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The following advice is provided by EBLEX, the English Beef and Lamb Executive.
Meat storage and preparation
- Ensure that hands, equipment and surfaces are scrupulously clean before and after handling food and between handling raw and cooked foods – especially when using the barbecue.
- Check your fridge is operating at the correct temperature: between 0 and 4 degrees centigrade.
- Keep a separate hard, durable chopping board for preparing raw meats.
- Defrost frozen foods thoroughly (unless otherwise stated) and do not re-freeze once thawed.
- Cover and store raw and cooked foods separately. Store uncooked foods lower in the refrigerator than cooked ones.
- Make sure foods are thoroughly and evenly defrosted, and when re-heating ensure piping hot throughout.
- When marinating meat, cover and store in a refrigerator.
- Ensure burgers and sausages are thoroughly cooked and piping hot before serving.
- When roasting a stuffed joint remember to weigh the joint after stuffing, then calculate the cooking time.
- Food thermometers can be used to ensure internal food temperatures are sufficiently hot.
Guide to Roasting
- Position the oven shelves so the meat is in the centre of the oven.
- Place the joint uncovered on a wire rack in a roasting tin ensuring any fat is on the top. This allows the juices to run down and baste the joint naturally.
- When roasting beef and lamb joints, the secret is to cook the joints in a moderate oven for slightly longer to ensure even cooking.
- Remember to weigh beef and lamb joints before calculating your preferred cooking time.
| Oven Roasting:Gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F |
| Beef Cuts |
Cooking time |
Joints:
Sirloin, Rib, Topside, Brisket, Silverside, Mini joints |
Rare: 20mins per 450g (1lb) +20 mins
Internal temp approx 60°C
Medium: 25mins per 450g (1lb) +25 mins
Internal temp approx 70°C
Well-done: 30mins per 450g (1lb)+30 mins
Internal temp approx 80°C
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| Burgers |
15-20 minutes
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| Lamb Cuts |
Cooking time |
Joints:
Leg, Shoulder, Breast, Shanks, Rack |
Medium: 25mins per 450g (1lb) +25 mins
Internal temp 70-75°C
Well-done: 30mins per 450g (1lb)+30 mins
Internal temp approx 75-80°C
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| Loin, Chump, Cutlets –2cm (¾”) thick |
25-30 minutes
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| Burgers |
15-20 minutes
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- Allow the joint to rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking to let the meat fibres relax and juices distribute evenly so the joint is moist and easy to carve.
- To test the degree of cooking, use a meat thermometer. There are two varieties available. One you insert in the centre of the raw joint, or at the thickest point and cook until the desired internal temperature is reached. The other is inserted into the cooked joint after roasting. This gives an instant reading.
Beef: Rare - 60°C, Medium - 70°C, Well Done - 80°C
Lamb: Medium - 70-75°C, Well Done - 75-80°C
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