This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork is tender, juicy, and full of flavor! Just throw the ingredients in your slow cooker in the morning and it will be ready for dinner that evening - it's that easy. This pork is the perfect addition to burritos, tacos, salads and more.
One of our favorite places to grab a bite to eat is Cafe Rio (or Costa Vida). Ever since Jacob and I were dating we have loved to eat there. I'll admit, we probably grab lunch there at least once every other week. And somehow I never get sick of it those sweet pork salads. Luckily, you don't have to live by a Cafe Rio to enjoy sweet pork. This recipe is the perfect way to recreate your favorite salads, burritos, my Instant Pot Sweet Pork Tacos or Sweet Pork Sheet Pan Nachos!
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Ingredients
- Pork - I recommend using pork shoulder or butt.
- Coca Cola - I know it sounds weird, but Coke adds the best sweet flavor to the pork!
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Diced green chiles
- Red enchilada sauce
- Brown sugar
How to Make the Pork
- Place roast inside slow cooker. Pour Coke and water around pork. Add garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low.
- Remove pork from slow cooker and pour our the liquid. Shred the pork.
- In a blender, blend together the other half of the Coke, diced green chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.
- Place the pork back in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the pork. Cover and cook for 1 more hour on low.
Top Tips
- Use regular Coca Cola, not diet.
- Only use pork shoulder or butt, anything else tends to be too lean for this recipe.
- Don't let the pork cook in the slow cooker for longer than 8 or 9 hours or else it will get overcooked.
FAQs
While pork shoulder or butt is ideal for slow cooking, you can substitute it with pork loin. However, pork loin may not be as tender and juicy as shoulder or butt due to the lower fat content.
Yes, you can cook this recipe in an Instant Pot. Set it to "high pressure" for 60 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes. After that, shred the pork and continue with the sauce instructions as written.
The pork is done when it's tender and shreds easily with a fork. If it's not shredding easily, let it cook for another 30 minutes to an hour on low heat.
More Mexican-inspired recipes to try:
- Creamy Chicken Quesadillas
- Authentic Guacamole
- Mexican Horchata
- Homemade Mexican Churros with Dipping Sauces
If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! I’d love it if you could add a star rating ★ and a comment below. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!
📋 Recipe
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork shoulder or butt
- 16 oz Coca Cola divided
- ¼ cup water
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ salt and pepper
- 4 oz can diced chiles
- 10 oz can mild red enchilada sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Place roast inside slow cooker. Pour half of the Coke and water around pork. Add garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.
- Remove pork from slow cooker and shred. Toss the liquid from the slow cooker.
- In a blender, blend together the other half of the Coke, diced green chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.
- Place the pork back in the slow cooker. Pour the blended sauce over the pork. Cover and cook for 1 more hour on low heat.
Comments
No Comments