I have been making various copycat recipes for the past 15 years and this is the best and least fussy. i made this yesterday! Excellent! This looks like the perfect dish to prepare for all my hungry helpers. Hi Elise, you could try cooking it for 45 minutes if you only have 3 lbs of meat. We also made your Tomatillo Sauce/Dressing and its perfection. Using a slow cooker is an easy way to make pulled pork. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker. Hi Allison, if youre using a 4 lb roast, I would set the pressure time for 70-80 minutes. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to overnight. Youre probably going to want 12-14 hours in the oven. took the tip to let it sit overnight, so i am excited to try it tonight for dinner! Hence, 4 out of 5 stars. Hope this helps! We are still working on it! It was all delicious!! Thank you so much! If the chicken is fresh or thawed it takes about 6 minutes both of these times are on high or manual pressure. I have actually! Rub the seasoning mixture all over the pork and place in a 9x13" pan, fat pad facing up. Cheese Thank you for this easy recipe! 2 pounds pork (we use boneless pork ribs) 36 ounces Coke (3 soda cans) NOT diet 1/4 cup brown sugar dash garlic salt 1/4 cup water 1 can diced green chilies 10 ounces red enchilada sauce (Old El Paso brand is gluten free, I like medium spiciness but any will work) 1 cup brown sugar Instructions Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinate. Pour can of Coke, water and garlic salt over pork in the slow cooker. Hi Deb, Im sorry to hear that. Should I take the time to cut it off the bone? Use a can of Coke and a quarter cup of brown sugar to marinate the pork for at least two hours and up to overnight. There are a lot of Sweet Pork (Cafe Rio Copycat) Recipes out there. Grab a blender and add 8 oz coke, green chilies, red enchilada sauce and brown sugar. it is super yummy. I love your variation and thanks for sharing, Joana! Im actually so excited about this that Im going to make it as a crockpot freezer meal for my freezer exchange group, too! Will the carrots get tender on just the warm setting? Sautd a 6.5# pork shoulder on all sides and cooked for 52 min + 50 min natural release and it was still not cooked all the way through, which left the meat tough and not able to be shredded. Thanks for asking! You can now make Cafe Rio Sweet Pork at home! I am Lucky in love to a supportive husband, blessed to raise 3 kids (all moved away now! Sarah, Thanks for reading ABK. Place shredded pork back in crock pot. Alot of prep work but was delicious. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride. I am doing a frozen 7 lb roast should I increase the cooking time? If you are trying to lose weight, pork is a better choice than beef, because pork is lower in calories. When I first made this I was so happy to see that adobo sauce and marinating the meat werent part of your recipe (Im glad you agree that it doesnt add noticeable extra flavor). Pour half of the can of soda around the roast in the slow cooker. xo -It is important to remember that Instant Pot cooking is not necessarily quick cooking! We will definitely look into that! It was absolutely phenomenal!!! Drain the marinade and add the pork to a 5-quart slow cooker. Yes it really is that fast and simple! Chicken breast cooks a lot faster than the pork, so you dont want to over cook it. My husband doesnt like sweet sauces so I pulled some meat out for him to make carnitas and even that was fantastic. Its a fun series of futuristic fairy tale stories with a twist Its perfect in burritos, tacos and salads. The yellow can said hot and I was a little scared hesitant to try it. There are many different cuts of pork sold in the grocery store and at big box stores, such as Costco. Moving to my new house this weekend. A++ both ways. Jessica, THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY SPOT. xo Its red chile enchilada sauce with roasted tomato and garlic. Ive added brown sugar to step 11. I have made many other recipes for Sweet Pork, but they lack flavor. During early experiments with this recipe, I cooked the pork in the sauce but found the sauce ingredients to be so diluted (even without adding water) and the sauce so runny that it was better to drain off some of the sauce and start over after cooking. Si. I love Cafe Rio sweet pork, so I will definitely try this. It looks so delicious! Si, I dont believe Sirloin pork is fatty enough to achieve a shredded finished product I highly recommend either pork shoulder or butt! Ive seen some other recipes use Coke and I think it would definitely add to the flavor. Thanks so much! enchilada sauce (can) Ive read those books and enjoyed them except for the ending of the Giver. Add the 2 tablespoons of reserved spices, red enchilada sauce, brown sugar, green chiles and green salsa/enchilada sauce and stir/toss to combine. Is there anyway to use store bought pulled pork to speed up the recipe? Just curious if it would make the flavor different. Hello March! I make this so often and it is now the ONLY way i make sweet pork! , And of course I meant CRP not CPK, Thank you so much for your detailed review! Any suggestions for a good replacement? - Pork recipe is made with pork shoulder (Boston pork butt), pantry I need to get myself an instapot and try this! My. I love seeing what you made. I am one of those people that wont print out a recipe until it meets the mark. Mix the sauce into the shredded pork to thoroughly coat it. I made extra sweet sauce, would I be able to freeze the sauce alone to use for my next batch of sweet pork later this month? Either I toss everything in a bag with the meat and freeze it then pop it in the slow cooker on low for 10-12 hours or I cook it and allow it to cool completely then put in bags (we separate into two meals since our family is small) and freeze for up to 1 month. (And Si is one of my favorite imaginary friends on instagramId love to actually meet her. Glad it was such a hit for you. Remove the remaining juice from the pan and place in a small bowl. The pork will just be more tender than chicken. Si. We have spent YEARS, much like we did for the perfect Melt in Your Mouth Buttermilk Pancakes and The Very Best Banana Bread, searching out exactly how this pork is made. Sometimes making a slow cooker sweet pork just fits into your schedule better, I totally get that! Si. FOLLOW OH, SWEET BASIL ONFACEBOOK|INSTAGRAM|PINTEREST|TWITTERFOR ALL OF OUR LATEST CONTENT, RECIPES AND STORIES. Your email address will not be published. I do not live near any Kroger stores. Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes Delicious sweet pulled pork perfect for your favorite Mexican food dish. Mix until well combined. Si. Bring to a boil and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. I have been a little intimidated by new recipes in my IP, but had a great cut of meat from a sale and thought I would give it a try. Love your blog:). -Only use pork butt or shoulder. I am likely the only person in the world that couldnt get this to work for me. Thank you!! Haha I know! . My husband is coming home from a trip tomorrow and I think this will be a perfect meal to make to make us both happy. I am SO excited to try this recipe. If you want to start the meat at 3:00 pm when you leave to start driving carpool, go ahead, the meat will be fine in the Instant Pot for hours. I just added that to step 11 (where it should have been!). Just Clarification, do you cook it for 6 hours or 8-9 hours and then an additional 2 hours after adding the remaining ingredients? The process was so easy and the results were amazing. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. Sounds yummy. Here is the link https://abountifulkitchen.com/favorite-cafe-rio-copycat-recipes/, I have used this recipe several times, most recently for New Years Eve. Im letting you in on all the secrets! We put ours on top of nachos with homemade guac and queso and fresh pickled jalapeos. But most of all, they love the memories made, shared and treasured and its all thanks to a meal shared together with loved ones. Looking forward to making this. Christine, The sweet pork also makes a perfect topping for nachos. I tried the recipe with both boneless pork ribs and boneless pork shoulder. Si. Im eating it right now for the third day in a row, still in awe at how delicious it is. I have an 8 quart instant pot. I do not like the taste of frozen cooked meat so I do two things. Any progress on a new recipe? Recognizing the Sunshine and Living Happy. Try this Creamy Cilantro Dressing to pour over the top. Be sure to check out all our other tasty Mexican Recipes! Add coke, water, garlic salt, onion salt, and chili powder. Cook, covered, for 6 to 7 hours on low heat. Hi Judene! I have always marinated my pork the night before or for at least a couple hours, but if you forget or just dont have time go ahead and cook it without marinading it. The recipe for the spice rub was a bonus, flavoring the pork beautifully. Or would you stick to the original recipe you posted of the crockpot version? I m making it again today. Thank you! ON. Thats because it tastes so similar to the original. We've perfected the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe! Maybe we still call it butt because butt is more fun to say than shoulder? Maybe closer to 35lbs if you are feeding hungry lacrosse players! Hi Megan, thank you for pointing that out, the cook time should be about and hour and a half. I so look forward to trying some of your recipes. I dont need to spend 10 bucks for one at Cafe Rio ever again when I can make it so easily at home! If you do try this recipe, be sure to try their Garlic Black Beans as wellso good! Remove all liquid from the slow cooker. I did it for 8 hours and it was falling apart YUM! Thank you! xo Place roast inside slow cooker. Cafe Rio {Copycat} Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch Dressing [+ Video], Cilantro Lime Rice Cafe Rio {Copycat} [+ Video], Crock Pot Cafe Rio {Copycat} Chicken [+ Video], Smothered Cafe Rio {Copycat} Chicken Burrito. thanks and let us know if you try the beef! The pork is tender and juicy, with the perfect amount of sweetness. Im hoping to serve 8 people. Si. Cafe Rio is a popular fast-casual Mexican style restaurant with headquarters in Utah. xo, And yes, youll use ground oregano. Ive tried many sweet pork copycats and this one is just spot on. Thanks for checking in on it, Stephanie! -Use a canned red enchilada sauce. Combine meat and sauce: Return the shredded pork to the crock pot, along with the sauce mixture. Try our Restaurant Style Salsa on top too! Our favorite way to enjoy it is on a Cafe Rio Salad. Want to make it authentic? Please let us know how it goes! The IP cooks at such a high temperature and pressure for a small amount of time, while the slow cooker is the complete opposite. Thanks for making this recipe possible in the instant pot! Ours are now by the Mexican aisle and the italian tomato sauces. Soooo good. Remove the peppers and carrots after cooking. And the other 50% of the judges liked my moms recipe! We had our friends from Guatemala over and they RAVED, exclaiming it tasted extremely authentic. Place the seared pork roast and coke in a 6 quart slow cooker. My husband and i moved and miss cafe rio/costa vida so much. (They do rival the restaurant however, there is something lovely about having all the ingredients ready and a salad made-to-order for you at the restaurant!). Some say Dr. Pepper. Were not really Coke people, so we used root beer instead. brown sugar, cafe rio, cafe rio copycat, cafe rio pork, copycat, copycat recipe, mexican pork, pork, root beer, shredded pork, sweet pork, FREE EMAIL BONUS: Cozy Soup Recipes to Get You Through the Winter, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/157555686939072946/, http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/09/red-chile-sauce-chicken-enchiladas.html, Jenna @ Extra Income Genie on February 24, 2014, Rocky Mountain Woman on September 11, 2013, Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain on September 11, 2013, Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking on September 11, 2013. I was SO tempted to make a taco at almost midnight because it smelled so good as I was finishing it. The meat was super tender and shredded with the slightest of pressure. Add about a can and a half of coke and about cup of brown sugar. Remove the roast onto a cutting board. Do you think a 7 pound pork would be enough for a family of 12 adults and seven little kids? Step 2: Add pork to slow cooker and discard marinade. Xo Just had to say thank you again! I do have a couple of questions, will this amount of sauce work for 4.5 lbs shoulder/butt, do you buy yours with or without the bone? This one has a small hint of a spicy kick to it (probably from the enchilada sauce) that was delicious, and this one was definitely quite a bit sweeter than the other. Hi Si you said if you do a frozen pork butt to increase the time to 70-80 minutes, but you also said that was for 4 lbs. It doesnt taste like cafe rio pork at all. Seriously, made my day! I get it! We feel like the Cafeo Rio pork, at least the one by us, tastes totally different than it did years ago which is a bummer too. This cafe rio pork recipe is my absolutely favorite. My slow cooked method posted previously recommends marinating, but this recipe does not. Thanks for asking! xo Put the shredded pork into a casserole dish and cover with the enchilada sauce. Im so excited to make this. It was a life saver for me as my sister was blessing her baby and my other sister went into labor two days before and my mom flew out to Florida to be with her. I found a sauce packet by Frontera. The pork cooks for a long time in the slow cooker which makes the meat tender and easy to shred. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Thanks for your time and talent! Misti. Thank you! Si. Si, Crystal I should have mentioned above, chicken will take way less time. -I made it the night before so it could sit in the sauce overnight. The extra two hours gives the shredded meat a chance to soak up more of the marinade. Can you say easy? Its personal preference if you want to add them to the sauce. You might enjoy Cinder. Si. Pour half of the seasoning mixture over the roast and rub it into the meat. Also, when you write oregano it is the ground oregano, not the leaves, right? How do you make the dressing/sauce that is on top? Mention @favoritefamilyrecipes or tag #favoritefamilyrecipes! Do I have to thaw my meat? I love Cafe Rios pulled pork. Si. How would you suggest I heat it up once at camp? Keep warm until ready to serve. Si. xo We Dont have Cafe Rio in Michigan. I definitely saving this one! Basically, thats asking for an actual recipe. Can you please tell me how many this recipe will feed? Remove Chipotle chilies and shred meat. Hope this helps. All rights reserved. I bought a 9lb pork shoulder. Perfect for burritos, salads and tacos! I knew there was a reason we get along. I couldve eaten the meat alone with a fork and left all the toppings!!! So so good and so easy. We've perfected the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe! Place pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag. I saw someone else comment that they use half a liter of Dr Pepper but I wasnt sure if they meant in the instant pot instead of water or what. Because of differences in slow cooker heat, make sure you check it a few times throughout the day to make sure the meat doesnt overcook. We dont buy caffeinated drinks so I was hoping it would taste just as great with rootbeer. This updated recipe allows cooking of the sweet pork in a fraction of the original 5-12 hour time. Do you by chance have a copycat recipe for the Cafe Rio spicy green chile pork? The regular Coke does add a sweetness to it that makes this pork so amazing. Oh good! Since 2007, our family has been dishing out tried and true recipes for classic, home-cooked food online. Hello! For this recipe, count on 2 hours minimum for preparing, pressurizing and then natural release of pressure and removing any fat still attached to meat. This unique cookbook guides the way through every step, including meal lists and easy-to-follow recipes, and features dollops of heartwarming family stories. The aromatics totally make a difference, but you throw them out after its done cooking. Hi Ginger, thats so sweet of you to help out your sister! Pork and beef have about the same amount of protein, with beef being slightly higher, so really, it just depends on what youre looking for. And also Im loving your post about cooking for a crowd, girls camp and such! Ill have to try chicken next time. Remove pork from crock pot and transfer to cutting board. I think that is one of the most valuable benefits of the IP, not having to plan dinner early in the morning anymore! I need to feed 100 hungry lacrosse players after practice next Thursday and want to have enough! I did try the sauce and it is tasty. Thanks what flavor is the el paso liquid ? Thanks for sharing it. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. Sorry to not get back to you sooner! Thanks again! Walmart. How To Make Our Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe: When you are ready to prepare the sweet pork for this Cafe Rio copycat recipe, get out your slow cooker and fill it half of the way with water. Glad you loved this recipe. Shred as normal, preparing the sauce separate and toss to combine. My family loved it! Drain the marinade, and sprinkle the pork all over with garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. Ill be making the original version tomorrow because Ill have plenty of time to do it! 12 servings Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 6 hours 40 minutes Total: 6 hours 50 minutes Rate Recipe Ingredients 3 lbs. No words can describe how happy my family is. You made my day Rebecca! Thank you! I usually order the fire-grilled chicken, but I always seem to ask Kale if I can have a bite of his! Thirty minutes did not give the meat enough time to tenderize while 75 was too long. Two neighbors have texted me today asking for the recipe! . Lets treat others how wed like to be treated . Thanks for reading ABK, Here is the link to the cilantro-tomatillo dressing, but there are also links to my guacamole, black beans, rice and pico. While we dont have the actual recipe, we literally cannot taste a difference. I pretty much make all the recipes for this meal for family parties and everyone loves it!! Sprinkle the pork with the garlic powder and roast in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Complete fail and waste of a lot of money. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for about 3-4 hours. It does add more flavor to the meat, but it will still turn out great. Rub the dry seasoning all over the pork roast. Cafe Rio sweet pork can be served on a bed of white rice with toppings such as sliced jalapeno, diced tomatoes, and fresh cilantro. If you like a little more spice, try the yellow can. Si. Im excited to give this a try! Its not listed in the ingredients. Las Palmas brand used at Cafe Rio. Its so yummy! Here is the old recipe: Turned out fabulous. Can I sub beef for this or do you have the cafe rio shredded beef recipe? Hello! The longer the better. I wish I had looked for an instant pot recipe earlier!! Also, should I double the sauce? It is heaven! While it isnt spot on (I think it would be very hard to get it right), it is very tasty. Its delicious! Through the years weve had many friends who have moved on to new adventures in places other than Utah (though Cafe Rio is spreading like crazy across the countrynow in CA, AZ, CO, FL, ID, MD, MT, NV, VA, WA, and WY!) you can use any flavor you want but we usually stick with roasted garlic or tomato as the other is a little spicy for the kids. boneless pork (carnitas, shoulder etc) 12 oz Coke (1 can) 1/4 cup brown sugar 10 oz. Please share below and rate the recipe after youve given it a try! 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. Lauren, I secretly love when the hubs is out of town, I put the kids to bed WAY early and spend the night pampering in myself with dinner, a movie and a pedicure! So glad you like! Is the additional 2 hours of cooking (step 4) necessary after the meat has already cooked 8 hours? xo If the chicken is frozen cook for 13 minutes and then check it should be easy to shred. They have new sauces in the Mexican aisle that will work! I saw you hint at a Kroger substitute but didnt specify which one. The butt is usually sold without bone and the shoulder almost always is sold with a large bone-in. Made it today. Our favorite way to enjoy it is on top of a salad. Thanks. xo Make sure to marinate for at least a few hours, preferably overnight. xo thanks! I have about four hours. All the recipes are for a slow cooker and the coke is added to the pork about 6 hours after starting, then another two hours of cooking time. Delicious! In fact you can make the quesadilla at home too with our Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Quesadilla recipeyoure welcome! Pork tenderloin and pork loin roast are not good choices for this recipe. Dont like the one she posted? So they do a fresh flour tortilla, a little cheese, cilantro rice (recipe is on my blog as well as the cafe rio tomatillo dressing), beans of choice, meat, lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and the special dressing with crisp tortilla strips. I already know what youre thinking. I made this last night for my family and we had Missionaries over and everybody loved it- the leftovers are amazing too! My secrets (and recipes) for getting dinner on the table FAST! Thanks to todays recipe, I can make the delicious sweet pork at home in mycrock pot. Cafe Rio pork is my fav! He, Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Butter! They love everything from the keep you fit and healthy to the get out your sweat pants indulgent and everything in between. Make a smooth paste by blending. It is unnecessary to cover the roast with it. Thanks for another great one!! So I moved to Texas a little over a year ago and to my despair there isnt a Cafe Rio for 500 miles. This was delicious!! I think these homemade salads are SO delicious! If Im using 2.5 lbs of pork instead of 4 like this recipe calls for, do I still do the full two cups of water and 50 minutes pressure cooked time? I like my endings all wrapped up. I try to keep recipes as simple and easy as they can be. I hate that stores dont carry the same flavors. Thank you Si! thanks for reading ABK The pork is marinated and slow-cooked to perfection in some surprising ingredients! If you would like to thicken the sauce a bit, whisk one tablespoon of cornstarch into a cup of the liquid removed from pan after the meat was cooked and add back to the Instant Pot with meat and enchilada sauce. Used the above ingredients on low. I followed the recipe to a T, also making the ABK homemade menudo dry rub and the ABK Homemade Enchilada Sauce for the simmering meat. And thank you! We are still working on it too. 10/10! Si, Does this spice mix make the amount one would need to make this recipe, or does it make more? We moved from Utah to Mississippi and its nowhere around! Does anyone have a suggestion for recreating the Old El Paso sauce.