Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Thanks for your time and talent! Misti. Put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water and garlic salt in slow cooker. This is the perfect mix of savory sweet and will find its way into our regular taco Tuesday rotation. How much of the mix do I add for this recipe if it makes more than I need? Si. My husband and i moved and miss cafe rio/costa vida so much. I made this yesterday and it was delicious and so much better than having to remember to thaw the pork a day in advance and then put it in the crock pot first thing in the morning. Basically, thats asking for an actual recipe. This updated recipe allows cooking of the sweet pork in a fraction of the original 5-12 hour time. All of this info was compiled from various butchers and online sources. We are still working on it! Question: I am making this for girls camp. Im letting you in on all the secrets! Thats so odd. Si. Thanks for reading ABK and thanks for your help. xo 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! It is wonderful. xo Pour enchilada sauce mixture over the shredded pork. Its a great alternative to eating out! Hoping it turns out! My husband doesnt like sweet sauces so I pulled some meat out for him to make carnitas and even that was fantastic. Sprinkle the pork with the garlic powder and roast in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Want to make it authentic? 2 cups brown sugar Are you marinating it in the Coke before you add the spices and brown in the Instant Pot? Calm down now. Hi Allison, if youre using a 4 lb roast, I would set the pressure time for 70-80 minutes. Lucky! xo Merely arrange everything in the dish with the pork and get rid of it after baking. Thank you. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight. xo Would it effect the cooking time if I left the bone in? Thank you! thanks for reading ABK, We are doing a lot of recipe testing to find one. I have even been told this recipe tastes better than the real thing. Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinate. I am doing a frozen 7 lb roast should I increase the cooking time? xo, Id love to hear your comments and suggestions for cookingInstant Pot Cafe Rio Sweet Pork at home. Turn the roast over and use the other half of the seasoning mixture to do the same on the other side. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thanks, The recipe calls for a 4-7 lb roast, and you are using a 7-8 lb roast, so the cook time should be close to the same. Remove the remaining juice from the pan and place in a small bowl. Excited to try this. Add the pork to a gallon-sized ziplock bag and add cup brown sugar and 2 cups Coca-Cola. Our favorite way to enjoy it is on a Cafe Rio Salad. Would I still cook it for 50 mins? I cook a recipe from your blog at least 3x a week , Oh no Sara, Im sorry! Can I sub beef for this or do you have the cafe rio shredded beef recipe? i use a boston butt cut and found it works perfectly. Im excited to give this a try! You can also use the meat in tacos, enchiladas or burritos. It is on their must-eat list when they come back to visit every single time. Cafe Rio Sweet Shredded Pork for Burritos 4.93 from 13 votes Prep: 5 mins Cook: 8 hrs Total: 8 hrs 5 mins Servings: 10 This sweet shredded pork tastes even BETTER than Cafe Rio, I promise! Thank you for your kind comments! Hey Holly! Everyone says it tastes just like Cafe Rio. It is SO helpful to read about your experiences making this a few different ways and also your opinion about the best cut of meat and making ahead vs fresh! This pulled pork is perfect over salad, rice, tacos, burritos, quesadillas or on a toasted bun. I was definitely skeptical about adding that much sugar but it came out about perfect. Thanks. Jennilyn, Throw out fluids. Do you have a good suggestion to replace the sauce packet since they arent sold anymore? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our family doesnt like pork, but we love the beef. Ohhh, Ill have to check it out! Sothis recipe is sugar, pre-packaged sauce, and meat. read more:If you love this copycat sweet pork recipe, youre bound to love our BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe too! My family said it tasted just like cafe rio. Las Palmas brand used at Cafe Rio. 50 min and I let it npr for 1hr until I was ready to finish dinner. xo Fresh cooked tortillas Help please. This recipe is clearly a little different because it uses Coke, but trust me its the way its prepared that is key. Pour over the pork in the crock pot and cook for 5-6 hours, or until tender and shreds easily with a fork. Its in a yellow liquid sauce packet. I tried this tonight to make sweet pork nachos and it was delicious! I make everything ahead and then we simply chop up lettuce and tomatoes and grill fresh tortillas for a homemade Cafe Rio style feast! We also used coke, the red enchilada sauce that we made, onions and carrots, sugar and butter. Tips and Secrets for perfect Cafe Rio Sweet Pork! Cannot wait to use leftovers in tacos and a salad. In a medium sized saute pan on medium high heat add all your ingredients. Don't forget to add toppings to that as well (chopped onion, lime wedges, chopped lettuce, avocado, black beans, etc. Delicious sweet pulled pork perfect for your favorite Mexican food dish. Weve fed 8 just fine with it but you could always double it and have leftovers! boneless pork (carnitas, shoulder etc). You might enjoy Cinder. Frontera Red Chile with roasted tomato and garlic Enchilada Sauce. Everyone at my family gathering loved it. Shred pork with two forks, and remove any fat. 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). All rights reserved. Pour mixture into bag. Thank you Si for another great recipe! Hi Anita, Sounds yummy. In a small bowl, combine remaining can of Coke, can of chiles, enchilada sauce and brown sugar. With this recipe, you can now have the amazing taste of Cafe Rio Pork at home all you need is a few simple ingredients and a crock pot. Looking forward to making this. Oh no! Thanks! Some say Dr. Pepper. 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. IM planning on tripling it for a birthday PARTy. Im eating it right now for the third day in a row, still in awe at how delicious it is. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this recipe its fabulous I live down the street from the Cafe Rio and I eat there all the time. Thanks! My neighborhood would go crazy without one. Just to make sure of our results, I took both cooked recipes to my brother and sister-in-law (who just had a baby! Thanks for passing on the recipe. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. . 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). Definitely a new go to!! Over the years I have read many comments, suggestions and tips for preparing the highly guarded secrets in Cafe Rio recipes, namely the Sweet Pork recipe. REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE TO our FREEOh Sweet Basil NEWSLETTERAND RECEIVE EASY RECIPES DELIVERED INTO YOUR INBOX EVERY DAY! I love my Instagram friends <3 serving of beef provides 11 g of fat, with 4.5 g of saturated fat, while a 4 oz. Ingredients Scale 2 1/4 cups Coke, divided (not diet) 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into quarters 1 1/4 cup brown sugar, divided 1 tsp garlic salt 1 (4 oz) can green chilies 1 (10 oz can) red enchilada sauce Instructions Required fields are marked *. Also, when you write oregano it is the ground oregano, not the leaves, right? I think if I double it there should be enough. No cafe rio close by. Hi! It makes it easy to scratch our itch for CPK so far away from Utah. My slow cooked method posted previously recommends marinating, but this recipe does not. I have actually! Step 2: Add pork to slow cooker and discard marinade. Thanks for reading ABK, Place pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag. Is there any way to fix that? We love to place a tortilla on a plate, then top it with black beans, rice and the sweetpork, just like Caf Rio does. But heres the deal. Lets treat others how wed like to be treated . I havent tried the old elpaso version, but this is very close to the cafe rio flavor. Hope this helps! Si. I know the huge Pork Loin Roast at Costco is ridiculously inexpensive, and hardly has any fat on it, so not much waste as far as discarding fat goes. Cook on high for 3-4 hours (or until the meat shreds easily) or on low for 8 hours. it is super yummy. Thanks for sharing it. . Im a total homebody. I usually do not have to increase the cook time much for a larger roast, but I would allow for an extra hour to be safe! I love making meals in the crock pot and this is no exception. 1 week ago wikihow.com Show details . Oh, I wish you did! Is there anyway to use store bought pulled pork to speed up the recipe? After reading the comments, I figured out that you changed the recipe. You can find my full directions on how to make it here. I used pork butt and my meat was thought at 6 hrs and I cant even shred. I pretty much make all the recipes for this meal for family parties and everyone loves it!! Its THAT good! I so look forward to trying some of your recipes. Is this for a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder roast? The pork is marinated and slow-cooked to perfection in some surprising ingredients! My husband is leaving in 1.5 hours , But btw i love all of your recipes. Add the pork roast to the hot skillet and sear on both sides. It takes about 5 minutes to make.-As stated in the post, I did not marinate the pork in the sauce before cooking. Boston butt and pork shoulder, technically from the same part of the pig or hog, are from the top portion of the shoulder area. Combine the cola stevia and cherry flavoring in a 12 fl oz (350 mL) glass. Thanks! Drain marinade and discard. Cilantro Lime Rice You just mix together all four ingredients (yes, only four ingredients! Sorry about the confusion. Be sure to check out all our other tasty Mexican Recipes! This unique cookbook guides the way through every step, including meal lists and easy-to-follow recipes, and features dollops of heartwarming family stories. But most of all, they love the memories made, shared and treasured and its all thanks to a meal shared together with loved ones. Our copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe is the real deal. Required fields are marked *. Sweet and tender shredded pork just like the one from Caf Rio. Hi Indigo! Peach Mango Salsa My preference is Pork Shoulder or Boneless Pork Rib meat! Muffins, Quick Bread, Coffee Cake & Cinnamon Rolls, https://abountifulkitchen.com/favorite-cafe-rio-copycat-recipes/. haha. 2c packed is too sweet so I used 1.5c. TfRecipes. Use the dro Stevia is a natural sweetener that grows as a plant. This pork is the real deal! Hope this helps and thanks for asking! We moved from Utah to Mississippi and its nowhere around! After the timer goes off, allow the pot to naturally release the pressure for at least 45 minutes. How would you suggest I heat it up once at camp? After trying a few different cook times and water levels and also marinating vs not marinating, I found pork loin to be too lean. Added some lettuce, corn salsa, pico, and cotija cheese and it was so, so good! Marinate for a few hours or overnight. Has anyone tried it? Ours always appears to be done at 6 as well but I like how the flavor builds when going to 8 hours. This sounds so yummy! Theyre smoked jalapeos, but the adobo sauce they come canned in is the magical part. Give them a try and let me know what YOU think! Si. Remove the meat and set on a cutting board. When you try a recipe, please use the hashtag#ohsweetbasilonINSTAGRAMfor a chance to be featured in our stories! Marinade for a few hours or overnight, shaking once or twice during the marinating. We like to eat it with a tortilla on a plate then topped with lettuce, black beans, rice and cilantro ranch dressing! I like my endings all wrapped up. I love it in a burrito or on a salad. (It does not need to cover roast) Sprinkle evenly with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Otherwise will try again when I have more time. And also Im loving your post about cooking for a crowd, girls camp and such! I saw the Frontera one and want to know if it turned out similar. 3. Im so glad you enjoyed the recipe and thank you for sharing, It often turned out dry tasting no matter how little the cook time. Hi Angie, Notes Freezing: this cooked pork freezes amazing well. Si. Thank you!! I am so excited to use it for years to come. Thanks for another great one!! -I somehow didnt have onion powder, for the first stage of rubbing the spices on the meat in the ziploc. It was all delicious!! boneless pork (carnitas, shoulder etc) 12 oz Coke (1 can) 1/4 cup brown sugar 10 oz. Add the shredded pork back to the slow cooker. Do you mean a 12 oz can or a 16.9 oz bottle? YESSS! This is my favorite cafe rio pork recipe. {Plus, I sorta have an aversion to cooking with soda pop.}. Absolutely! Im trying to cook this now but only have 3 lbs of meat. This recipe for Cafe Rio Sweet Pork is the real deal. I found a sauce packet by Frontera. We've perfected the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe! Cafe Rio is a Utah based restaurant which has now spread into other states. HAVE you ever tried Diet Pepsi for the soda in place of coke or Pepsi? Combine meat and sauce: Return the shredded pork to the crock pot, along with the sauce mixture. So happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for this easy recipe! Well, my answer is YES. Remove the roast onto a cutting board. Scoop out the pork from the crock pot and discard the cooking liquid. Can i make this in an instapot? Have you made this recipe yet? All Rights Reserved. Here is a link to my favorite one, I actually own three of them! 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. 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. If you do try this recipe, be sure to try their Garlic Black Beans as wellso good! Someone sneaky got into my cans of Coke I keep stored only to make Cafe Rio pork (we drink diet on a regular basis) and therefore I made this without it. I wish I had looked for an instant pot recipe earlier!! Rub with garlic salt and pour 2 cups of coke and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6. When purchasing the shoulder cut pork, I ask my grocery butcher to trim it off, along with the thick piece of fat that accompanies it. well be making it all the time for my family hope to find more good recipes with you. Thanks! Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper over pork roast. Ive made this recipe now as its written, and with keto substitutes, and they were both divine!! First off, bouquet garni is pronounced exactly how it looks, so dont get hung up on that! Shred pork. Make sure to marinate for at least a few hours, preferably overnight. Did you have an update to this recipe? I have another request if possible. Allowing the pressure to naturally release results in a moist and tender finished product, similar to slow cooking the meat for 8-10 hours! If you dont have cheesecloth, dont stress! I found the best time combination was 50 minutes at high pressure and then a 45+ minute natural pressure release, which means no touching the valve that allows pressure to release from the pot for at least 45 minutes. When we boiled it down (no pun intended) I found they used a cut of meat OTHER THAN the cuts I recommend. This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, Menu Plan Monday #121 - Life In The Lofthouse, Menu Plan Monday #165 - Life In The Lofthouse, Sweet Pork Nachos - Life In The Lofthouse, Light Creamy Tomatillo Dressing - Life In The Lofthouse. Yay! Is the 2c brown sugar packed or unpacked? Cook again. Calista This amount of sauce will work fine for 4.5 lbs. The yellow can said hot and I was a little scared hesitant to try it. Thank you! yay!) In the Instant Pot It took me years to jump on the pressure cooker bandwagon. Hi Melissa, I havent tried cooking it with soda, but Im sure it would turn out great! -Make red enchilada sauce from scratch. EVER. I think you need the sweetness of regular soda for this recipe. ON. 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!) And this recipe is perfect for a crowd! Put the shredded pork into a casserole dish and cover with the enchilada sauce. Your ingredient list doesnt have the taco sauce on it. 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. Thanks for catching that! Hello! I did it for 8 hours and it was falling apart YUM! If you are short on time, you can skip the marinating step. 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. Living in Midwest we have to make our own Cafe Rio and I have made versions often. 12 servings Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 6 hours 40 minutes Total: 6 hours 50 minutes Rate Recipe Ingredients 3 lbs. 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. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Instructions. Pork tenderloin and pork loin roast are not good choices for this recipe. thanks for reading ABK Thanks what flavor is the el paso liquid ? We are still working on it, but we still havent found quite the right replacement. xo, I love anything and everything with root beer.and now youve made pulled pork with it. I missed this because I was doing all the other recipes as well. Heres the definition of recipe: a set of instructions for making or preparing something, especially a food dish: a recipe for a cake. I made it exactly per the directions. This will add the perfect flavor to this pork! I was referring to your homemade spice mix. Si. I experimented with pork loin, Boston butt and pork shoulder for Instant Pot Cafe Rio Sweet Pork. Do you think canned enchilada sauce would work instead of the cooking sauce? Marinade pork for at least 2 hours or overnight in can of coke and 1/4 C brown sugar. Just made this today and no one in my family could wait a day to let it set. Thanks Lori. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 1-2 hours. I worked at cafe rio and they boil the pork roasts in the coke unthen put the sugar and enchilada sauce in a bag until it is served on the line ..yours looks good but not the same. We have used it and it was pretty good but we are working on a new recipe since we cant find that cooking sauce anymore. I need to make this for 20-25 people. (And Si is one of my favorite imaginary friends on instagramId love to actually meet her. You can't go wrong! Please let us know how it goes! Im fairly certain the carbonation is what breaks down the meat and tenderizes, but the sugar adds sweetness. 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. I believe homemade is best, but it's very difficult to taste the difference between homemade and canned when the brown sugar and green chiles are added! 16 ounces Coca-Cola soda, divided (( do not use diet soda. I love Cafe Rio! - Pork recipe is made with pork shoulder (Boston pork butt), pantry 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. Cook on low for at least 6-7 hours. Move along. It is so tricky to recreate! While it isnt spot on (I think it would be very hard to get it right), it is very tasty. Add enchilada sauce, garlic, green chilies, and brown sugar to the crock pot with the reintroduced meat. Place roast inside slow cooker. The pork will just be more tender than chicken. Thanks for posting the recipe. Easy Banana Pudding Recipe (No-Bake Banana Pudding), Quinoa salad with edamame, cucumber and avocado, Chili recipes with ground beef and sausage, 2 pounds pork ((we use boneless pork ribs)), 10 ounces red enchilada sauce ((Old El Paso brand is gluten free, I like medium spiciness but any will work)). They have new sauces in the Mexican aisle that will work! I always have used the old recipe and I used the frontera red Chile enchilada sauce packet and still love how it turns out. I hate that stores dont carry the same flavors. In a food processor or blender, blend can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste). Interesting fact- the name Boston butt originates from 18th century New England when pork was packed in barrels (which were also known as butts) to store and ship meat. 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 easy Pulled Pork recipe is made with pork shoulder (Boston pork butt), pantry spices and Cherry, Coke to tenderize the meat and then cooked in the oven, slow cooker or instant pot., Serve the spoon tender BBQ Pulled Pork in sandwiches, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, on pizza etc. 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 hope the store doesnt stop carrying them! If using a frozen roast, how would I need to adjust the cook time? In general, 1 lb of pulled pork will feed 3 people, so you will probably want 30-35 lbs to feed 100 people. I read in a comment that you would recommend some sauces at Kroger. Would I be able to reduce the amount of cooking time in that case? This was absolutely perfect! Delicious! I strained the meat, but it looks nothing like yours!! OR you can place the shredded pork, and the remaining ingredients in a large pot on the stove top and heat it until its all warmed through. 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. -Simmer pork in a pan with cut up yellow onions, serrano peppers and chopped carrots. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Has anyone tried making it with rootbeer? This recipe is the most spot on i have ever found. I tried several different cook times, from 30-75 minutes.
