Rankings of iron-rich meat look very different depending on whether organ meats are included. Liver contains substantially more iron than most ordinary muscle cuts.
Comparable serving sizes
| Food | Serving | Approx. iron |
|---|---|---|
| Beef liver, cooked | 3 oz / 85 g | ~5 mg |
| Beef bottom round, braised and trimmed | 3 oz / 85 g | ~2 mg |
| Cooked leg of lamb | 3 oz / 85 g | ~2 mg |
| Roasted chicken | 3 oz / 85 g | ~1 mg |
| Roasted turkey | 3 oz / 85 g | ~1 mg |
That makes a serving of liver roughly 2.5 times the iron in a comparable lean-beef serving and about five times the amount in chicken or turkey in these references.
The pattern is similar per 100 g
Five milligrams per 85 g liver works out to roughly 5.9 mg/100 g. Two milligrams in lean beef is about 2.4 mg/100 g, while 1 mg per 85 g poultry is roughly 1.2 mg/100 g.
Meat iron has an absorption advantage
Meat provides both heme and nonheme iron. Heme iron is generally absorbed more efficiently and is less affected by meal inhibitors than plant nonheme iron, so milligrams alone do not tell the full story.
More iron does not mean liver every day
Liver is highly concentrated not only in iron but also in vitamin A and other micronutrients. Because it is so nutrient-dense, it does not need to be eaten daily to make a substantial contribution.
Red meat generally beats poultry
Among ordinary muscle cuts, beef and lamb typically provide more iron than chicken or turkey breast. Exact numbers still vary with the cut, animal and cooking method.
How to choose iron-rich meat without looking at one number alone
Organ meats—especially liver—can be extremely iron-rich, but that does not mean they should dominate an iron-focused diet. Among meats eaten more routinely, beef and other red meats generally provide more iron than chicken or turkey breast, although the exact number changes with cut, cooking, and serving size. Comparing similar portions is more useful than comparing 100 grams of one food with a much smaller amount of another.
Meat supplies heme iron, which is absorbed more efficiently than the nonheme iron found in many plant foods. Even so, a meat choice should not be reduced to iron alone. Saturated fat, sodium in processed meats, frequency, variety, cost, and preference all matter. Someone trying to increase iron can combine an appropriate source with vegetables, legumes, or vitamin-C-rich foods as part of a varied diet. If anemia or iron deficiency is suspected, simply eating more meat may not address the cause; testing and clinical assessment can be important. For a healthy person, rotating sources and choosing sensible portions provides iron without making the food with the highest number a daily requirement.
Which meat has the most iron? If organ meats are included, liver stands out. NIH lists about 5 mg iron in 3 oz cooked beef liver.
Does beef have more iron than chicken? In comparable references, yes: about 2 mg per 3 oz lean beef versus roughly 1 mg per 3 oz roasted chicken.
Is meat iron well absorbed? Yes. Some is heme iron, which generally has higher bioavailability than plant nonheme iron.
The form of iron helps explain why meat often appears in advice about this mineral. Animal foods contain heme iron, which is generally absorbed more efficiently than the non-heme iron that dominates in plant foods. That does not make meat essential, but it means a moderate portion can make a meaningful contribution. Organ meats, particularly liver, can be very concentrated sources; their high numbers do not mean they should automatically become an everyday food. For routine meals, it makes more sense to balance iron contribution with the cut’s overall nutrient profile, portion size, and the rest of the diet.
Cooking method can shift the broader nutrition profile without changing the meat’s underlying iron content very much. A lean cut grilled or stewed without excessive added fat is different from the same meat served as a heavily processed product. Iron is one useful criterion, but it should sit alongside saturated fat, sodium, portion size, and how often the food is eaten.
The practical takeaway
If organ meats count, liver is clearly the iron leader. Among common muscle meats, beef and lamb generally rank above chicken and turkey but far below liver.
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Iron — Iron table: beef liver ~5 mg/3 oz, lean beef ~2 mg/3 oz and chicken/turkey ~1 mg/3 oz.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — Sources of Iron — Reference values for beef, liver, lamb and heme-iron foods.