Meat and poultry high in iron (per serving)
50 meat and poultry ranked by iron per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Beef leads with 5.6 mg per 3 oz (31% of the Daily Value), followed by Dove, cooked (5 mg) and Beef, plate steak (4.6 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 meat and poultry highest in iron
- Beef, variety meats and by-products (liver, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 162 kcal5.6 mg31% DV
- Dove, cooked3 oz (85 g) · 181 kcal5 mg28% DV
- Beef, plate steak (boneless, outside skirt, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled)3 oz (85 g) · 228 kcal4.6 mg26% DV
- Game meat, deer (shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 162 kcal4.3 mg24% DV
- Game meat, bison (chuck, shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised)3 oz (85 g) · 164 kcal4.1 mg23% DV
- Game meat, rabbit (wild, cooked, stewed)3 oz (85 g) · 147 kcal4.1 mg23% DV
- Duck, young duckling (domesticated, White Pekin, breast, meat only, boneless, cooked without skin, broiled)3 oz (85 g) · 119 kcal3.8 mg21% DV
- Quail, cooked (total edible)3 oz (85 g) · 193 kcal3.8 mg21% DV
- Beef, loin (tenderloin steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, grilled)3 oz (85 g) · 179 kcal3.5 mg20% DV
- Game meat, elk (round, separable lean only, cooked, broiled)3 oz (85 g) · 133 kcal3.5 mg19% DV
All 50 meat and poultry ranked
Sort any column. Serving sizes are USDA household measures (a cup, a medium fruit, 3 oz of cooked meat or fish, 1 oz of nuts or cheese). %DV is based on the FDA Daily Value of 18 mg.
| # | Food | Serving | Iron (mg) | % Daily Value | Per 100 g | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beef, variety meats and by-products (liver, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 5.6 | 6.5 | 162 | |
| 2 | Dove, cooked | 3 oz (85 g) | 5 | 5.9 | 181 | |
| 3 | Beef, plate steak (boneless, outside skirt, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, grilled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.6 | 5.5 | 228 | |
| 4 | Game meat, deer (shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.3 | 5 | 162 | |
| 5 | Game meat, bison (chuck, shoulder clod, separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.1 | 4.9 | 164 | |
| 6 | Game meat, rabbit (wild, cooked, stewed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 4.1 | 4.8 | 147 | |
| 7 | Duck, young duckling (domesticated, White Pekin, breast, meat only, boneless, cooked without skin, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.8 | 4.5 | 119 | |
| 8 | Quail, cooked (total edible) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.8 | 4.4 | 193 | |
| 9 | Beef, loin (tenderloin steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, grilled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 179 | |
| 10 | Game meat, elk (round, separable lean only, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 133 | |
| 11 | Beef, shank crosscuts (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, simmered) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.3 | 3.9 | 171 | |
| 12 | Beef, chuck (clod steak, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, all grades, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.2 | 3.8 | 161 | |
| 13 | Beef, shoulder pot roast (boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.2 | 3.8 | 170 | |
| 14 | Game meat, goat (cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 3.2 | 3.7 | 122 | |
| 15 | Bison, ground (grass-fed, cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.7 | 3.2 | 152 | |
| 16 | Goose, domesticated (meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.4 | 2.9 | 202 | |
| 17 | Lamb, cubed for stew or kabob (leg and shoulder) (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.4 | 2.8 | 190 | |
| 18 | Lamb, Australian (imported, fresh, shoulder, arm, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.3 | 2.7 | 202 | |
| 19 | Duck, domesticated (meat only, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.3 | 2.7 | 171 | |
| 20 | Lamb, shoulder (arm, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.3 | 2.7 | 237 | |
| 21 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (neck, meat only, cooked, simmered) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.2 | 2.6 | 152 | |
| 22 | Lamb, loin (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.1 | 2.4 | 172 | |
| 23 | Lamb, New Zealand (imported, frozen, loin, separable lean only, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2 | 2.3 | 169 | |
| 24 | Turkey, all classes (leg, meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 2 | 2.3 | 177 | |
| 25 | Lamb, foreshank (separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.9 | 2.3 | 159 | |
| 26 | Turkey, all classes (back, meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.9 | 2.2 | 207 | |
| 27 | Veal, foreshank (osso buco, separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.8 | 2.1 | 133 | |
| 28 | Turkey, ground (85% lean, 15% fat, patties, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.7 | 2 | 212 | |
| 29 | Turkey, fryer-roasters (meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.7 | 1.9 | 146 | |
| 30 | Turkey, canned (meat only, with broth) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 144 | |
| 31 | Pork, fresh (shoulder, (Boston butt), blade (steaks), separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 198 | |
| 32 | Turkey, all classes (liver, cooked, simmered) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.5 | 1.8 | 161 | |
| 33 | Chicken, stewing (dark meat, meat only, cooked, stewed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 219 | |
| 34 | Chicken, canned (meat only, with broth) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 | 1.6 | 140 | |
| 35 | Turkey thigh, pre-basted (meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 133 | |
| 36 | Veal, ground (cooked, pan-fried) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 183 | |
| 37 | Chicken, capons (meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 | 1.5 | 195 | |
| 38 | Pheasant, cooked (total edible) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 203 | |
| 39 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (thigh, meat only, cooked, stewed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 166 | |
| 40 | Chicken, broilers or fryers (back, meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 255 | |
| 41 | Veal, shank (fore and hind) (separable lean only, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.1 | 1.3 | 150 | |
| 42 | Pork, shoulder (petite tender, boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.1 | 1.2 | 132 | |
| 43 | HORMEL ALWAYS TENDER, Pork Tenderloin (Peppercorn-Flavored) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.9 | 1.1 | 94 | |
| 44 | Pork, Leg sirloin tip roast (boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, braised) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.9 | 1.1 | 133 | |
| 45 | Pork, loin (leg cap steak, boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.8 | 1 | 134 | |
| 46 | Pork loin, fresh (backribs, bone-in, cooked-roasted, lean only) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.8 | 1 | 217 | |
| 47 | Chicken patty, frozen (cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.8 | 0.9 | 244 | |
| 48 | Turkey and gravy, frozen | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.8 | 0.9 | 57 | |
| 49 | Pork, Shoulder breast (boneless, separable lean and fat, cooked, broiled) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.8 | 0.9 | 138 | |
| 50 | Turkey breast, pre-basted (meat and skin, cooked, roasted) | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 107 |
Iron in specific foods
How this list is built. Values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, with Foundation Foods analytical updates where available). The pool is 1,677 whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Spices, herbs, baby foods, powders, flours, dried and freeze-dried items, juices, processed meats, organ meats other than liver and uncommon foods are excluded; meats, fish, grains and legumes are ranked cooked. Each food family appears once and no single animal or plant fills more than six places. Ranking is by amount per serving; the per-100 g column is shown for reference. A food that USDA has not analysed for iron is left out rather than counted as zero. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which food is highest in iron?
Among meat and poultry in the USDA database, Beef, variety meats and by-products (liver, cooked, braised) has the most iron per serving: 5.6 mg per 3 oz (31% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 6.5 mg.
How much iron do I need per day?
The FDA Daily Value used on Nutrition Facts labels is 18 mg of iron for adults and children aged 4 and over. Individual needs vary with age, sex, pregnancy and health conditions.
What counts as a food high in iron?
FDA labeling rules call a food a 'good source' when one serving provides 10 to 19% of the Daily Value and 'high' or 'excellent' at 20% or more. 8 of the 50 foods on this list reach 20% DV per serving.
Related rankings
- Foods high in potassium
- Foods high in magnesium
- Foods high in calcium
- Foods high in zinc
- Foods high in selenium
- Foods high in copper
- All foods high in iron
- Fruits high in iron
- Vegetables high in iron
- Legumes high in iron
- Nuts and seeds high in iron
- Grains high in iron
- Fish and seafood high in iron
- Dairy and eggs high in iron
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.