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. If you scroll down the IP Cafe Rio post, under the second photo are links to all the Cafe Rio recipes (the words in blue writing). Do I have to thaw my meat? I am likely the only person in the world that couldnt get this to work for me. Well, Ive tried my fair share of these recipes in the pastbut since I strongly dislike colas (yes, all of them) I found that I did not like those recipes that included them! xo Marinade pork for at least 2 hours or overnight in can of coke and 1/4 C brown sugar. Muffins, Quick Bread, Coffee Cake & Cinnamon Rolls, https://abountifulkitchen.com/favorite-cafe-rio-copycat-recipes/. Each time I visit Utah, a visit to Cafe Rio is required at least once. I have both a 6 nd 8 quart, I most often use the 6 quart unless Im cooking for a big crowd or cooking two dishes at once in the IP. Sarah, Put the shredded pork into a casserole dish and cover with the enchilada sauce. I just added that to step 11 (where it should have been!). ), but occasionally Ill get the quesadilla because its gooey. Made it today. Si. I need to feed 100 hungry lacrosse players after practice next Thursday and want to have enough! He, Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Butter! Just curious if it would make the flavor different. Hope this helps! It is spot on! Place shredded pork back in crock pot. I have tried a lot of different sweet pork recipes. I knew there was a reason we get along. I was just freaking out wondering where my sweet pork recipe went! SO GOOD! I love the pork Barbacoa burrito and have not been able to recreate it or find some thing close to it here in Texas until this recipe thank you for posting this. Rub with garlic salt and pour 2 cups of coke and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6. This looks like the perfect dish to prepare for all my hungry helpers. In the recipe, It states to place the shredded the pork with the sauce and additional 2 hours on the crock pot. Add the full can of coke, brown sugar and green salsa. Looks incredible, Carrian! Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe Without Coke - FindSimplyRecipes 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. And thank you! Hi! 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. That is so exciting! You might enjoy Cinder. Just made this today and no one in my family could wait a day to let it set. boneless pork carnitas, shoulder etc 12 oz Coke 1 can 1/4 cup brown sugar 10 oz. Some unusual ingredients are used to marinate and slow-cook the pork until it is just right. The pork is marinated and slow-cooked to perfection in some surprising ingredients! The sweet pork also makes a perfect topping for nachos. When we go to Cafe Rio, I pretty much always get the salad to split (this is quite rare as the hubs DOES NOT split anything. Its a hit at any gathering! And also Im loving your post about cooking for a crowd, girls camp and such! Put the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 8). Then the recipe says 45 to cook and 45 NPR. Thanks what flavor is the el paso liquid ? I know Ive posted about a few copycat recipes from Cafe Rio like the cilantro lime rice, Creamy tomatillo Cilantro Ranch and slow cookerCafe Rio chicken, but this recipe is so dead on I had no choice but to post. Cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until heated through. CopyCat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Mommy's Kitchen I love the recommendation of using Pork Shoulder or Boneless Pork Rib meat the meat is perfect every time! And the other 50% of the judges liked my moms recipe! Drain the marinade and add the pork to a 5-quart slow cooker. Make sure the lid is set to the Sealing position. Can i make this in an instapot? Tips and Secrets for perfect Cafe Rio Sweet Pork! Si, I made this Instant Pot Cafe Rio for our RS Birthday dinner which was right before the Covid shutdowns. Everyone says it tastes just like Cafe Rio. So if you are cooking a 7 lb roast, about 3.5-4 lbs of meat left if using a pork butt or shoulder. I always hope my replies are seen, but Im never sure as spam loves to take my emails. All rights reserved. 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. Thats because it tastes so similar to the original. Keep warm until ready to serve. Thank you so much for your support! This unique cookbook guides the way through every step, including meal lists and easy-to-follow recipes, and features dollops of heartwarming family stories. Thanks! I am a homebody and especially love a night to myself to putter in the kitchen with a glass of wine. And Im excited to try this new recipe. Glad you loved this recipe. Seriously, made my day! Set the uncovered pork butt in the oven and bake for 12 hours. It makes me feel so good to hear how much you love this recipe. We love your recipes and your website! Place meat in pot when hot and brown on both sides. Shoot. I love it in a burrito or on a salad. xo Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker. [ Note to judges: this was recipe 2 for all of you that preferred this one] *Recipe here [amd-zlrecipe-recipe:10] Cilantro Lime Rice Cook for 30-60 more minutes. Its THAT good! Si. Cafe Rio Sweet Pork - Real Life Dinner In a small bowl, mix about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Si. For keto I subbed Dr. Pepper Zero for the coke, and Monkfruit brown sugar for the regular brown sugar. I have never tried it with Diet coke. That is how yummy it is! xo Caramelized the chopped onions and then add them with the carrots and peppers to the sauce in the IP before adding the meat and then add the shredded pork and let it stay on warm for a while? Combine meat and sauce: Return the shredded pork to the crock pot, along with the sauce mixture. My secrets (and recipes) for getting dinner on the table FAST! This one is by far my favorite and is almost identical to the sweet pork from Cafe Rio. Ive tried it only with the bone and its been great. Wow!!!! How long would you recommend I cook the meat for in my 8qt IP? Enjoy. Thanks so much for sharing and for reading ABK! Put pork, can of Coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot and cook on high for about 3-4 hours or on low for 8 hours. Oh my gosh, cant thank you enough for perfecting this recipe for the instant pot. You can also use Boneless Pork Rib meat, which is basically the same thing as the shoulder, without the bone. Maybe 5 minutes longer? Two neighbors have texted me today asking for the recipe! Sorry about the half eaten salad in this next pictureit was SO good that I forgot to take a picture before I ate most of it! Rub with garlic salt and pour 2 cups of coke and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6. So sorry, I asked my comment in a reply on accident. Remove pork from marinade and place in a slow cooker along with half a can of coke, water, and garlic salt. Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe 8 hr 15 min Boneless pork ribs, gluten free, coke, brown sugar, green chilies 4.617 Copycat Sweet Pork Recipe {Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker} 2 hr Root beer, pork roast, enchilada sauce, red enchilada sauce, dark brown sugar 4.6325 Cafe Rio Sweet Pork 6 hr 50 min I missed this because I was doing all the other recipes as well. 15 Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe Without Coke - Selected Recipes Cafe Rio Sweet Pork {Copycat} recipes - Main course Also, should I double the sauce? A Bountiful Kitchen Cookbook, filled with recipes, photos, stories, and special notes from me, is now available for purchase! 1 packet sauce (no longer made) I figured some butts/shoulders were just tougher. It is so sweet, so delicious. It literally melts in your mouth. I definitely saving this one! Cafe Rio Sweet Pork - Chef in Training Thanks for all the work you put in to figure this out for the instant pot! I couldve eaten the meat alone with a fork and left all the toppings!!! Wouldnt you know it, this is now my familys favorite. This hot thw spot, so easy and incredibly yummy! Hi, in step 10 it says to put the the remaining juice aside in a small bowl. Served ot with spanish yellow rice and black beans. See our disclosure policy. I pretty much make all the recipes for this meal for family parties and everyone loves it!! I need to make this for 20-25 people. Seriously! Hence, 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you for this easy recipe! You can also use the meat in tacos, enchiladas or burritos. We have a smaller group, of about 30. This pork look so saucy and delicious! 1 packet sauce (no longer made) The meat cooks for a long time in the crock pot in its own juices which allows it to absorb a lot of flavor. xo, Discard any large pieces of fat and then shred. I love seeing what you made. I would totally make this again. Perfect! Their sweet pulled pork was the absolute sizzle and now that Ive found this recipe I can have it whenever I want. xo Stir them together until the sugar is dissolved. This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat recipe does much better in the oven as it really brings out the flavor, but a slow cooker will work just fine. This recipe looks 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. Hi Anna, its actually a sauce pouch, so its liquid but not in a can. haha, at least Im not the only one dealing with a non-sharer. I actually called General Mills and was told they discontinued it. And I think you will have enough sauce for an 8 lb roast. Enjoy using your Instant Pot! Pour pork and liquid into crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. I have had pork butt get tough before, and good results other times even cooking around the same amount of time with about the same size butt! xo Drain marinade and discard. We also used coke, the red enchilada sauce that we made, onions and carrots, sugar and butter. xo We love to place a tortilla on a plate, then top it with black beans, rice and the sweetpork, just like Caf Rio does. Tastes great! I dont need to spend 10 bucks for one at Cafe Rio ever again when I can make it so easily at home! Weve fed 8 just fine with it but you could always double it and have leftovers! Well, my answer is YES. We are still working on it too. It is so yummy! But I maybe missed this, but when do you put the brown sugar in? I have about four hours. The sugar in the drink break down the fibers in the meat. Whisk the enchilada sauce, chopped green chiles, brown sugar and one can of soda together in the Instant Pot. Seal. Ive tried another Cafe Rio sweet pork recipe, and yours definitely tastes more like the real deal!! Soooo good. Should I triple the amount of soda while cooking? Thanks for sharing this, I cant wait to try it! Is there anyway to use store bought pulled pork to speed up the recipe? Hi Truann, the homemade spice mix is the amount you need for the recipe, so you should use all of it. Spray inside of a large crock pot with cooking spray. I always make a ton of this sweet pork so I can use it in multiple recipes throughout the week, I also find myself snacking on it straight out of the fridge. We dont have Caf Rio where I am, so I have nothing to compare to, but it sounds like a great combo. xo -Simmer pork in a pan with cut up yellow onions, serrano peppers and chopped carrots. I have a 5 pound, bone-in pork shoulder. Do you by chance have a copycat recipe for the Cafe Rio spicy green chile pork? Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe (Copycat) - Favorite Family Recipes I so look forward to trying some of your recipes. You made my day Rebecca! Can you use Dr. pepper instead of coke? So ive been following the steps as i make it and just got to the part that says set timer to 50 min. (Roast can be omitted.) I make my IP pork similar to yours but pour 1/2 liter of Dr pepper around pork chunks in IP and cook under manual pressure for 60 min unless very large portion in 8 qt I would cook for 75 min. Used the above ingredients on low. 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. Put meat back in crock pot and add enchilada sauce, garlic, green chilies and brown sugar. 1 week ago wikihow.com Show details . I am planning a large event and want to make sure I have enough. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker. (so 8 hours total) . Hi there! xo Marinade for a few hours or overnight, shaking once or twice during the marinating. 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. If using a frozen roast, how would I need to adjust the cook time? I love Cafe Rios pulled pork. Or just the last 2 hours add the mixture? Turned out fabulous. Are you marinating it in the Coke before you add the spices and brown in the Instant Pot? My husband and i moved and miss cafe rio/costa vida so much. Thank you so much for sharing, Josee, Im so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Cover crock pot with lid and cook another 1 to 2 hours on low heat. We are thrilled that so many of you have enjoyed this recipe as much as we have. xo Place pork in a baking dish and pour 8 ounces of Coca-Cola and water over it (I used a measuring cup). 2c packed is too sweet so I used 1.5c. Hi! Remove the peppers and carrots after cooking. Is it 10 hours total on low? While it isnt spot on (I think it would be very hard to get it right), it is very tasty. This post may contain affiliate links. Keep cooking for an additional hour or two on low heat with the lid on the crock pot. But most of all, they love the memories made, shared and treasured and its all thanks to a meal shared together with loved ones. xo That is great to know that using coke zero works! Toss with the shredded meat and cook an additional 30 minutes. Double one of the recipes and the make one single recipe in the other. Use it to top a salad, a burrito, or a taco. Add about a can and a half of coke and about cup of brown sugar. My. Im missing the step where you add the Coke. I would wait to put the sauce on until you are ready to serve it. You can go ahead and cook it with the bone in and then remove the meat when its done. , Hi Crystal, I havent tried it with chicken yet, but it should turn out just as well. How many pounds of meat do you recommend, and should I alter the cooking time? We recently moved ro an area where we no longer have quick access to cafe rio (our fave). xo, . Im feeding 5 men tomorrow and was hoping to freeze the extra cooked meat, but now Im worried I wont be able to get 9lbs cooked to fork tender. Ohhh, Ill have to check it out! The pork slow cooks all day, and then at dinnertime, you have an amazing dish to serve to your family. That is the best compliment ever! Thanks to todays recipe, I can make the delicious sweet pork at home in mycrock pot. Cafe Rio does marinade the meat but you will still have a delicious meal if you dont. I was referring to your homemade spice mix. Mix until well combined. The only problem is the other six people who live with me hated it. Its a good sweet pork recipe but its definitely not the cafe rio one. Hi Aubrey, Thanks for posting the recipe. I hope you all enjoy. I made this for Sunday dinner and it was huge hit! I dont think garlic powder would give the same flavor but you could roast a bulb of garlic and add 2-3 minced cloves into the sauce and that would be closer. I love that! -Only use pork butt or shoulder.