well 140 F (60 C) rare 160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well |
| Leg, boneless | 4–7 | 25–30 30–35 35–40 |
140 F (60 C) rare 160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well |
| Leg, shank half | 3–4 | 30–35 40–45 45–50 |
140 F (60 C) rare 160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well |
| Leg, sirloin half | 3–4 | 25–30 35–40 45–50 |
140 F (60 C) rare 160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well |
| Shoulder, boneless | 3 1/2–5 | 30–35 35–40 40–45 |
140 F (60 C) rare 160 F (71 C) medium 170 F (75 C) well |
*Courtesy of lambrecipes.ca.
Poultry*
| Cut | Weight (lbs) | Cooking time (hours) @ 325 F (160 C) for Stuffed Poultry | Cooking time (hours) @ 325 F (160 C) for Un–stuffed Poultry | Internal Temperature |
| Whole | 6–8 8–10 10–12 12–16 16–22 |
3–3 1/4 3 1/4 –3 1/2 3 1/2 –3 3/4 3 3/4 – 4 4 – 4 1/2 *Note: If your bird is browning too quickly, loosely drape it with a sheet of aluminum foil. |
2 1/2–2 3/4 2 3/4–3 3 – 3 1/4 3 1/4–3 1/2 3 1/2–4 |
170 F (75 C) un-stuffed 180 F (83 C) stuffed |
*Courtesy of turkeyrecipes.ca.
Beef*
| Cut | Weight (lbs) | Cooking Time – Min/lb @ 325 F (160 C) | Internal Temperature |
| Oven roast | 3-8 | 20 25 30 |
135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Rib roast, bone-in | 4-8 | 25 – 30 | 135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Rib roast, boneless | 4 – 6 | 35 – 40 | 135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Ribeye, boneless | 3 – 4 4 – 6 |
23 – 30 @ 350 F (180 C) 18 – 20 @ 350 F (180 C) |
135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Tenderloin roast | 4 – 6 | 60 – 70 @ 425 F (220 C) (Total time) |
135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Top round roast | 2 1/2 – 4 | 25 – 30 | 135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Bottom round roast | 4 – 6 | 35 – 40 | 135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Eye round roast | 2 – 3 | 20 – 22 | 135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Top sirloin roast | 2 – 4 | 16 – 20 @ 350 F (180 C) | 135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
| Sirloin tip roast | 2 1/2 – 4 4 – 6 |
30 – 35 25 – 30 |
135 F (57 C) rare 155 F (68 C) medium 165 F (72 C) well |
Courtesy of ontariocornfedbeef.com.
Homegrown Ontario’s Simple Rules for Roasting
Season:
- For the best flavour – if you have the time – rub your seasonings evenly over the meat, seal it tightly with plastic wrap then refrigerate overnight.
- You can also add fantastic flavour to your roast by inserting slivers of garlic or herbs into slits cut in the meat; cover and refrigerate overnight.
Roast:
- Before roasting your meat, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Drizzling a small amount of oil onto your meat before roasting helps to keep the seasoning and flavours locked in.
- Use a roasting rack to ensure even browning and heat circulation.
- Cooking times depend on the size of the roast, whether it is bone-in or boneless, and the amount of fat both inside and outside the roast – use an instant-read or digital meat thermometer to accurately determine doneness (see roasting times above).
- Use drippings from the roast to make a flavourful stock gravy or sauce for your roast.
Sit:
- Once removed from the oven, your roast will continue to cook and its internal temperature will rise. To achieve perfect doneness, pull the roast from the oven when your thermometer indicates it is within 10 F (5 C) of its final cooked temperature.
- Once out of the oven, allow roasts to rest for 15–20 minutes. As a roast rests, flavourfull internal juices redistribute and are absorbed back into the roast.