How to Tell When Lamb Is Cooked

It can be tough to tell when meat is done and ready for serving. Pull the meat out of the oven too early and your guests will be grumbling that it is still alive. Pull it too late, and suddenly you're serving meat drier than the Mojave desert. Here are some tips on how to tell if lamb is cooked to your liking.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Tongs

Instructions

1. Remove your lamb from the grill or oven and take it out of cooking range. Pierce the lamb at its thickest point with your knife. This is usually on the bottom of the rack of lamb. Pierce the lamb away from the bone to get an accurate reading.

2. Watch the juices as they exit the lamb. If you want the meat medium-rare to medium, the juices should be pink. If they are still red, then the lamb should cook more. If they have turned clear, then your lamb is now well done.

3. Choose an easy alternative. Stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of your lamb and wait for the temperature to read. Rare starts at 135 degrees, while well done is anything over 165 degrees. The gradations occur every 10 degrees in between those two numbers.

Tips & Warnings

• Roast root vegetables underneath your lamb as it cooks. Place a layer of potatoes, carrots and beets on the bottom of the pan. Then put the lamb on top. The juices and fat will help roast the vegetables.