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This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe tastes JUST like the original. It has been a fan-favorite on our site since 2007. When you make it you will see why!
Fun Fact: The first Cafe Rio opened in St. George, Utah in 1997 and I was there the first week it opened. It was an INSTANT hit because of the delicious food and had lines out the door every day for years. The first day I went, remember asking them what the best thing on the menu was and they said “the sweet pork, by far”. So I got the sweet pork burrito with black beans and the green enchilada sauce (yes, I still remember my first order like it was yesterday) and I was hooked. I had never tasted anything like it in my life and I didn’t venture away from that exact order for at least 10 years. When I moved away from Utah and didn’t have a Cafe Rio nearby I knew I needed to create a copycat so I could survive. So I did.
I got the recipe by simply going to Cafe Rio and asking them what was in the sweet pork. The workers told me all the ingredients and I went home and figured out the amounts to get it just right. It didn’t take long before I had it down and shared it here on Favorite Family Recipes. I originally shared this recipe back in 2007, and it has been the most popular Cafe Rio copycat recipe on the internet since, and for good reason. It tastes just like the original! The pork is tender and juicy, with the perfect amount of sweetness. You are going to love it!
How to Make Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
- First, marinate the pork in a marinade made from Coke and brown sugar. It will need to marinate for at least 4 hours, but it’s best overnight.
- Next, drain off the marinade and add the put pork, some more Coke, water, and garlic salt in a slow cooker on high for about 3-4 hours or on low for 8 hours. The meat should shred easily but not be dry.
- Remove the pork and shred it using 2 forks. Discard the remaining liquids.
- In a food processor or blender, blend ½ a can of Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and 1 cup brown sugar. If the mixture looks too thick, add more Coke little by little. Taste the sauce to check the sweetness, adding more brown sugar if necessary. Put shredded pork and sauce in a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours. If you are in a hurry you can put it all in a deep walled skillet and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens.
The Secret to Tender Pork? Low and Slow
My favorite way to make this pork is cooking it in the Crock Pot. I can just throw it all in the pot and forget about it. The pork cooks all day in the slow cooker which makes the meat tender and easy to shred. It also makes the house smell SO good! I always make a big batch 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. It’s that good!
Try it In the Instant Pot
Short on time? Prepare the sweet pork in the Instant Pot.
- Place the pork, ½ can of Coke, water, and garlic salt in the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes for a pork roast, 40 minutes for pork ribs or pork chops. Natural release for 20 minutes. The pork should shred easily after cooking. If still tough, cook on high pressure for another 10-20 minutes.
- Discard liquid and shred pork.
- Combine the remaining ½ can of coke, chiles, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.
- Return pork and add the liquid mixture to the Instant Pot.
- Cook on the sauté setting and stir frequently until the sauce is thickened.
What Kind of Pork Is Best?
For this sweet pork recipe, it’s best to use boneless pork ribs, pork shoulder, pork roast, or pork butt. These cuts are well-marbled and tender, which makes them great for slow cooking and getting perfectly shreddable pork.
Ways to Use Sweet Pork
Sweet pork is my favorite meat at Cafe Rio. I love it! When prepared correctly, it practically melts in your mouth. 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. Once it’s shredded and ready to go, use it as a topping or filling in any of the following ways:
- Sweet Pork Salad
- Burritos
- Enchiladas
- Tacos
- Tostadas
- Quesadillas
More Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipes
Use this cafe rio pork recipe to re-create any of these cravable Cafe Rio menu items:
Reader Reviews
We have received many rave reviews on this sweet pork recipe. This pork is the real deal! We are thrilled that so many of you have enjoyed this recipe as much as we have.
“So I moved to Texas a little over a year ago and to my despair there isn’t a Cafe Rio for 500 miles. 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. Every time I eat it, it’s like a warm homey feeling comes over me.” – Kamie
“I had my doubts because the ingredients seem so random, but we love this recipe and have done it with and without marinade several times. A++ both ways.” – Jessica
“THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY SPOT. ON. tastes amazing leftover too!!!!!” – Jared
“We love, love, love this recipe! We have made it for several years now and it surely is a treat! I love your blog and haven’t ever been disappointed! I make LOTS when I make it and freeze it…tastes just as good when thawed! Also the dressings freeze well too! Thanks for your time and talent!”– Misti
Read More: 33+ Easy Dinner Ideas
More Cafe Rio Recipes
A few more Cafe Rio / Costa Vida Recipes
- Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo)
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Homemade Tortilla Strips
- The BEST Guacamole EVER
- Cilantro-Lime Rice and Black Beans
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork (boneless ribs or pork roast will work great)
- 3 (12-ounce) cans Coca-Cola (not diet)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- dash garlic salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1 can diced green chilies
- 1 (10-ounce) red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Put the pork in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag to marinate. Add about a can and a half of Coke and ¼ cup of brown sugar. Marinate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Drain the marinade and put pork, ½ can of Coke, water, and garlic salt in a slow cooker on high for about 3-4 hours or on low for 8 hours. (You want the meat to shred easily, but not be too dry.)
- Remove pork from the slow cooker and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.
- In a food processor or blender, blend ½ a can of Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and 1 cup brown sugar. If the mixture looks too thick, add more Coke little by little. Put shredded pork and sauce in a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours.
Video
Notes
- Place the pork, ½ can of Coke, water, and garlic salt in the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes for a pork roast, 40 minutes for pork ribs or pork chops. Natural release for 20 minutes. The pork should shred easily after cooking. If still tough, cook on high pressure for another 10-20 minutes.
- Discard liquid and shred pork.
- Combine the remaining ½ can of coke, chiles, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.
- Return pork and add the liquid mixture to the Instant Pot.
- Cook on the sauté setting and stir frequently until the sauce is thickened.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
- Leftovers can also be frozen in freezer Ziplock bags for up to 5 months.
Love it!
Love it every time we make it!
Thanks Courtney! Glad it’s always a hit!
Sorry, posting again to correct typo in my previously posted question. Should have read:
If I have a 3lb roast, is it ok to use the recipe’s remaining measurements for the 1x recipe? Or, should I multiply by 1.5?
I don’t want to have leftover canned ingredients if not absolutely necessary necessary.
Thanks!
You can just 1x the remaining ingredients. There should be plenty of sauce/juices to easily cover the pork. Hope this helps!
Hi, would it be ok to use the measurements (all but pork) for 1x the recipe for a 1.5 lb pork roast? Or, do I need to multiply by 1.5?
Thanks!
I’m trying this recipe this weekend and am so excited! Would it be alright if I blended the sauce and chiles mix ahead of time and stored it in the fridge? I’m going to be staying out of town and would rather not have to travel with my blender.
Yes, absolutely. That would totally work 🙂
This recipe sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it. Is there anyway it would work with sugafree soda? I am diabetic and am trying to cut down the sugar content.
You can definitely try it with sugar free. I would go for Coke Zero instead of Diet Coke if you do! Hope this helps!
Tried this recipe for the first time and we loved it! We are big Cafe Rio sweet pork fans and this recipe makes it hard to go back there because it’s so much better! Especially paired with the house dressing copycat … well done!
Question…does the cook time or anything change if you can only find bone-in pork ribs?
We tried this recipe for the first time and it was hit! We are big Cafe Rio sweet pork fans but now this makes it hard to go there because we love this recipe more! Especially paired with your house dressing copycat. Well done!
Question…does the cook time or anything change if you can only find bone-in pork ribs?
So glad you like this recipe! As far as the bone-in goes, it should cook for the same amount of time. You just want to be sure it’s fall-of-the-bone tender.