A cooked 3-oz beef tenderloin steak (filet mignon) has about 26 g protein; per 100 g cooked it’s ~31 g, while raw tenderloin averages ~22 g per 100 g.
Shopping for a lean steak and want the protein math nailed down? Here’s the straight answer, plus clear tables and quick rules so you can plan meals, hit targets, and size portions with zero guesswork.
Beef Tenderloin Protein Content By Serving Size
Most diners order filet mignon as a small, thick steak. Nutrition databases list protein for cooked, trimmed tenderloin steak that’s grilled. A standard 3-oz cooked serving lands around 26 grams of protein; scale up or down using the table below. Figures draw on lab-tested entries for “filet mignon / tenderloin steak, separable lean only, 0-inch trim, cooked, grilled,” and paired raw data for context.
| Serving | Protein (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz cooked | ~8.7 | Derived from 26.1 g per 3 oz cooked. |
| 3 oz cooked | ~26 | Standard listed serving for filet mignon. |
| 4 oz cooked | ~34.8 | Simple scale from 3-oz reference. |
| 6 oz cooked | ~52 | Often a restaurant portion; very high protein. |
| 8 oz cooked | ~70 | Large steak; plan sides to balance fat and sodium. |
| 100 g cooked | ~31 | Cooked, grilled lean-only entry shows ~30–31 g/100 g. |
| 100 g raw | ~22 | Raw tenderloin steak, lean-only, ~21–22 g/100 g. |
What Counts As “Tenderloin” Here
We’re talking about the loin’s psoas major—sold whole as a center-cut roast or sliced as filet mignon. Nutrition records separate “lean only” (trimmed) from “lean and fat.” The protein numbers cited above reflect the lean portion of a grilled steak with external trim set to 0-inch, which aligns with how most restaurants serve a filet.
Cooked Vs. Raw: Why The Numbers Shift
Raw meat holds more water. During grilling, water drifts off, weight drops, and protein becomes more concentrated per gram of cooked meat. That’s why the cooked 100 g line reads higher than raw. USDA’s yield tables explain this process and how official databases convert between raw and cooked entries when lab data aren’t available for every case.
Protein Math You Can Use Tonight
Fast Portion Conversions
- Per ounce cooked: ~8.7 g protein. Multiply by how many ounces you eat.
- Per 100 g cooked: ~31 g protein. Handy for food scales at home.
- Per 100 g raw: ~22 g protein. After cooking, your steak will weigh less, so cooked grams deliver more protein per gram.
How This Fits Daily Targets
The baseline RDA for adults is 0.8 g protein per kilogram of body weight per day. A 75-kg adult (165 lb) would aim for about 60 g across the day. Active lifters, older adults, and some medical contexts often use higher targets set by a clinician or dietitian. For label and planning context, see the U.S. Office of Dietary Supplements overview of nutrient recommendations. Nutrient recommendations.
Cooking Changes Beef Tenderloin Protein Content
Cooking method and doneness change the final weight of the steak. Grilling and pan-searing drive off more surface moisture than low-heat sous-vide, so a grilled filet is denser by weight. The protein in the portion doesn’t vanish; the steak just loses water, so grams of protein per cooked gram rise. USDA’s yield report describes these moisture changes and how yield factors are applied across cuts and methods. USDA cooking yields.
Trim, Grade, And Doneness
Trim: “Separable lean only” data remove external fat before analysis. If you eat the fat cap or bacon wraps, calories and fat go up, yet protein per cooked ounce stays near the same ballpark because muscle is where protein lives.
Grade: Choice vs. Select matter more for fat and energy than protein. Lean-only protein sits in a tight range for tenderloin across grades in the cooked entries.
Doneness: Longer cook times squeeze out more water. A deeply seared 6-oz filet may finish a bit lighter than a quick sear, which pushes the protein per cooked ounce slightly higher. USDA’s yield framework covers this principle.
Amino Acids And Quality
Filet mignon delivers a full set of essential amino acids with high scores for lysine, leucine, and threonine in a single 3-oz cooked serving. Databases list an amino acid score in the mid-90s for grilled tenderloin, reflecting a complete protein that supports muscle repair and general upkeep.
How Tenderloin Stacks Up Against Other Cuts
On a per-ounce cooked basis, lean steaks cluster in a similar range. Tenderloin stands out for a tight grain and low connective tissue, which makes it easy to chew while still packing protein. If you want even leaner macros per ounce, round cuts can rival it; if you want higher iron per ounce, some other cuts edge ahead. The protein headline stays steady: about 8–9 g per cooked ounce for lean steak portions.
Planning Meals With Tenderloin
Hit A Target With Fewer Variables
If your day calls for 30 g protein at dinner, a cooked 3.5–4 oz filet covers it. If lunch already delivered 40 g and you’re aiming for 100 g across the day, a cooked 6 oz steak gets you across the line without chasing shakes.
Balance The Plate
Protein is only part of the picture. Add starch or whole grains for glycogen, plus colorful veg for micronutrients. That keeps the meal satisfying while trimming the urge to over-size the steak just to reach a number.
Practical Buying And Cooking Tips
Choose The Cut
- Center-cut filets give even thickness for precise doneness.
- Trimmed steaks mirror the “lean-only” database entries you see in the tables above.
Cook For Protein Reliability
- Grill or pan-sear for a classic crust; weigh after cooking if you track macros by cooked grams.
- Sous-vide then sear for tighter yields; the final weight stays higher, so per-gram protein looks slightly lower than a hard grill, even if total protein in the steak is the same.
Beef Tenderloin Protein Content In Real Meals
Here’s what common plate builds look like. Use them as quick models; swap sides to match your plan.
| Plate Build | Cooked Steak | Total Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Weeknight Portion | 3 oz filet | ~26 g from the steak; sides add more if you include beans or dairy. |
| Restaurant-Style Plate | 6 oz filet | ~52 g from the steak; watch butter sauces if you track fat. |
| Split Steak Salad | 4 oz sliced filet | ~35 g from the steak; cheese, eggs, or pulses can lift the total. |
| Big Night Out | 8 oz filet | ~70 g from the steak; an easy one-meal protein haul. |
Label Clues When Data Aren’t Handy
No database at the butcher counter? Use the 3-oz cooked anchor. A palm-sized cooked filet is usually 3–4 oz, which maps to ~26–35 g protein. If you weigh raw steaks at home, expect cooked weight to drop. That shift is normal and is exactly why cooked 100 g reads higher than raw 100 g on protein density charts.
Answers To Common “Why Are My Numbers Different?” Cases
My Scale Says Less Protein Than The Table
Check whether you logged raw grams against cooked values, or vice versa. Raw tenderloin sits near ~22 g/100 g; cooked lists around ~31 g/100 g. Mixing those will skew totals.
I Ordered “Filet Mignon,” But Macros Look Higher
Some restaurants serve bacon-wrapped filets or butter-basted steaks. Protein won’t jump much, but calories and fat will. The lean-only entries above don’t include bacon or basting.
Am I Meeting Protein Targets With Tenderloin Alone?
Many adults can hit a full meal’s protein aim with a 4–6 oz cooked steak. For daily intake, use body weight multiplied by 0.8 g/kg as a baseline, then split that across meals. The linked ODS page explains how RDAs and DVs work. RDA and DV overview.
Bottom Line For Shoppers And Meal Prep
beef tenderloin protein content runs about 26 g per cooked 3 oz, or ~8–9 g per cooked ounce. Per 100 g, plan on ~31 g cooked or ~22 g raw. With that, you can size any steak to your needs and pair sides to match your day’s plan.
Method Notes And Sources
Numbers shown above reference USDA-sourced entries for “filet mignon / tenderloin steak, separable lean only, 0-inch trim, cooked, grilled,” the corresponding raw tenderloin steak entry, and the USDA yield framework that explains weight and moisture shifts during cooking. Amino acid values reference the same cooked tenderloin record. For background on daily protein planning, see the ODS page. This is the same approach used by nutrition labels and cross-referenced tools.
If you track macros closely, weigh the steak after cooking and log it against cooked data. That simple habit avoids the raw-to-cooked mismatch that trips up many food logs. With the basics set, beef tenderloin fits into high-protein days cleanly, and it does so with predictable numbers you can trust. For readers who also weigh steaks raw for batch prep, note again that raw entries show lower protein per 100 g because of higher water content; the total protein in the piece stays with you through the cook. This keeps beef tenderloin protein content easy to plan across weeks.