Nutrition Facts: Which meat is the highest in calories?

October 10, 2025 •

4 min read

A 100g serving of prime rib can contain over 400 calories, but exactly which meat is the highest in calories depends heavily on the specific cut and preparation method. This factor is crucial for anyone managing their caloric intake as part of a balanced nutrition diet. The answer is often tied to a single macronutrient: fat.

Quick Summary

This article explores the highest calorie meats, explaining how fat content and preparation impact calorie density. It provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and comparing various meat cuts and types for effective diet planning.

Key Points

Fat Content is Key: The calorie density of meat is directly linked to its fat content, with fattier cuts having more calories per gram.
Prime Rib and Pork Belly Top the Charts: Fattier cuts like prime rib and pork belly often have the highest calorie counts per serving.
Cooking Method Matters: Frying meat can significantly increase its caloric value by adding oil, while grilling or broiling keeps it lower in calories.
Processed Meats are Often High in Calories: Products like salami and sausage are very calorie-dense due to their high fat and sodium content.
Choose Leaner Cuts to Reduce Calories: Opting for lean cuts like pork tenderloin or skinless chicken breast is an effective strategy for managing calorie intake.
Red vs. White Meat: While red meats often contain more fat and calories, the specific cut and its fat content are more important than the meat type alone.

The search for the highest-calorie meat is less about the animal and more about the specific cut and how it's prepared. While protein and carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram, fat delivers a much higher 9 calories per gram. Therefore, cuts with higher fat content are invariably more calorie-dense.

Red Meats and Their Calorie Density

Red meats like beef, lamb, and pork generally contain more fat than white meats such as chicken and turkey. This higher fat content makes many red meat cuts a top contender for the most caloric meat.

Beef: The king of high-calorie cuts

Within the beef family, certain cuts stand out for their marbling and high fat content. The term 'marbling' refers to the streaks of fat within the muscle tissue, which directly correlates with higher calorie counts.

Prime Rib: Often topping the lists, prime rib is a very fatty cut of beef. Some sources cite calorie counts exceeding 400 kcal per 100g serving.
Ribeye Steak: Known for its rich flavor and generous marbling, the ribeye is another highly caloric beef cut, sometimes containing nearly 300 calories per 100g.
Beef Ribs: A 100-gram portion of beef ribs can contain over 350 calories and a significant amount of fat.

Pork: The versatility of fat

Pork offers a wide spectrum of calorie counts, from very lean cuts to exceptionally fatty ones. The processing of pork products also dramatically impacts their caloric value.

Pork Belly: This cut, which includes the skin and fat, is among the highest-calorie options. Some data shows around 225 calories per 100g, though this can vary based on preparation and fat-to-meat ratio.
Bacon: Bacon is a well-known high-calorie food due to its high fat content and processing. One chart indicates bacon (pork) at 287 kcal per 100g.
Processed Pork Sausage: Depending on the recipe and fat content, some pork sausages can be very calorie-dense, with some charts showing over 300 kcal per 100g.

Poultry: The role of fat and skin

While white meat is often considered a low-calorie option, the preparation and specific cut can change this. The key difference between high- and low-calorie poultry is the presence of skin and dark meat.

Duck (with skin): Duck meat, especially with the skin on, is significantly higher in calories than chicken or turkey. Roasted duck with skin can reach over 330 calories per 3 ounces.
Chicken Thighs (with skin): Dark meat like chicken thighs, especially when the skin is left on, contains more fat and calories than skinless chicken breast.

The Impact of Processing and Cooking Methods

Beyond the raw cut, how meat is processed or cooked can drastically alter its calorie content.

Processed Meats: Products like salami and pepperoni are highly processed and packed with fat and sodium. Danish salami is listed at 440 calories per 100g, making it one of the most calorie-dense meat products.
Cooking with Added Fat: Frying meat in oil or butter adds extra calories. Baking, grilling, or broiling without added fats are generally healthier cooking methods. For instance, a 3-ounce serving of skinless chicken breast is around 140 calories roasted, but a fried version can be significantly higher.

The High-Calorie Meat Comparison Table

To provide a clear overview, here is a comparison of various meats and their approximate calorie content per 100g serving.


Meat/Cut	Calories (kcal) per 100g	Key Factor	Source [Index]
Salami (Danish)	440	High fat, processed
Prime Rib	400+	Very high fat content
Pork Ribs (Braised)	330	High fat content
Pork Sausage	301	High fat content
Lamb Chop	355	High fat content
Pork Belly	225	Very high fat content
Bacon (Pork)	287	High fat, processed
Ribeye Steak	271	High marbling
Ground Beef (85/15)	272	High fat content
Ground Lamb	283	High fat content
Chicken Thigh (with skin)	225	Dark meat with skin
Skinless Chicken Breast	105	Leanest part of chicken
Pork Tenderloin	143	Very lean cut
Venison	103	Lean game meat

Note: Calorie counts can vary based on the specific cut, cooking method, and fat trimming.

Making Healthier Meat Choices

For those on a calorie-controlled diet, selecting leaner cuts and using healthy cooking methods is key. The USDA offers extensive nutritional information to help guide these decisions. Choosing lean cuts like pork tenderloin, skinless chicken breast, or lean ground beef provides high-quality protein with significantly fewer calories than their fatty counterparts. Trimming visible fat before cooking is also an effective way to reduce the calorie count of any meat. For instance, lean cuts of beef like sirloin and flank steak are much lower in calories than marbled ribeye or T-bone steaks.

Conclusion

When considering which meat is the highest in calories, the answer is rarely a single type of animal. Instead, it is almost always the fattiest cut, or processed meat, that takes the top spot. High-fat cuts such as prime rib, pork belly, and lamb chops, along with processed items like salami, are consistently the most calorie-dense. For individuals managing their weight or simply aiming for a healthier diet, prioritizing leaner cuts and opting for low-fat cooking methods can make a significant difference. Understanding the relationship between fat content and calories allows for informed dietary decisions, ensuring that meat remains a nutritious and beneficial part of your diet. Ultimately, responsible consumption is about making mindful choices based on nutritional facts, not eliminating entire food groups.

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

Frequently Asked Questions

No, not always. While red meat often has more fat, the specific cut is more important. A skin-on chicken thigh, for example, can be more caloric than a lean cut of beef like sirloin or a skinless chicken breast.

The cooking method has a significant impact. Frying meat adds calories from the oil absorbed, while cooking methods that use less or no added fat, such as grilling, broiling, or baking, result in a lower-calorie meal.

Among common cuts, those with the highest marbling and fat content are the most caloric. Prime rib and ribeye steak are typically the highest in calories, with some cuts exceeding 400 calories per 100g.

Yes, many processed meats, such as salami, bacon, and certain sausages, are very high in calories. This is primarily due to their high fat content, which is often added during processing.

Yes, high-calorie meat can be part of a balanced diet, but moderation and portion control are crucial. Choosing a smaller, controlled portion of a fatty cut can be worked into a diet plan, especially if other meals are kept light.

Excellent lower-calorie meat options include skinless chicken breast, pork tenderloin, extra-lean ground beef, and various types of fish. Game meats like venison are also typically very lean and low in calories.

Yes, trimming visible fat from meat before cooking is an effective and simple way to reduce its overall calorie count. Since fat is the most calorie-dense macronutrient, removing it directly lowers the number of calories in the final dish.