Lean Ground Beef Protein

Lean ground beef is one of the most commonly logged animal proteins because it is sold by lean-to-fat ratio, easy to weigh in grams or ounces, and listed on many Nutrition Facts panels. For accurate food journaling, match the lean % on your package (93/7, 90/10, 85/15, 80/20) and select raw or cooked to match what you weighed.

Protein per 100g spans roughly 17.2g (80/20 raw) to 20.9g (93/7 raw) across the raw ratios on this page. Higher lean percentages carry less fat mass per 100g, so protein density rises — but all are still ground beef, not a different protein source.

Lean-to-fat ratio — the primary driver on this page. More fat per 100g means less protein per 100g at the same total weight.

Raw vs cooked state — cooking removes water and renders fat; per-100g protein rises in cooked references (e.g. 93/7 raw 20.9g vs pan-broiled patty 25.6g) without creating new protein.

Preparation method — patties, crumbles, and braised dishes use different USDA cooked entries; fat drained during browning is not a universal fixed percentage.

Package vs generic USDA — branded labels may differ slightly from SR Legacy references; use your label when logging a specific product.

Portion weight — a "quarter-pound patty" is not standardized once cooked; weigh for precision.

93/7 raw ground beef (USDA FDC #173110) lists 20.9g protein, 152 kcal, and 7.0g fat per 100g — our default reference for "lean ground beef" searches when the label matches.

93/7 pan-broiled patty (FDC #174753) lists 25.6g protein and 182 kcal per 100g cooked — use this when you weighed a cooked patty, not the raw bulk you started with.

At default raw values: 4 oz (~113g) provides ~23.6g protein and ~172 kcal; 1 lb raw (~454g) provides ~94.9g protein and ~690 kcal before cooking shrinkage.

4 oz (~113g) depends on lean ratio and food state. At 93/7 raw values: ~23.6g protein, 172 kcal. At 80/20 raw: ~19.4g protein, 289 kcal.

If you weighed a cooked 4 oz 93/7 patty, the pan-broiled reference lists ~28.9g protein and 206 kcal per 113g — higher per ounce because water was lost during cooking.

Use the serving tables and calculator above with your lean % and raw/cooked state for your exact log entry.

1 lb (~454g) scales linearly from per-100g references. At 93/7 raw: ~94.9g protein, 690 kcal. At 90/10 raw: ~90.5g protein, 796 kcal. At 80/20 raw: ~78.1g protein, 1,153 kcal.

Cooking reduces weight — 1 lb raw typically yields less than 1 lb cooked. Weigh the portion you eat after cooking if you log cooked USDA entries; do not assume 1 lb raw equals 1 lb cooked in your tracker.

Per 100g, 93/7 pan-broiled patty lists more protein (25.6g) than 93/7 raw (20.9g) — but cooking does not manufacture protein. Moisture and fat leave the meat, concentrating the same absolute protein into fewer grams.

A practical rule: weigh raw → log raw reference; weigh cooked → log cooked reference. The raw-vs-cooked comparison table below shows side-by-side 93/7 values.

80/20 pan-browned crumbles (FDC #171799) list 27.0g protein per 100g cooked — a useful cooked reference for taco meat or chili when you weighed the browned portion, not a guarantee of how much fat you drained at home.

When you brown ground beef and pour off rendered fat, calories and fat in the portion you eat decrease — but there is no universal USDA "drained" percentage that applies to every pan, batch, or cook time.

FoodData Central separates raw and specific cooked preparations (e.g. pan-browned crumbles for 80/20) rather than publishing a generic "drained 80/20" entry. Your actual fat retention depends on cook time, pan type, and how much liquid you pour off.

For journaling: if you weighed cooked crumbles, a cooked USDA reference may be closer than raw. If you weighed raw meat before cooking, use a raw reference. Do not apply an invented "30% fat reduction" unless your product label specifies it.

Either works — consistency matters more than which state you choose. Most meal-preppers weigh raw for batch cooking because package labels often reference raw weight; others re-weigh cooked portions for accuracy after shrinkage.

If your app remembers "4 oz ground beef" from yesterday, confirm whether that was raw or cooked — switching states without adjusting the reference doubles or halves your error margin.

The calculators on this page scale from per-100g USDA values; enter grams in the custom field for whichever state you weighed.

Step 1: Read the lean % on the package (93/7, 90/10, 85/15, 80/20). Step 2: Decide whether you weighed raw or cooked meat. Step 3: Select that combination in the Lean-to-Fat Ratio & Food State selector above.

Common mismatches: logging 93/7 raw when you ate a broiled patty; logging generic ground beef when your tray says 90/10; using crumbles reference for a raw portion weight.

When a branded Nutrition Facts panel lists a specific lean % and serving size, prefer that label over generic USDA data for that product.

USDA SR Legacy entries describe generic laboratory-analyzed ground beef at defined lean ratios. Retail packages may read "93% lean," "extra lean," or include solution-enhanced meat with added water — which dilutes protein per 100g compared with generic references.

If your label shows protein per 4 oz (112g) patty, that applies to that product's formulation. Our calculators use verified FDC records (#173110, #171796, #174036, #174753, #171799, and 90/10 shared entries) for journaling when no exact label match exists.

Percent Daily Value (%DV) figures on Nutrition Facts panels describe standardized label reference amounts for a 2,000 kcal diet — they are not personal protein or calorie targets.

Using cooked per-100g protein with a raw weight (or the reverse) — the most frequent error on this food.

Ignoring lean % and logging generic "ground beef" when the package specifies 80/20 or 93/7.

Assuming draining fat matches a fixed calorie reduction without weighing the cooked portion or using a cooked reference.

Logging pre-cooked weight from a recipe that calls for 1 lb raw but eating the finished yield without re-weighing.

Comparing raw ground beef to roasted chicken breast without noting the different food states in each row.

Lean ground beef appears in burgers, tacos, chili, meat sauce, and meal-prep bowls — each preparation may warrant a different food-state reference (raw batch weigh-in vs cooked crumble log).

For burgers, many people weigh the raw patty and log raw values; for skillet crumbles, weighing after browning and selecting a cooked reference often matches reality better.

Sauces, buns, cheese, and cooking oil are separate log entries — plain ground beef references do not include those add-ons.