What Fatty Meat Can You Eat on the Carnivore Diet?

For many carnivore dieters, aiming for 70-80% of daily calories from fat is a key goal to ensure sustained energy and satiety. Choosing the right fatty meat can you eat on the carnivore diet is essential for long-term adherence and nutritional completeness.

Quick Summary

A comprehensive guide to the best fatty meat options, including high-fat cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and seafood, as well as essential animal fats like tallow and lard, to achieve optimal fat intake on a carnivore diet.

Key Points

• Ribeye and Brisket: These beef cuts are staples for their rich marbling and high fat content, providing sustained energy.

• Pork Belly and Bacon: Versatile and flavorful, pork belly and bacon are excellent, budget-friendly sources of high-quality fat.

• Fatty Fish like Salmon: Incorporating salmon and mackerel provides essential Omega-3 fatty acids, crucial for overall health.

• Bone Marrow: A concentrated source of fat and nutrients, bone marrow can be roasted or used in broths for a significant fat boost.

• Animal Fats for Cooking: Using beef tallow, lard, or butter for cooking is an effective way to increase fat intake and enhance flavor.

• Organ Meats: Eating organ meats like heart and liver adds critical micronutrients to the diet, supporting nose-to-tail eating.

The carnivore diet, focusing exclusively on animal products, relies heavily on dietary fat for fuel in the absence of carbohydrates. Eating a sufficient amount of fat helps maintain a state of ketosis, provides a stable energy source, and supports hormone function. While lean meats offer high protein, prioritizing fatty cuts and incorporating additional animal fats is the key to success. This guide explores the best options to ensure you're getting enough high-quality fat.

Fatty Beef Cuts

Beef is a staple of the carnivore diet, and certain cuts are prized for their high fat content and flavor. When shopping for ground beef, opt for a higher fat ratio, such as 80/20 or even 70/30, as this provides a great fat source at an affordable price.

Popular Fatty Beef Options

• Ribeye Steak: Often called the king of steaks for carnivores, the ribeye is known for its abundant marbling, which renders into rich, flavorful fat when cooked.
• Brisket: This cut from the lower chest is layered with fat, especially in the point, and becomes incredibly tender and fatty when slow-cooked or smoked.
• Chuck Roast: A more economical cut, chuck roast is well-marbled and ideal for slow cooking, yielding tender meat and ample fat.
• Short Ribs: These are known for their high fat content and deep, beefy flavor, especially when braised.

Delicious Pork Selections

Pork is another excellent and often budget-friendly source of fat for the carnivore diet. Its versatility and satisfying texture make it a popular choice.

Top Fatty Pork Cuts

• Pork Belly: This is arguably the fattiest cut of pork and can be cooked to a perfect, crispy texture. It's a fantastic source of energy.
• Bacon: A carnivore favorite, bacon provides a crispy, salty, and fatty addition to any meal. Always check for sugar and additives in the ingredients list.
• Pork Shoulder: Often used for pulled pork, this cut is marbled with fat that keeps the meat moist and flavorful during cooking.
• Pork Chops with Bone-In Fat: Leaving the bone-in fat on your pork chops adds extra flavor and fat to your meal.

Lamb and Other Ruminants

Lamb offers a distinct flavor profile and is rich in fat. Including it provides variety and a different nutritional composition than beef or pork.

Fatty Lamb Options

• Lamb Chops: Cutlets from the rack of lamb are fatty, delicious, and cook quickly.
• Lamb Shoulder: A fattier cut, perfect for slow roasting to render down the fat and tenderize the meat.

Fatty Fish and Seafood

Incorporating fatty fish is crucial for its high content of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for overall health, including brain and heart function.

Best Fatty Fish for Carnivores

• Salmon: An excellent source of Omega-3s and protein. Wild-caught salmon often has a better nutrient profile.
• Mackerel: A smaller, oilier fish packed with nutrients and healthy fats.
• Arctic Char: A relative of salmon and trout, known for its rich fat content and delicate flavor.
• Sardines: Convenient and dense in Omega-3s, sardines are a quick way to boost fat intake.

The Nutrient Powerhouse: Organ Meats

Organ meats, or offal, are some of the most nutrient-dense foods available and often contain ample fat. The 'nose-to-tail' approach emphasizes eating all parts of the animal for comprehensive nutrition.

Fatty Organ Meats

• Bone Marrow: A very rich source of fat, marrow can be roasted and spread on meat or used to make bone broth.
• Liver: While not extremely high in fat, liver is packed with vitamins A and B12 and can be cooked with tallow or butter to increase its fat content.
• Heart: Heart is a good source of CoQ10 and contains a good fat-to-protein ratio, tasting more like muscle meat than other organs.

Using Animal Fats for Cooking and Flavor

To further boost fat intake or add flavor to leaner cuts, cooking with pure animal fats is essential. Options include:

• Beef Tallow: Rendered beef fat, ideal for frying and cooking.
• Lard: Rendered pork fat, a classic cooking fat.
• Ghee/Butter: Clarified butter or butter, if dairy is tolerated, can be used for cooking or drizzled over cooked meats.

Comparison of Fatty Carnivore Meats

Meat Type	Typical Cuts	Fat Content	Flavor Profile	Cost-Effectiveness
Beef	Ribeye, Brisket, Chuck Roast, Ground Beef	Very High (marbling)	Rich, deep, classic beef	Moderate to High
Pork	Pork Belly, Bacon, Shoulder	Very High (layers)	Salty, savory, versatile	Low to Moderate
Lamb	Chops, Shoulder	High (marbling)	Distinct, earthy	Moderate
Fatty Fish	Salmon, Mackerel, Arctic Char	High (Omega-3s)	Oily, seafood	Moderate to High
Organ Meats	Bone Marrow, Liver, Heart	Varies (e.g., Marrow is very high)	Rich, mineral-dense	Low to Moderate

Tips for Maximizing Fat Intake

• Render Fat: Save and render fat from your cooking, such as bacon grease or beef tallow, to use for future meals. It adds flavor and is a cheap, reliable fat source.
• Supplement Lean Meats: Cook leaner cuts, like chicken breast or eye of round, in ample amounts of butter, tallow, or lard.
• Add Marrow: Roast bone marrow and spread it on steaks or mix it into ground beef for a flavor and fat boost.
• Choose Higher Fat Ground Meat: Prioritize 80/20 or fattier ground beef for an easy and affordable way to get more fat.
• Fatty Dressings: Melted butter or tallow can be used as a simple, carnivore-friendly sauce or dressing.

Conclusion

For anyone following a carnivore diet, understanding and prioritizing fatty meat sources is non-negotiable for sustained energy and health. From popular beef cuts like ribeye and brisket to versatile pork belly, nutrient-dense organ meats, and Omega-3 rich fatty fish, there is a wide variety of delicious options available. Combining these cuts with pure animal fats like tallow or butter ensures that your fat intake goals are met, supporting your body on a zero-carb, meat-based protocol. Focusing on high-quality, pasture-raised options when possible further maximizes the nutritional benefits of your diet. For more information on the fundamentals, consider reading Healthline's overview of the carnivore diet as a starting point. Healthline's Overview of the Carnivore Diet

How to get enough fat on carnivore

Getting enough fat on the carnivore diet is a critical and often-discussed topic. It’s important not only for energy but also for hormone production and satiety. When starting out, many people find they are protein-dominant and need to consciously increase their fat intake. Adding rendered beef tallow or lard to meals is one of the most effective strategies. Frying eggs in extra butter or melting it over steaks can also help. For those who tolerate dairy, heavy cream or certain hard cheeses can also be incorporated. Remember, the 80/20 calorie rule (80% fat, 20% protein) is a common goal, but finding the right balance often requires some personal experimentation. Listening to your body’s energy levels and hunger signals is the best way to find your optimal fat intake.

How to make fat more palatable

For some, the sheer volume of fat required on a high-fat carnivore diet can be a challenge. Making fat more palatable and enjoyable is key to long-term success. One technique is to crisp the fat, such as with pork belly or bacon, which provides a satisfying texture. Combining fatty cuts with leaner meats can also balance the richness, for example, mixing fattier ground beef with a side of cooked liver. Another method is to create fatty, savory sauces using egg yolks and bone broth, which can be drizzled over meat. The addition of salt is also a simple but powerful way to enhance the flavor of fat. Ultimately, finding preferred cuts and cooking methods that make the fat enjoyable is the best strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is eating fatty meat important on the carnivore diet?

Eating fatty meat is important on the carnivore diet because fat serves as the primary energy source in the absence of carbohydrates. Sufficient fat intake helps maintain ketosis, ensures satiety, and provides essential vitamins and fatty acids.

Is lean meat acceptable on the carnivore diet?

Yes, lean meat is acceptable, but it should be paired with a high-fat source. Many carnivores cook leaner cuts, like chicken breast or lean ground beef, in added animal fats such as tallow, lard, or butter to achieve the desired fat-to-protein ratio.

What is the best type of beef for the carnivore diet?

The best types of beef for the carnivore diet are fatty cuts like ribeye, chuck roast, and 80/20 ground beef. These offer superior flavor, high fat content, and are excellent for providing a steady energy source.

Are chicken and pork good sources of fatty meat for carnivores?

Yes, chicken and pork can be excellent sources of fat. For chicken, prioritize darker meat cuts like thighs and wings. For pork, focus on cuts like pork belly, shoulder, and bacon.

Do I have to eat organ meats on a carnivore diet?

While not strictly required, organ meats are highly recommended on the carnivore diet for their exceptional nutrient density. They provide concentrated amounts of vitamins and minerals that can be lacking in muscle meat alone.

What if I don't like the taste of organ meats?

If you don't enjoy the taste of organ meats, start with milder options like heart or tongue. You can also mix ground organ meat with ground muscle meat, or use them to make nourishing bone broth, which masks the flavor while still providing nutrients.

What role do animal fats play on the carnivore diet?

Animal fats like tallow, lard, and butter are used to cook and enhance meals, boosting the overall fat intake. They are pure fat sources, crucial for achieving the high fat-to-protein ratios common in the diet.

Can I use dairy products to increase fat intake?

For those who tolerate dairy, heavy cream, hard cheeses, and butter can be used to increase fat intake. However, some carnivore dieters choose to limit dairy due to potential sensitivities.