Leg.
The hind leg. Lean, large, the classic roast; butterflied it grills; sirloin chops come off the top.
Lamb leg 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
The Lamb Board calls the boneless leg (BRT) the most versatile and the leanest cut, about 7 to 8 lb whole, most tender near the sirloin end; bone-in leg is the holiday roast. FSIS notes sirloin chops from the leg are cheaper than loin chops but may be as tender. The Lamb Board's time table: bone-in leg 5 to 7 lb at 325 F, 20 to 25 minutes per pound to medium rare (145 F final).
USDA FSIS primal: leg. Seven regions, matching the master.
- Best methods:
- roast, grill (butterflied), smoke
- Slice:
- Against the grain, parallel to the bone on a bone-in leg (Lamb Board: carve against the grain for the best texture).
- Rest:
- 15 to 20 minutes for a whole leg; pull 10 F under target (Lamb Board).
Scores are Pit Log editorial, anchored to FSIS tenderness notes.
What you will see at the counter
| Cut | Methods | Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bone-in leg of lamb | roast, smoke | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Lamb Board: 20 to 25 min/lb medium rare; 25 to 30 medium; 30 to 35 well, at 325 F. |
| Boneless leg (BRT) / butterflied | grill, roast, smoke | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Lamb Board: leanest and most versatile. Butterflied on the grill is the backyard classic. |
| Sirloin chops | grill | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | FSIS: from the leg; less expensive, may be just as tender. |
| Leg steaks | grill | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | FSIS planning: 3/4 inch, 14 to 18 minutes under a broiler or on a grill. |
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.
Lamb Board and FSIS tables above. 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
What ruins it
- 01Cooking a lean leg to well done and wondering why it is dry.
- 02Not tying a boneless leg; uneven thickness cooks unevenly.
Cook it
No Pit Log recipe for this region yet.
- Leave-in probe / wireless thermometerFSIS: use two thermometers, one for the pit air and one for the food. Every low-and-slow page.
- Slicing knife (brisket knife)Slice-against-the-grain pages: brisket, tri-tip, flank, leg of lamb.
- Butcher twineTying a boneless leg or loin.
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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.