A 3-oz cooked beef filet delivers 22–23 g protein; per 100 g cooked tenderloin averages 26–27 g.
Beef filet—better known as tenderloin or filet mignon—packs dense, high-quality protein with a soft bite and quick cook time. If you’re counting grams to hit a daily target, the math is friendlier than you might think. This guide breaks down protein by ounce, gram, and common portions, shows how cooking changes the numbers, and gives simple ways to plan meals around this lean, tender cut.
Beef Filet Protein Per Ounce And Per 100 Grams
First, anchor the baselines. Data for cooked, broiled tenderloin steak sets protein at 22.5 g per 3 oz (85 g) with the steak sitting at 26.6% protein by weight in that cooked state. Raw tenderloin is lean but holds more water, so weight-for-weight the raw value lands lower per ounce until you cook it down. Links to both cooked and raw entries appear later in this section.
| Serving | Protein (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz (28 g) | ~7.5 | Cooked yield basis |
| 2 oz (57 g) | ~15 | Cooked yield basis |
| 3 oz (85 g) | 22–23 | Standard nutrition listing |
| 4 oz (113 g) | ~30 | Quick entrée portion |
| 6 oz (170 g) | ~45 | Restaurant-size filet |
| 8 oz (227 g) | ~60 | Large steakhouse cut |
| 100 g | ~26–27 | Cooked weight |
Want it the other way around? Flip to raw. A raw 3-oz portion of tenderloin lists near 18.3 g protein. Heat drives moisture off, so the same steak weighs less after cooking but keeps almost all of its protein. That’s why cooked numbers look higher when you compare equal weights. If your tracker logs raw weights before cooking, note both fields so you’re not double-counting or selling yourself short.
For primary data, see the entries for cooked tenderloin steak and raw tenderloin steak, each built from USDA FoodData Central records.
Protein In A Typical Serving (3–8 Ounces)
Most people plate filet mignon in the 3–8 oz cooked range. If you want a tidy protein hit without overshooting calories, the 4–6 oz pocket is the sweet spot. Here’s how that lands on a real plate:
Three Ounces: Small Plate, Solid Protein
At roughly 22–23 g, a 3-oz cooked serving fits lunches, high-protein salads, and mixed bowls. Pair it with roasted vegetables or a starch, and you’ve got a balanced, compact meal that still moves your daily total forward.
Four To Six Ounces: Dinner Standard
Four ounces pushes you near 30 g. Six ounces lands near 45 g. This range gives you flexibility: build a macro-dense dinner, split it into two meals, or hold leftovers for a next-day wrap.
Eight Ounces: Big Night Out
An 8-oz steak comes in near 60 g protein. That’s a heavy lift for one sitting. If you love a thick cut, consider sharing sides and saving part of the steak for a protein-rich snack.
How Cooking And Trim Change The Numbers
Beef filet is already among the leaner premium cuts. Trimming excess surface fat barely touches protein, since protein sits in the muscle, not the fat cap. What does move the needle is moisture loss. As heat pulls water off, the steak gets lighter, so protein per ounce rises on the cooked side. Grill or broil and you’ll see that effect more than with quick pan-searing to lower internal temps.
Doneness And Moisture
Aim for medium-rare to medium for a tender texture and predictable yield. Pushing to well-done squeezes out more water, tightening fibers and driving up protein per ounce on paper while making the steak less juicy. The protein content in the whole steak stays nearly the same—only the weight shifts.
Salt, Marinades, And Added Solutions
Some pre-packed steaks include added brine. That extra water adds weight without adding protein. If your label mentions “solution added,” expect a slightly lower protein number per ounce until the liquid cooks off.
Protein Goals And Meal Planning With Filet
Use beef filet strategically. Its soft texture and mild flavor play well across cuisines, and the predictable protein density makes macro planning simple. Below are fast templates that keep prep easy while landing reliable numbers.
Quick Templates
- High-Protein Salad: 4 oz sliced filet (~30 g) over greens with lemon vinaigrette and roasted potatoes.
- Steak And Eggs: 3 oz filet (~22–23 g) with two eggs for a breakfast that clears 35–40 g fast.
- Weeknight Bowls: 5 oz filet (~37–38 g) over rice or farro with charred vegetables.
- Lean Surf-And-Turf: Split a 6-oz filet (~45 g) and add shrimp for a mixed protein plate.
How To Weigh And Track
Pick a method and stick with it. If you log raw weights, always log raw. If you log cooked weights, always log cooked. Mix-and-match entries lead to inflated or deflated totals. Many trackers include both cooked and raw options for tenderloin. If yours doesn’t, enter a custom food once and reuse it.
Calories Alongside Protein
The same cooked 3-oz serving listed above sits near 227 calories. That puts tenderloin in a useful macro zone—meaning you get a strong protein return without extreme calories. Larger portions climb as you’d expect. Plan sides to fit your daily targets.
| Cooked Portion | Protein (g) | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 3 oz (85 g) | 22–23 | ~227 |
| 4 oz (113 g) | ~30 | ~303 |
| 6 oz (170 g) | ~45 | ~455 |
| 8 oz (227 g) | ~60 | ~606 |
Protein Quality: Complete Amino Acid Profile
Beef protein covers all nine essential amino acids. Filet brings strong lysine and leucine, the pair most lifters watch for muscle repair and synthesis. That means you don’t have to combine it with another protein at the same meal to complete the profile. Variety still helps across the week, but a single serving stands on its own.
Buying, Storing, And Food Safety
How To Choose A Good Filet
Look for firm, fine-grained meat with a bright red color once exposed to air. Marbling in tenderloin is naturally modest; you don’t need heavy streaks to get tenderness. If you buy whole tenderloin, ask the butcher to remove chain meat and silver skin so more of the weight you pay for turns into edible protein.
Safe Handling At Home
Keep raw steaks chilled, avoid cross-contact with ready-to-eat foods, and cook to your preferred temp while following safe handling basics from reputable government pages. Store leftovers in shallow containers and chill promptly.
Cooking Tips That Keep Protein On Track
Seasoning And Heat
Salt early for even seasoning or right before the pan to keep surface moisture from pulling away too much. Use a hot skillet or grill for fast browning, then finish in a moderate oven for even doneness. Rest a few minutes so juices redistribute; slicing too soon sends them to the cutting board.
Portioning Tricks
Cut a thick steak into two medallions before cooking if you want two precise 3–4 oz servings. For meal prep, cook a larger roast section and slice across the grain for even pieces you can portion into containers.
Filet Protein: Key Takeaways
Here’s the quick recap you can act on right away:
- Per 3 oz cooked, plan on 22–23 g protein from filet mignon.
- Per ounce cooked, count ~7–8 g; per 100 g cooked, count 26–27 g.
- Raw entries sit lower by weight due to water; cooking concentrates protein per ounce.
- Four to six ounces cooked lands a dinner-friendly 30–45 g without unwieldy calories.
When you need a near-guaranteed tender bite that still hits macro goals, beef filet is a straightforward choice. Use the tables above to portion with confidence, and link the numbers to the verified references shared earlier. With a few habits—consistent weighing, steady doneness, smart sides—you’ll get repeatable protein totals meal after meal.
How Filet Compares To Other Cuts
Steakhouse menus often list ribeye, New York strip, sirloin, and tenderloin. In plain terms, filet brings the softest chew with reliable leanness, while ribeye brings more fat and a stronger beefy flavor. If your top priority is protein density with a gentle texture, tenderloin is the easy pick.
Micronutrients That Ride Along
Protein gets the headlines, but filet also brings B vitamins like niacin and B12, plus iron, zinc, and selenium in useful amounts. Those support energy metabolism and red blood cell health, and they’re part of the reason a small serving leaves you satisfied. You don’t need to memorize the panel; the key point is that a standard 3-oz cooked serving isn’t just grams—it’s a package of supporting nutrients that round out a balanced plate.
Smart Shopping And Prep For Consistent Protein
Cooking filet often? Buy a whole tenderloin, have the silver skin removed, and portion the center into even medallions. Use a quick-reading thermometer to hit the same doneness every time, and rest before slicing to keep moisture in the meat. These habits keep yields predictable and your per-ounce counts steady.
Common Confusions With Tracking
Apps mix raw and cooked entries. If you weigh raw and log cooked, the totals won’t match. Choose one path and stick to it across the week. That single habit keeps your Beef Filet Protein numbers steady and comparable from meal to meal.
Brand labels can also list “solution added.” That water raises package weight without adding protein. Log your portion after cooking, and your Beef Filet Protein estimate will match what’s on the plate.
Linking Back To The Numbers
Everything in this guide ties back to two verifiable entries built from USDA data: the pages for cooked tenderloin steak and raw tenderloin steak. Keep your method tight—same scale, same doneness—and you can rely on those figures.
That’s the full breakdown—use it to plan your next steak night with confidence.