20 of the Leanest Cuts of Meat

There are many different meat products, and they can all be quite different nutritionally.

For example, some people may prefer fattier cuts of meat like steak with extensive marbling.

On the other hand, others may prioritize leaner cuts of meat.

Leaner cuts of meat have a higher protein content and are lower in fat. Thus, they also contain fewer calories.

This guide presents 20 protein-dense lean cuts of meat, alongside their calorie, fat, and protein content.

The data source for all nutritional values is the USDA’s FoodData Central nutrition database, and it is based on per-100-gram (3.5 oz) servings.

1) Beef, flank, lean

Flank steak, also known as skirt steak, is a lean cut of beef, particularly when trimmed of visible fat.

The following table shows the nutritional data for lean flank steak by raw and cooked (braised) weight (1, 2).

For an exploration of the nutritional composition of almost all types of beef, see this guide:

30 Types of Beef: Nutrition Facts For Every Cut

2) Beef, eye of round steak, lean

Also known as beef silverside, beef eye of round steak is one of the leanest cuts of meat.

The following table shows the energy, protein, and fat content of beef eye of round steak by raw and cooked (grilled) weight (3, 4).

3) Beef, ground, 3% fat, 97% lean

Lean ground beef can vary by fat content, but the 97% lean variety is one of the leanest meats.

The table below shows the nutritional data for 97% lean ground beef by raw and cooked (baked) weight (5, 6).

4) Beef, liver

Beef liver is a type of organ meat, also known as ‘offal’ or ‘variety cut.’

Compared to regular cuts of meat, liver has a low fat content, and it tends to be high in protein.

Here are the protein, fat, and energy data for beef liver by raw and cooked (braised) weight (7, 8).

5) Beef, sirloin tri-tip, lean

Beef sirloin tri-tip is a lean meat cut, but its name can cause some confusion depending on where you live.

Despite ‘sirloin’ also being a cut of meat in the United Kingdom, the American ‘sirloin’ is known as rump steak in the UK.

Per 100 grams, here is the nutritional data for lean sirloin steak by raw and cooked (roasted) weight (9, 10).

6) Beef, top round, lean

Beef top round steak is another meat cut among the leanest options.

Depending on the country, this cut of meat may also be referred to as ‘topside.’

Here are the nutritional values for energy, fat, and protein content for lean top round by raw and cooked (braised) weight (11, 12).

7) Bison, ribeye, lean

Gram for gram, bison meat tends to be leaner than beef.

For instance, a lean bison ribeye trimmed of fat only has 116 calories and 2.4 grams of fat per 100 grams as sold (13).

Here is lean bison ribeye’s calorie, fat, and protein content by raw and cooked (broiled) weight (13, 14).

8) Chicken, breast, skinless

Chicken breasts are probably what many people think of when they hear ‘low-fat’ and high-‘protein.’

Most of the fat from chicken breast comes from the skin; opting for skinless chicken breast is one of the leanest meat options.

Here is the nutritional data for skinless chicken breast’s calorie, fat, and protein provision (15, 16).

9) Chicken, leg/drumstick, skinless

With the skin on, chicken drumsticks are relatively fatty and high in calories compared to other cuts of chicken.

However, skinless chicken drumsticks are lean and protein-dense.

Per 100 grams, skinless chicken drumsticks provide the following nutritional values by raw and cooked (roasted) weight (17, 18).

10) Chicken, liver

Like other liver products, chicken liver is also a lean, high-protein option.

Here is the nutritional data for the calorie, fat, and protein provision by raw and cooked (simmered) weight (19, 20).

11) Duck breast, skinless

In addition to chicken, other forms of poultry tend to be a good source of lean protein.

Among these, duck breast (without skin) is one of the leanest choices.

Here is the data for calories, fat, and protein for skinless duck breast by raw and cooked (broiled) weight (21, 22).

12) Pork, ground, 96% lean, 4% fat

Like all meats, leaner ground pork can be highly lean with minimal fat content.

Based on 96% lean ground pork, the calorie, fat, and protein content will be as follows (23, 24).

13) Pork, liver

Pork liver is just as lean as other varieties of liver.

For instance, pork liver is lower in calories and fat yet higher in protein than many cuts of pork.

Here are the calorie, fat, and protein values for pork liver by raw and cooked (braised) weight (25, 26).

14) Pork, tenderloin, lean

Pork tenderloin is the leanest type of pork you can buy, and lean cuts provide only slightly more than 2% fat by raw weight (27).

Here is the data for calories, fat, and protein for pork tenderloin by raw and cooked (roasted) weight (27, 28).

15) Pork, top loin (chops), lean

Pork top loin chops are among the leanest cuts of pork, with only 3% fat by raw weight (29).

The table below shows the calorie, fat, and protein content of pork top loin by raw and cooked (roasted) weight (29, 30).

16) Turkey, breast, skinless

Most people recognize chicken breast as a lean, high-protein option. However, turkey breast has an even lower fat content gram for gram.

As with other forms of poultry, most of the fat content comes in the skin, so skinless turkey breast is the leanest option.

Per 100 grams, skinless turkey breast provides the following calorie, fat, and protein values by raw and cooked (roasted) weight (31, 32).

17) Turkey, ground, 93% lean, 7% fat

As with other types of ground meat, there are various ground turkey options.

The higher the lean %, the lower the fat and calorie content.

While it is possible to find ground turkey with a higher lean percentage than 93%, this 93% is the leanest option with an entry in the USDA’s nutritional database.

93% lean ground turkey provides the following calorie, fat, and protein values by raw and (broiled) cooked weight (33, 34).

It is also worth noting that there are some low-fat turkey bacon products that can be very low in fat yet high in protein.

18) Turkey, leg/drumstick, skinless

Like chicken, a turkey drumstick without the skin is a lean cut of poultry.

Per 100 grams, a skinless turkey drumstick will provide the following values for calories, fat, and protein by raw and cooked (roasted) weight (35, 36).

19) Venison, loin steak, lean

Similar to bison, venison is another form of red meat that tends to be leaner than beef and pork.

Unfortunately, the USDA nutritional database does not contain an entry for raw venison.

However, the table below shows the nutritional values for calories, fat, and protein for a lean venison loin steak after broiling (37).

20) White fish

Some people include fish in their definition of ‘meat,’ and others don’t.

However, there is no mistaking that white fish is an excellent option for those looking for lean protein.

White fish varieties, such as bass, cod, haddock, halibut, and pollock all contain low amounts of calories and fat. They also provide a good amount of dietary protein.

The following table shows the calorie, fat, and protein content of cod by raw and cooked weight (38, 39).

Common Questions

How To Cook Lean Meat

One of the main reasons some people don’t like to use lean meat is that it tends to be tougher than fattier cuts of meat.

This lack of tenderness combined with less flavor can sometimes make lean cuts of meat a bit bland in the taste department.

For this reason, here are some ways to improve the flavor of lean meats:

• Add diced lean meat, vegetables, and broth of choice to a slow cooker and cook for several hours. The longer cooking time will help to make the meat more tender.
• Dice the lean meat, and combine with vegetables, soy sauce, sesame oil, and any other flavors of choice in a stir-fry.
• Add diced lean meat to curries, soups, and stews.
• Make a marinade/sauce for the lean meat using favored ingredients. Some good ingredients to pick and choose from include: hot sauce, Maggi, soy sauce, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, honey, olive oil, and sesame oil.