Flank.
The thin belly muscle behind the breast. Lean, coarse-grained; marinate, grill fast, slice thin.
Lamb flank cooks to the doneness you like, at or above the USDA minimum of 145 F with a 3 minute rest. It is not a low-and-slow cut.
Where it comes from
Not a separate FSIS primal; the Lamb Board's loin description notes the loin includes some flank meat and the rest sits with the breast. Kept as a region because the master diagram shows it and 'lamb flank' is a retail cut. Cook it like beef flank.
USDA FSIS primal: shank/breast (flank is part of the breast plate; not an FSIS primal). Seven regions, matching the master.
- Best methods:
- grill, sear
- Slice:
- Thin, across the grain.
- Rest:
- 5 minutes.
Scores are Pit Log editorial, anchored to FSIS tenderness notes.
What you will see at the counter
| Cut | Methods | Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb flank | grill | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Marinate, high heat, thin slices across the grain. |
Safe. Then done.
145 F (62.8 C), then rest at least 3 minutes before carving or consuming
Steaks, chops and roasts (whole muscle). Food thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle, read before removing from the heat source. This is a food safety floor, not a preference. Where any other number on this page is lower, this one governs.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, page updated 2025-04-14, read 2026-09-02.
3 to 5 minutes a side. Approximate.
lamb industry
Chops, rack, leg and roasts. Pull temperature and final temperature after rest. Culinary preference, as published by the industry body cited below.
| Doneness | Pull at | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium rare | 135 F | 145 F, rest 3 minutes | At or above the minimum. |
| Medium | 150 F | 160 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well | 160 F | 170 F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: American Lamb Board: pull 10 F below the target because the internal temperature keeps rising.
lamb goat convention
Chops and rack, restaurant convention, pull temperatures. Culinary preference, barbecue convention.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 125 to 130 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium rare | 130 to 135 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium | 135 to 145 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium well | 145 to 155 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well done | 160+ F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: 5 to 10 F on a rack or chop.
Rare, medium-rare and medium figures are culinary preference ranges that fall below the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 145 F with a 3 minute rest. USDA does not consider them safe. Where the two differ, the USDA minimum governs.
More on the lamb temperature page and the full chart.
Smoke
- Oak: Balanced, clean, dependable. The all-purpose smoke and the Central Texas standard (post oak).
What ruins it
- 01Slicing with the grain.
Cook it
No Pit Log recipe for this region yet.
- Instant-read thermometerThe single tool FSIS says is the only reliable way to know food is safe. Appears on every cut page.
- Slicing knife (brisket knife)Slice-against-the-grain pages: brisket, tri-tip, flank, leg of lamb.
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Then write down what happened
Pit temp, wood, wrap, final temp, rest, result. The chart says what usually works. Your log says what worked for you.