We have moved to a state that doesnt have Cafe Rios and needed to recreate it! One caution, not all cuts of pork work well in this recipe! Thanks what flavor is the el paso liquid ? I think that is one of the most valuable benefits of the IP, not having to plan dinner early in the morning anymore! I love this sweet pulled pork!! xo Delicious! It is so yummy! Drain marinade and put pork, can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but dont let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. It also makes the house smell SO good! Thanks! Set the manual/pressure cook button for 60 minutes. Thank you Si! It is a family favorite for sure! All of this info was compiled from various butchers and online sources. Hope this helps! A little more Coke can be added if it seems too thick. This cafe rio pork recipe is my absolutely favorite. We like to use the following toppings on our salad: It works great in the Instant Pot too and you can find my Instant Pot Cafe Rio Pork recipe here. Cuts of pork are not created equal! Once its shredded and ready to go, use it as a topping or filling in any of the following ways. Pour can of Coke, water and garlic salt over pork in the slow cooker. I have cooked frozen chicken breasts successfully in the IP, but chicken is a much smaller cut of than a pork roast I suggest letting it thaw and cooking afterward. 50 min and I let it npr for 1hr until I was ready to finish dinner. 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. Really? Fixed! Si. It is unnecessary to cover the roast with it. This will add the perfect flavor to this pork! So delicious! Im excited to give this a try! YESSS! No cafe rio close by. Cook again. Maybe closer to 35lbs if you are feeding hungry lacrosse players! 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. My family loved it! My family loves it! Si. And thank you! You may substitute beef for this recipe. I am anxious to try this recipe since we love their pork : ). Combine meat and sauce: Return the shredded pork to the crock pot, along with the sauce mixture. So sorry, I asked my comment in a reply on accident. Sprinkle the pork with the garlic powder and roast in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours. I cook a recipe from your blog at least 3x a week , Oh no Sara, Im sorry! Recognizing the Sunshine and Living Happy. Im letting you in on all the secrets! I cant believe they discontinued that packet on us!! Finally got around to making this in the crockpot yesterday. I just love a good Sweet Pork Salad. Moving to my new house this weekend. Hi, in step 10 it says to put the the remaining juice aside in a small bowl. Cook the pork in a slow cooker for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Thanks Lori. I absolutely love this recipe but havent been able to find the sauce lately. Get free recipes sent straight to your inbox! Can this be made ahead of time and frozen? Toss with the shredded meat and cook an additional 30 minutes. Thank you! xo 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? Place the meat in a warming oven with tin foil over it until ready to use or for at least 20 minutes to let the meat soak up the sauce a bit. It often turned out dry tasting no matter how little the cook time. Is it a powder or liquid and where have you found it? xo, We ate on it for 2 days!! We've perfected the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe! 2 cups brown sugar Cant wait to try it! Your pork is incredible. Keep cooking for an additional hour or two on low heat with the lid on the crock pot. Hi Tamara, I usually just simmer the pork in a pan with cut up yellow onions, serrano peppers and chopped carrots, then remove the peppers and carrots after cooking and do not use the peppers and carrots in the sauce. ), add on top of the pork roast, cook it up all day, take out the pork and shred it up, and add back in some of the sauce (not all of it.it makes a lot of sauce!) 1 cup rootbeer, coke or Dr Pepper, Your recipe for Cafe Rio Sweet Pork looks fantastic. You can also use the meat in tacos, enchiladas or burritos. Some say Dr. Pepper. It does add more flavor to the meat, but it will still turn out great. Some things: Or they make, tacos, tostadas, burritos and quesadillas with the pork. We absolutely love this pork!! I love your blog and havent ever been disappointed! Si. If you dont have cheesecloth, dont stress! Here, you can pin off of this link, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/157555686939072946/, Ive gone to three grocery stores and cant find el paso sauce packet WITH roasted garlic. ON. Ive had readers tell me they didnt get the desired finished product when making Cafe Rio Sweet Pork. Pour over the pork in the crock pot and cook for 5-6 hours, or until tender and shreds easily with a fork. Cook on high for 3-4 hours (or until the meat shreds easily) or on low for 8 hours. Ohhh, Ill have to check it out! 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. Glad it was such a hit for you. Add enchilada sauce, garlic, green chilies, and brown sugar to the crock pot with the reintroduced meat. Who says eating healthier means you have to give up everything?! Is there any way to fix that? Throw out fluids. I missed this because I was doing all the other recipes as well. I love the recommendation of using Pork Shoulder or Boneless Pork Rib meat the meat is perfect every time! I love Cafe Rios pulled pork. I followed the recipe to a T with a 5 lb boneless butt roast and my meat turned out a gelatinous mess swimming in sauce. Put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water and garlic salt in slow cooker. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Im so glad it turned out well for you and thanks for sharing. One of my favorite dishes to get there is their sweet pork. As far as pork butt/shoulder goes, if its not shred-able, just keep cooking. xo Marinate for a few hours or overnight. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker. 1 packet sauce (no longer made) thanks and let us know if you try the beef! xo, I have another request if possible. I buy a 3-4lb pork butt and Ill add that to the instructions right now! Everyone at my family gathering loved it. Doing a slow roast on the pork with a spice mixture, those root veggies and preparing the sauce separate makes for an identical result. 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. I need guidance. Copyright 2013-2019 Sunshine In My Pocket. Turn to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Surprise! I am likely the only person in the world that couldnt get this to work for me. Cover with lid and cook on high heat for 6 hours. Calista This amount of sauce will work fine for 4.5 lbs. We are doing a lot of recipe testing to find one. Drain the marinade, and sprinkle the pork all over with garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. So the recipe as is feeds 6-8 people. Thank you so much for posting this! xo, [Note to judges: this was recipe 2 for all of you that preferred this one]. Si. Place shredded pork back in crock pot. Have you made this and froze it for use later? Place the pork, cup brown sugar and one can of Coke in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinate. Ive made this once before and my husband and I absolutely loved it! (It does not need to cover roast) Sprinkle evenly with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Yes, thank you for your observant eyes! It is heaven! Some unusual ingredients are used to marinate and slow-cook the pork until it is just right. 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! Not quite the same as Cafe Rio, but Ill definitely make it again! Cafe Rio does marinade the meat but you will still have a delicious meal if you dont. 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. So delicious- this recipe is a keeper! For this reason, when cooking in the IP, I often make the finished sauce after the main dish has been cooked. They have new sauces in the Mexican aisle that will work! This copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe is one of the most popular recipes on our website. Marinade for a few hours or overnight, shaking once or twice during the marinating. Hey Holly! Please share below and rate the recipe after youve given it a try! Thanks for asking! I cant wait to try this!! FOLLOW OH, SWEET BASIL ONFACEBOOK|INSTAGRAM|PINTEREST|TWITTERFOR ALL OF OUR LATEST CONTENT, RECIPES AND STORIES. They crave Cafe Rio! Hi Jill, If using Boston butt, or pork butt, count on about 1/2 of the total pounds before cooking being discarded (after cooking). xo We moved from Utah to Mississippi and its nowhere around! Used the above ingredients on low. Notes Freezing: this cooked pork freezes amazing well. Thanks for sharing this, I cant wait to try it! I just added that to step 11 (where it should have been!). Hi Mindy! Here is the old recipe: Thank you for bringing that to my attention! I knew there was a reason we get along. I need to feed 100 hungry lacrosse players after practice next Thursday and want to have enough! ? If so would you put the sauce on before your freeze it or wait until you serve it? Remove the peppers and carrots after cooking. Hello! Youre not making something that needs to be cooked to a temperature, so unless you cook to the point where the meat starts dissolving, which is possible, you cant really over cook it. Yum! I did try the recipe as is and loved it! 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. I also love the effect soda has when cooking meat, especially pork. I made this for my daughter and I for a twist on regular tacos. So happy you enjoyed it! Definitely try this out. Use this pork to make giant burritos smothered with Cilantro-Tomatillo Dressing, or an amazing pork salad. Krista, I have been making various copycat recipes for the past 15 years and this is the best and least fussy. What was the other recipe that called for the elusive sauce packet? Making this recipe in the Instant Pot is so easy and delicious! Did you have an update to this recipe? If there is excess liquid drain some off. Its a fun series of futuristic fairy tale stories with a twist I recommend using a large, marbled boneless pork roast like pork shoulder, pork butt or pork carnitas. It goes perfectly in burritos, tacos, salads and so much more. Thanks! Wondering if I could make this recipe in a crockpot-I dont have an instant pot. -Simmer pork in a pan with cut up yellow onions, serrano peppers and chopped carrots. If you are wanting to triple the recipe, yes you would triple the amount of soda. Si. Are you marinating it in the Coke before you add the spices and brown in the Instant Pot? Its a good sweet pork recipe but its definitely not the cafe rio one. Im a total homebody. Could I pull this off w/the normal sauce packet and then add garlic powder? When using an IP, it is extremely important when cooking meat to allow the meat to naturally release the pressure in the pot. Hi Faith! I actually called General Mills and was told they discontinued it. Hello! How to make Caf Rio sweet pork in 15 minutes! I strained the meat, but it looks nothing like yours!! Si. I tried several different cook times, from 30-75 minutes. xo Im so excited to make this. Im starting to wonder about the pork being cooked different. I make LOTS when I make it and freeze ittastes just as good when thawed! Turn the setting to Manual or High Pressure and set the timer for 50 minutes. Move along. Hi Lindsay, I havent used an instant pot yet, so Im not sure how long you would cook this recipe in it. In the recipe, It states to place the shredded the pork with the sauce and additional 2 hours on the crock pot. Si. We found it right by the refried beans and cans of enchilada sauce. Cover and heat until warmed all the way through and the meat has absorbed the sauce, about 1 to 2 hours on LOW heat. You could do the same cooking time if you have 4-6 pieces in there or less you should be able to do low for 4 hours. We originally shared this recipe back in 2007, and it has been the most popular Cafe Rio copycat recipe on the internet! Sounds yummy. Spray inside of a large crock pot with cooking spray. I hope this makes sense, thank you for asking! Delicious sweet pulled pork perfect for your favorite Mexican food dish. Enjoy your girls camp! I have a very happy husband! Crave no longer my friends! xo My neighborhood would go crazy without one. , And of course I meant CRP not CPK, Thank you so much for your detailed review! I love it! Put pork and marinade liquid into a lined slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Lauren, Hi Tara! Make sure the lid is set to the Sealing position. Its in a yellow liquid sauce packet. So ive been following the steps as i make it and just got to the part that says set timer to 50 min. ), and happy to be watched over by 2 dogs. Being critical is mean, but this is not what Id expect on a food blog. . Sorry about the confusion. And I think you will have enough sauce for an 8 lb roast. And I will link up to the other cola-free Sweet Pork recipe as soon as I get permission! I would love to pin this, but there is no image associated with it, so it wont let me pin the recipe. (so 8 hours total) . I love seeing what you made. Drain the marinade and add the pork to a 5-quart slow cooker. No matter how it was cooked, it was too lean to achieve the fall apart texture I was looking for. 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 know, I know. We have a smaller group, of about 30. Thanks for asking and for reading ABK, This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe is the real deal. The pork is marinated and slow-cooked to perfection in some surprising ingredients! Discard the juices in the slow cooker and then add the shredded pork back in along with the sweet sauce and mix together. You can find my full directions on how to make it here. Should cook time stay the same or would you suggest longer? The extra two hours gives the shredded meat a chance to soak up more of the marinade. Is this for a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder roast? I think if I double it there should be enough. It takes about 5 minutes to make.-As stated in the post, I did not marinate the pork in the sauce before cooking. Wedge the bundle next to an end of the pork. Maybe they will work? The pork will just be more tender than chicken. I made this 2 weeks ago and my 9 year old who loves Cafe rio said it was way better then the restaurant!!! Served ot with spanish yellow rice and black beans. (sorry for the late reply, just now seeing this). Remove pork from crock pot and transfer to cutting board. (Thank you to The Sisters Cafe for such an awesome recipe!) That is an awesome idea! xo Pour half of the seasoning mixture over the roast and rub it into the meat. Yay Rebecca! Mix the Sauce packet, brown sugar and pop and bring to a simmer over medium high heat until thickened a little. Theres no need to marinate the pork, like other recipes. Im liking this idea! Spring is right around the corner! It literally melts in your mouth. Cut off the meat and shred it. Sounds delicious. Put the shredded pork into a casserole dish and cover with the enchilada sauce. I was SO tempted to make a taco at almost midnight because it smelled so good as I was finishing it. Thats one of the secrets to this Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe. Thank you . My sample batch was with the ribs and I froze that batch ahead of time. Do you think a 7 pound pork would be enough for a family of 12 adults and seven little kids? xo I try to keep recipes as simple and easy as they can be. Yes, you can freeze the pork and sauce easily in gallon ziplock bags, remove from freezer in the morning, let thaw several hours and then heat on the stovetop or in a slow oven (300-325*) with foil wrapped over the pan. Cade and Carrian have three children and love to spend time together whether its vacationing or snuggled up on the couch for a good movie. Taking some of the liquid out if there is too much. Every single time we eat at Caf Rio, he orders the sweet pork salad. All rights reserved. Cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Want to make it authentic? Its a hit at any gathering! My husband doesnt like sweet sauces so I pulled some meat out for him to make carnitas and even that was fantastic. I love the copycat cafe rio recipes. Pour 8 ounces of Coca-Cola ( I used a measuring cup) and water around pork. Is the 2c brown sugar packed or unpacked? 2. Si. Your ingredient list doesnt have the taco sauce on it. Their sweet pulled pork was the absolute sizzle and now that Ive found this recipe I can have it whenever I want. Hi Judene! Thanks for sharing, Krista! Take the pork out of the crock pot once it's finished cooking and place it on a cutting board. Theyre smoked jalapeos, but the adobo sauce they come canned in is the magical part. xo Thanks! This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe is full of delicious sweet flavor. Prepare a large crock pot by spraying the inside with cooking spray. We like to eat it with a tortilla on a plate then topped with lettuce, black beans, rice and cilantro ranch dressing! Meanwhile, in a pot, add the enchilada sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder and Coke. 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. Should I triple the amount of soda while cooking? Maybe they will give me a hint. Thanks for another great one!! In this recipe 45 minutes of natural release time is needed. This will definitely be a staple meal in out home! Is there anyway to use store bought pulled pork to speed up the recipe? Seriously, made my day! Share below my top 3 ar, Make our Valentine M&M Chocolate Chip C. A Bountiful Kitchen 2023. Just Clarification, do you cook it for 6 hours or 8-9 hours and then an additional 2 hours after adding the remaining ingredients? About 2 years ago I started making the sweet pork at home, and it just never tasted right. boneless pork (carnitas, shoulder etc) 12 oz Coke (1 can) 1/4 cup brown sugar 10 oz. I have a 7lb pork butt and I dont want to chance it in my instant pot. serving of pork contains 4.5 g of fat, with 1.5 g of saturated fat. Cook a pork roast and tuck it inside. Perfect! Tastes great! Absolutely delicious!! I made this today for dinner, and my husband said if he closed his eyes he would not be able to tell the difference between Cafe Rio or Costa Vida or what I made. I read in a comment that you would recommend some sauces at Kroger. I have never tried it with Diet coke. Hope this helps . Usually, after cooking, you will have approx a little over half of the meat left in weight. I made it exactly per the directions. It is wonderful. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our family doesnt like pork, but we love the beef. Now those are some lucky judges! 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. Next remove the meat from the crockpot and put in a bowl and shred the meat. Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Thank you. Thankfully, now I can make this a few more times for my family! Hope that helps! Also, the sauce is actually called roasted garlic and chile or something like that. thanks for reading ABK During the natural pressure release time, the meat continues to cook with the residual heat in the pot, the pressure is slowly released and the juices stay in the meat instead of escaping out of the pan (or pot). Well, this one got printed out right after dinner! I moved out of the area where my local cafe rio was. ! Jared, We love, love, love this recipe! If you are short on time, you can skip the marinating step. 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. Walmart. A 4 oz. How much of the mix do I add for this recipe if it makes more than I need? This applies to braising or smoking or an oven roast. Thank you. -Cook onions in a pan with oil until caramelized, add to cooked pork and enchilada sauce. Oh good! All of those pics should be pinnable. Youre probably going to want 12-14 hours in the oven. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, and oregano. Any other tips are appreciated! Thanks for asking! Thank you so much for this recipe!! Shred pork with two forks, and remove any fat. I would love to make this for my wife, however she is allergic to sulfites. Si. Hi Anita, I would cut it into thirds and definitely do it in the oven. Set the uncovered pork butt in the oven and bake for 12 hours. If you turn the crock pot on high and heat it for another 30 to 45 minutes it should be good to go! Thats the only reason, its just gooey. So I thought it was a quick dinner. Im actually so excited about this that Im going to make it as a crockpot freezer meal for my freezer exchange group, too! When we boiled it down (no pun intended) I found they used a cut of meat OTHER THAN the cuts I recommend. I found a sauce packet by Frontera. Combine the cola stevia and cherry flavoring in a 12 fl oz (350 mL) glass. Does. 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. You made my day Rebecca! Cilantro Lime Rice Hi Kate, it should be the same cooking time even with the bone in. After I cooked up both recipes, I put a taste of each on small plates for our judges. Cut pork loin into three to four large chunks and add to crockpot. (Roast can be omitted.) Shred pork. Mix the sauce into the shredded pork to thoroughly coat it. If your slow cooker is big enough you should be ok with the same time.