Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (copycat)
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork copycat recipe is full of delicious sweet flavor. It pairs perfectly with burritos, tacos, salads and so much more!
I already know what you’re thinking. Does the food blog world really need another Café Rio recipe? Well, my answer is YES. A big fat huge YES because this Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe is phenomenal, and I don’t throw that word around too much. 😉
My hubby is the biggest sweet pork fan. Every single time we eat at Café Rio, he orders the sweet pork salad. He just loves it. I usually order the fire-grilled chicken, but I always seem to ask Kale if I can have a bite of his! haha.
About 2 years ago I started making the sweet pork at home, and it just never tasted right. So I’ve been experimenting with different versions and this one is the one we feel tastes closest to the real thing. It is so sweet, so delicious. It literally melts in your mouth. There’s no need to marinate the pork, like other recipes. I skipped out on doing it this time, and I could not tell a difference at all.
This pork is SO flavorful! It’s perfect in burritos, tacos and salads. We love to place a tortilla on a plate, then top it with black beans, rice and the sweet pork, just like Café Rio does. Try this Creamy Cilantro Dressing to pour over the top. It is heaven!
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Have you made this Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe? 😋
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Cafe Rio Sweet Pork copycat
Ingredients
- 3 pound pork shoulder/butt roast
- 16 ounces Coca-Cola soda divided (*do not use diet soda. The sugar in regular soda is needed.)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
- 1 can (10 ounces) red enchilada sauce
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
Instructions
- Spray inside of a large crock pot with cooking spray. Place pork roast inside. Pour 8 ounces of Coca-Cola ( I used a measuring cup) and water around pork. (It does not need to cover roast) Sprinkle evenly with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Cover with lid and cook on high heat for 6 hours OR cook on low heat for 8 hours.
- Remove pork from crock pot and transfer to cutting board. Discard liquid from crock pot. Shred pork with two forks, and remove any fat.
- In a blender or food processor, blend the remaining 8 ounces Coca-Cola, diced green chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar. Blend until smooth.
- Place shredded pork back in crock pot. Pour enchilada sauce mixture over the shredded pork. Cover crock pot with lid and cook another 1 to 2 hours on low heat. Serve pork in burritos, salads and tacos!
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My family LOVES your Café Rio Chicken. I can’t wait to try this!!
Cafe Rio pork is my fav! Now I really have a hankering for a Cafe Rio pork salad. Looks like I’ll have to make me one using your yummy recipe! Thanks for sharing it.
Wow!!!! I made this for my daughter and I for a twist on regular tacos…. I could’ve eaten the meat alone with a fork and left all the toppings!!! This is the perfect mix of savory sweet and will find its way into our regular “taco Tuesday” rotation.
Yay! Glad it was such a hit for you. We absolutely love this pork!! 🙂
Hey Holly! What brand of enchilada sauce do you prefer?
I like Old El Paso! (sorry for the late reply, just now seeing this)
Soooo good. We’re not really Coke people, so we used root beer instead. Turned out fabulous.
Can you use Dr. pepper instead of coke? Has anyone tried it?
Yes, you can. I’ve tried it and it still turns out amazing!
Hi! Is it 10 hours total on low? Or just the last 2 hours add the mixture? Thanks!
This was a hit in my house! Served ot with spanish yellow rice and black beans. Only thing I think we were missing was a little heat, will use hot chiles and enchilada sauce next time. Cannot wait to use leftovers in tacos and a salad. Thanks for sharing a keeper
I was wondering if you could make an Instant Pot variation on this recipe! That would be amazing!
I have made this recipe – all the same prep steps and ingredients with a few tweaks to use an instant pot : 3 lbs of pork tenderloin cut into chunks for 55 minutes on manual (with the grate that lifts the meat mostly off the bottom of the pot. Once it finishes and steam is released I drain liquid, shred with two forks, then add the enchilada sauce mixture and just incorporate together until hot. i didn’t continue to cook with sauce mixture but I’m sure it would make the flavor more deep and perhaps a little thicker maybe? But turns out fabulous. This is my favorite cafe rio pork recipe.
I realized after I made this and then ate at Cafe Rio that this recipe tastes better than the actual Cafe Rio sweet Pork Burittos! You could open a restaurant. Good job!
Would diet soda work?
Thank you for sharing!! I’ve tried another Cafe Rio sweet pork recipe, and yours definitely tastes more like the real deal!! Made it today. and it was a huge hit! Thanks again!
Have you ever tried adding chipotles in adobo sauce? They’re smoked jalapeños, but the adobo sauce they come canned in is the magical part. I’m constantly tweaking this recipe too!Tandie
Do we drain the chili’s?
Yes 🙂
Can i use beef instead of pork?
Yes, you can use a beef roast instead of the pork! 🙂
Can i make this in an instapot? How long should i cook it?
Hi Lindsay, I haven’t used an instant pot yet, so I’m not sure how long you would cook this recipe in it. I’m sorry!
I moved out of the area where my local cafe rio was. Their sweet pulled pork was the absolute sizzle and now that I’ve found this recipe I can have it whenever I want. Made the recipe as directed, rolled it up into a burrito, covered it with some salsa verse and cheese…bam.
I don’t like all the sugar in cocoa cola will I be ok using diet coke?
The regular Coke does add a sweetness to it that makes this pork so amazing. I have never tried it with Diet coke. I’m not sure it would be that good.
Absolutely delicious!! We recently moved ro an area where we no longer have quick access to cafe rio (our fave). This hot thw spot, so easy and incredibly yummy! This will definitely be a staple meal in out home!