How much protein is in steak?
Steak has 24.7 g of protein per 3 oz cooked (85 g) — that's 29 g per 100 g, or about 8.2 g per ounce. One 3 oz cooked is roughly 49% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · top sirloin, lean and fat, broiled · FDC 169458
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz cooked (85 g) | 24.7 g | 186 | 8.9 g | 0 g |
| 100 g | 29 g | 219 | 10.5 g | 0 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 8.2 g | 62 | 3 g | 0 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 169458, SR Legacy). top sirloin, lean and fat, broiled.
A protein that actually delivers in real portions
Most foods that look protein-rich on a label fall apart once you scale to a normal serving. Steak is the opposite. A standard 3 oz cooked sirloin (85 g) carries about 24.7 grams of protein for roughly 186 calories — and nobody stops at 3 ounces. A typical home or restaurant cut is closer to 6 oz (~49 g of protein), and a half-pound steak clears 66 grams in one piece, near a full day’s target for many adults. At 29 g of protein per 100 g, sirloin sits among the densest protein sources you can put on a plate, with a protein-per-calorie ratio that beats most cuts of beef precisely because it’s relatively lean.
It’s also a complete protein — all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts — so it stands entirely on its own with nothing to pair it with. Beef is especially rich in leucine, the amino acid most directly tied to triggering muscle protein synthesis, which is part of why it’s such a reliable food for building and holding muscle. On the protein math alone, sirloin is about as good as whole food gets.
What else it brings, and the honest caveat
Protein isn’t the only reason steak earns its place. Sirloin is a standout source of heme iron — the most absorbable form, which plants simply can’t match — along with vitamin B12 and zinc, two more nutrients that are genuinely hard to get in usable amounts without animal foods. A 3 oz serving supplies about 2 mg of iron and 355 mg of potassium.
The honest caveat is that this is still red meat. That same 3 oz portion comes with 4.1 g of saturated fat per 100 g and 89 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, and those numbers climb with portion size. None of that makes steak a food to avoid — it makes it a food to keep portions reasonable on, and a reason leaner cuts like sirloin are the smarter everyday choice over fattier ribeye or short rib. When you want beef’s protein without firing up a pan — or you need it portable — packaged options like beef sticks or jerky (Chomps, Jack Link’s) cover the gap, though jerky in particular runs much saltier than a fresh steak, so check the sodium on the graded picks below.
Packaged beef options, graded
If you'd rather grab it off a shelf, here are the best-graded beef in our catalog — each scored on our transparent 6-dimension Labelgrade.
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Labelgrade 68/100 · 12 g protein · 80 cal
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Labelgrade 67/100 · 9 g protein · 90 cal
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Buy links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade is independent of any affiliate relationship. More.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in sirloin steak?
About 24.7 g of protein in a 3 oz cooked serving (85 g), which is 29 g per 100 g, or roughly 8.2 g per ounce (USDA FDC 169458, top sirloin, lean and fat, broiled). That 3 oz portion runs about 186 calories, so the protein-per-calorie ratio is excellent.
Is sirloin steak a good protein source?
Yes — genuinely. Unlike a lot of foods that only look protein-rich on the per-100g line, steak delivers in real-world portions: a typical 3 oz cut already gives you ~24.7 g, and a 6 oz restaurant steak lands near 49 g. It's a complete, high-quality protein with a strong protein-per-calorie ratio. The only honest caveat is that it's red meat, so the saturated fat and cholesterol mean portion size still matters.
How much protein is in an 8 oz sirloin steak?
An 8 oz cooked steak (about 227 g) carries roughly 66 g of protein — close to a full day's target for many adults in a single piece. A more typical 6 oz cut lands near 49 g. Steak is one of the easiest foods to over-deliver protein with, which is usually a good thing, but it also stacks up saturated fat as the portion grows.
Is sirloin steak a complete protein?
Yes. Like all beef, sirloin contains all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts, so it counts as a complete, high-quality protein on its own with no need to pair it with anything. It's also one of the best food sources of leucine, the amino acid most tied to triggering muscle protein synthesis.
What is sirloin steak good for nutritionally?
Beyond protein, sirloin is a standout for heme iron (the most absorbable form), vitamin B12, and zinc — three nutrients that are hard to get in usable amounts from plants. A 3 oz serving brings about 2 mg of iron and 355 mg of potassium. The trade-off is the saturated fat (4.1 g per 100 g) and cholesterol (89 mg per 100 g), which is why leaner cuts like sirloin are the smarter everyday pick over fattier ribeye or short rib.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-03, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 169458 (top sirloin steak, lean and fat, choice, broiled; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises its underlying data.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data and are not assigned a Labelgrade — that score is for branded packaged products, where ingredients and added sugar/sodium actually vary. See our methodology and how much protein you need per day.