and is significantly firmer, juicier, moister, and more
tender than either rare or medium meat.- 140°F (medium): Solid rosy pink and quite firm to the
touch. Still moist but verging on dry. The fat is fully
rendered at this stage, delivering plenty of flavor. - 150°F (medium-well): Pink but verging on gray. The
moisture level has dropped precipitously, and the texture
is chewy and fibrous. The fat has fully rendered and
begun to collect outside the roast, carrying away flavor
with it. - 160°F (well-done): Dry, gray, and lifeless. The moisture
loss is up to 18 percent, and the fat is completely
rendered.
Just like with beef, I personally recommend cooking lamb to
at least medium-rare—it’s hot enough that the abundant fat
in the meat has begun to melt, lubricating and flavoring the
meat. Rare lamb is tougher and less flavorful.
Q: So, if I’m cooking it in the oven, what temperature
should I use?
Just as with cooking any large piece of meat, you’ve got a
decision to make right off the bat: do you want to cook hot
or cool? Cooking in a high oven will obviously get dinner
on the table much faster, but it’ll also result in far more
uneven cooking, with the outer layers of the meat
overcooking and turning gray by the time the center is done.
Now, I understand that some people don’t mind this. I like
having some juicy medium-rare meat and some tougher
well-done meat on my plate, they say. Those of you who