Also known as หมูกรอบ, Moo Grob, Thai Crispy Pork Belly, Mu Krop.
Pork belly boiled, dried and deep fried until the skin blisters, then chopped into cubes. Sold by the plate at khao kha moo and khao man gai shops, or stir fried with kana (Chinese broccoli) and served over rice.
560kcal / 1 plate
A plate of moo krob, around 120g of crispy pork belly cubes, is about 560 calories with 52g of fat. Per 100g it is roughly 460 calories, which puts it among the densest things at a Thai rice shop. Khao kana moo krob, the rice and Chinese broccoli plate, comes in at 620 calories for 270g in the Department of Health table.
Nutrition facts
Per 1 plate (120g)
Amount
Per 100g
Calories
560 kcal
467 kcal
Protein
22 g
18 g
Carbs
2 g
2 g
Fat
52 g
43 g
Where the calories come from
Crispy pork belly120g
540 kcal
Nam jim seafood dipping sauce20g
15 kcal
Cucumber slices20g
3 kcal
The real talk
Pork belly is already about 30 percent fat before you touch it, and deep frying it drives out the water so the fat percentage climbs further. A 120g plate lands at about 560 calories, and 470 of those are fat. There is no version of this dish where the numbers look good, and pretending otherwise is pointless. What you can control is the portion and what it sits on.
The interesting comparison is with rice. Khao kana moo krob at 270g is listed at 620 calories by the Department of Health, which means the rice and vegetables only add about 60 calories over a plain plate of moo krob. That is because the stir fry version uses around 70g of pork instead of 120g. If you want moo krob, the stir fry with kana is the cheaper way to get it.
Also worth knowing: a 40 baht side plate of moo krob at a khao kha moo shop is usually 80 to 100g, not 120g. That is 370 to 460 calories. The 120g figure is a full portion at a khao man gai or duck rice shop where it is the main protein. Ask for it chopped small and you will usually get less on the plate.
How the portions compare
460 kcal
Side plate (about 100g)
560 kcal
Standard plate (120g)
620 kcal
Khao kana moo krob, 270g plate
Moo Krob variants, ranked by calories
Variant
Calories
Notes
Moo krob side plate, 100g
460 kcal
Typical 40 baht side
Moo krob plate, 120g
560 kcal
Full portion as the main protein
Khao kana moo krob
620 kcal
Stir fried with kana over rice, Department of Health 270g figure
Khao pad kra pao moo krob
650 kcal
Holy basil stir fry over rice
How to eat it lighter
Order pad kana moo krob over rice instead of a plate of pure moo krob; you get around 70g of pork and 100g of greens for 620 calories total.
Share a plate between two people as a side, which is how most Thai tables actually eat it.
Pick moo daeng (red roast pork) at the same shop; it is about 200 calories per 100g against 460 for moo krob.
Skip the extra crackling pieces that some shops add on top; each 10g piece is another 45 calories.
Common questions
How many calories in 100g of moo krob?
About 460 calories, with 43g of fat and 18g of protein. Plain roast pork belly is similar; the deep frying step adds the crunch but the fat was already there.
Is moo krob or moo daeng better for a diet?
Moo daeng, easily. Red roast pork is lean loin at around 200 calories per 100g. Moo krob is belly at about 460. A khao moo daeng plate is 537 calories against 620 for khao kana moo krob with far less meat.
How many calories in khao kana moo krob?
The Thai Department of Health lists a 270g plate at 620 calories. That is rice, about 70g of moo krob, kana and oyster sauce.
Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical street stall or food court serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.
Calorie figure based on hdmall.co.th moo krob 1 plate = 560 kcal; Thai Department of Health via health.kapook.com khao kana moo krob 270g = 620 kcal. Macros estimated from the ingredients.