Snag vs steak: which is the bigger number on the BBQ?
Here's the one that surprises people at the grill. Per 100 g a BBQ sausage is higher than a lean steak - about 1,300 kJ per 100 g for a beef snag against roughly 750 kJ per 100 g for lean rump - because the sausage carries more fat. But a steak serve is bigger, so on the plate a snag in bread with sauce (~1,500 kJ) and a lean steak with salad (~2,300 kJ) are closer than the argument makes out. The things that actually move the number aren't the meat at all: the second sausage, the bread, the sauce and the creamy dressing. Energy's in kilojoules on every Aussie label, so you can see it without any converting or any diet talk.
Key numbers
- Beef snag ~1,300 kJ/100 g · lean rump ~750 kJ/100 g
- One 70 g snag ~910 kJ · in bread with sauce ~1,500 kJ
- 200 g scotch fillet ~2,100 kJ · 200 g lean rump ~1,500 kJ
- Chicken breast is the leanest grill ~650 kJ/100 g
- Garden salad, no dressing ~200 kJ a bowl - near free
Meats off the grill
| Item (grilled) | Per 100 g | Serve | Energy | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef BBQ sausage (snag) | ~1,300 kJ/100 g | 70 g | 910 kJ | 217 Cal |
| Pork sausage | ~1,350 kJ/100 g | 70 g | 945 kJ | 226 Cal |
| Thin sausage (economy) | ~1,250 kJ/100 g | 45 g | 563 kJ | 135 Cal |
| Beef scotch fillet | ~1,050 kJ/100 g | 200 g | 2,100 kJ | 502 Cal |
| Beef rump, lean | ~750 kJ/100 g | 200 g | 1,500 kJ | 359 Cal |
| Lamb loin chop | ~1,250 kJ/100 g | 90 g | 1,125 kJ | 269 Cal |
| Chicken thigh, skinless | ~850 kJ/100 g | 120 g | 1,020 kJ | 244 Cal |
| Chicken breast | ~650 kJ/100 g | 150 g | 975 kJ | 233 Cal |
How the BBQ plate adds up
| What's on the plate | Energy | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| One snag in white bread + sauce | ~1,500 kJ | 359 Cal |
| Two snags in bread + sauce | ~2,490 kJ | 595 Cal |
| Lean rump + garden salad | ~1,700 kJ | 406 Cal |
| Scotch fillet + garden salad | ~2,300 kJ | 550 Cal |
| Chicken breast + salad + 1 slice bread | ~1,665 kJ | 398 Cal |
| Add a second slice of bread | +490 kJ | +117 Cal |
| Add a serve of creamy dressing | +650 kJ | +155 Cal |
Reading the BBQ without a lecture
- Per 100 g, the snag wins - but the serves aren't equal. A sausage is fattier than a lean steak, so it's higher per 100 g. A steak serve is just bigger, which is why a snag in bread and a lean steak with salad land close on the plate.
- The second sausage is the real move. One snag in bread is about 1,500 kJ; the second one takes the plate near 2,500 kJ. If you're watching the number, it's the extra snag, not the steak, to think about.
- Bread, sauce and dressing are the quiet climbers. Each slice of white bread is about 490 kJ, and a creamy dressing can add 500 to 800 kJ - more than switching the meat. Lemon, mustard and a splash of vinegar are near free.
- Load the salad, it's basically free. A bowl of undressed garden salad is about 200 kJ. It fills the plate and barely moves the total, so there's no reason to go light on it.
- It's a BBQ, not a budget. Knowing the number just lets you pick the snag, the steak or both on purpose - and get back to the grill.
Stop guessing the number
OzCal logs a BBQ plate in about five seconds: snap it, scan the barcode or search it - or just say "a snag and a scotch fillet". Kilojoules the way the label shows them, on 86,112 verified Australian foods.
Common questions
How many kilojoules in a BBQ sausage?
A grilled beef snag is about 1,300 kJ per 100 g, so a 70 g sausage is roughly 910 kJ (217 Cal). In a slice of white bread with sauce the whole thing is about 1,500 kJ.
Is a steak or a sausage higher in kilojoules?
Per 100 g a sausage is higher, because of the fat - about 1,300 kJ/100 g for a snag against ~750 kJ/100 g for lean rump. But a steak serve is bigger, so per serve a snag in bread and a lean steak with salad come out close.
How many kilojoules in a snag in bread?
About 1,500 kJ (359 Cal): roughly 910 kJ for the sausage, 490 kJ for the bread and 90 kJ for the sauce. The second sausage, not the steak, is what moves the plate.
What's the leanest meat for the BBQ?
Grilled chicken breast at about 650 kJ/100 g, then lean rump and skinless chicken thigh. A garden salad without dressing is about 130 kJ/100 g, so pile it on.
Does the salad and bread matter?
The salad barely does - a bowl is about 200 kJ undressed. The bread (~490 kJ a slice), the sauce and the creamy dressing (500 to 800 kJ) are where a plate quietly grows.
Keep reading
Citing this page. OzCal (2026). "Snag vs Steak Kilojoules: The BBQ, Settled | OzCal". Retrieved from https://ozcal.com.au/kilojoules/bbq-snag-vs-steak. Last updated 2026-10-01. Figures are per the serve stated in each row, converted at 1 Cal = 4.184 kJ.