A typical 3 oz cooked serving of elk contains 25.7 grams of protein (30.2 g per 100 g), which makes it an excellent source of protein. That covers roughly 51% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it can anchor a high-protein meal for the day.
About 83% of the calories in elk come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense - close to the practical ceiling for a whole food. Foods in this band are the ones that let you raise your protein intake without raising your calorie intake much at all.
Among the 133 meats in the database, elk ranks 19th by protein per serving, and 29th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against beef sirloin steak, another meat entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (beef sirloin steak has 25.2 g per 3 oz cooked).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving above is measured by weight at 85 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #175302 - "Game meat, elk, cooked, roasted" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Elk protein FAQ
How much protein is in elk per 100 g?
Elk has 30.2 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 3 oz cooked serving (85 g) provides 25.7 g.
Is elk a complete protein?
Yes. Elk is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
How much of the Daily Value does a serving of elk cover?
A 3 oz cooked serving of elk contains 25.7 g of protein, about 51% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Is elk a good source of protein?
Elk is an excellent source of protein, and about 83% of its calories come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense. Set against beef sirloin steak, another meat entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (beef sirloin steak has 25.2 g per 3 oz cooked).