Our copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe is the real deal. The pork is marinated and slow-cooked to perfection in some surprising ingredients!
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe (Copycat)
This copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe, along with the other Cafe Rio recipes, is one of our most popular recipes on the site to date. We originally put this recipe on WAY back in 2007 and it has been the most popular Cafe Rio Copycat recipe on the internet.
Ways to use Sweet Pork
Slow cooker satisfaction
I love making meals in the crock pot and this is no exception. It slow cooks all day long and then at dinner time you have an amazing dish to serve to your family! It also makes the house smell SO good! I always make a ton of this sweet pork and eat it for days in burritos, enchiladas, salads, and even plain! It is so easy to do too. If you are short on time and want to skip the marinade step, go ahead. I have done it before and it has still turned out great! This cooks for a loooong time in the slow cooker, but because of differences in slow cooker heat, make sure you check it a few times along the way to make sure it doesn’t get too dry.
All Of Our Copycat Cafe Rio Recipes:
- Make Sweet Pork Burritos, check out the full recipe HERE. To make the Sweet Pork Salad, check out the full recipe HERE.
- To find ALL of our Cafe Rio / Costa Vida copycat recipes, click HERE.
More Cafe Rio Recipes from Favorite Family Recipes
- Our Version of Cafe Rio’s Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo)
- Cafe Rio’s Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
- Our Version of Cafe Rio’s Sweet Pork Burrito
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Homemade Tortilla Strips
- The BEST Guacamole EVER
- Favorite Family Recipe’s Version of Cafe Rio’s Sweet Pork
- Our Version of Cafe Rio’s Cilantro-Lime Rice and Black Beans
- Cafe Rio’s Cilantro Ranch Dressing
- The Complete Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad
How to make Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe (Copycat)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork we use boneless pork rib meat
- 3 (12 oz) cans Coke NOT diet
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- dash garlic salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 can diced green chilies
- 1 (10 oz) can 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 marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
- Marinade for a few hours or overnight.
- 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. .
- Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork
- In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.
- Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!
Erica says
@Mike and Heidi–
If you double if you just might need a bigger crock pot.. the time should stay the same! Glad you liked it! This recipe is DEFINITELY one of my favorites!
Laura says
Fantastic recipe! Have been playing around with various versions for a few years now and definitely like yours the best! I used a shoulder roast and it turned out fantastically. For a bit of a deeper spicy-ness I used chipotle peppers instead of green peppers and loved it. Thanks!
Our Family says
Any way to make this without the COKE? Can I get the flavor using anything else?
J says
I always find it funny that Mormons love to make a Cafe Rio knock off with Coke in it (I am Mormon also, but have NEVER used Coke in the recipe.). Coke is definitely not necessary – or any other soda. Enchilada sauce also not needed. No need to marinate, that is just a waste of ingredients. Put all your ingredients into the slow cooker. Have only made a version of Cafe Rio Pork without Coke for 7 years (that is when we left Utah) and EVERYONE tells me that it is better than the original. It is highly requested. We stopped craving the original years ago. Be confident in your cooking and you will be surprised what you come up with.
Kim says
Oh come on! There is no problem with Mormons using coke in this recipe. Or drinking coke while making it!
CMA says
Actually, yes, the Coke is necessary. This recipe is for people who want to have the Cafe Rio Barbacoa Pork, not your altered recipe. It’s nice that everyone loves your recipe. WE love the original, with the COKE, and the SUGAR, and ENCHILADA SAUCE, and we are CONFIDENT everyone else will too.
Erica says
@Our Family —
Coke is personally all I have used but others have used Dr. Pepper and it has turned out great.
Sarah says
Just went to the store today to buy the cans of Coke and they looked a bit smaller than last I’ve seen them. Sure enough it’s in a 7.5 oz instead of all the other cans of pop that are in a 12 oz can. So that being said, do I use 36 oz or 22.5 oz?
Emily says
Do 36 oz. This recipe was created when 12 oz. cans were the standard. 🙂
Lorie says
I was at costa Vida the other day and saw a lady come out from the kitchen and fill a bin with coke from the soda machine. I asked if that is what they cooked the pork in and she said “yes”. SOOOO excited to try your recipe. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Jen says
I used Costco pork roast, coke zero, and splenda (I am diabetic). It worked perfectly! Thank you for this recipe!
rynhere says
This is light years away from being Cafe Rio’s sweet pork.
1. Not dark enough — needs something to make it darker. Perhaps dark Karo syrup instead of brown sugar? Or add molasses..
2. Needs more time to simmer. It isn’t broken down enough.
Erica says
Try these ideas out and let me know how it turns out! I haven’t had any complaints about it being broken down enough.. I don’t know what to tell you.
Smunkeemama says
You might have used the wrong cut of pork–if it doesn’t have enough fat on it, then it can turn out tougher and won’t shred well. I’ve had this happen before. I just used a pork roast I got from someone and it didn’t break down very well. However, I cooked it on low for a few more hours and it finally started to break down. I always cook my roasts (beef or pork) longer than stated in recipes so that the fibers break down…..it literally falls apart and is super tender! Good luck!
Sarah says
we are so excited to try this recipe, we used to have a costa vida here in Maine and my husband and I ate there every other day, we loved the sweet pork and the cilantro lime vinaigrette. The only thing we can never find here is cotija cheese. Thanks for posting the recipe!
Linda says
i have never eaten at Cafe Rio , so I can’t tell if the recipe was “spot on” or not, but I did enjoy it. I can’t wait to try it again. Next time I think I will cut down on the sugar a bit and use spicy enchilada sauce. It was very good and very easy to make. I used about 2.5 of pork butt . It came out so tender….
Melanie Boyd says
Want to make this for a baby shower luncheon but there is a lot to do. Can I make the pork and freeze it ahead of time? Has anyone tried this and did the flavor/consistency of the pork suffer
Rachele says
I always make a bunch of the pork when it goes on sale and freeze it. It is a family favorite and a staple at our house. Love the sweet pork. You won’t be disappointed when you thaw it out and reheat it.
Tamara says
Can this recipe be done in a pressure cooker rather than a slow cooker?
Favorite Family Recipes says
We haven’t tried it in the pressure cooker, so I can’t definitively say how it would affect the recipe. But let us know how it turns out if you try it!
Meg says
This recipe is really close to what an anonymous source at a certain restaurant told me, except he says they use an obscene amount of butter, and it’s Dr. Pepper instead of Coke. I did it his way and it tasted exactly the same as the restaurant. But this recipe is so close, I’d rather skip the butter and do it this way.
Carrie says
How many salads does this make? I need to feed 12 people.
Erica says
It makes 4-6 depending on how hungry people are.. the dressing serves probably 10-12
Melanie Madsen says
I have made this recipe for a few years, and love it. Even though I’m not a Coke drinker (we just don’t drink a lot of soda), I keep 12-packs of caffeine-free Coke in my pantry for “Cafe Rio night.” But I’ve gotten lazy; let’s call it busy, it’ll make me feel better. I’ve gone to buying the precooked pulled pork at Costco, and putting it in the microwave with a little of all the ingredients. All the flavor without all the time… Everyone loves it. I throw rice in the rice maker with broth, lime, sugar & cilantro, open a can of black beans that are preseasoned with lime/peppers, and Bam. If I haven’t had time to make cilantro lime ranch ahead, everyone grabs the hidden valley and STILL loves it. We all choose if we want it in a tortilla or as a salad. Best mix of ingredients for a cafe rio taste!!!
Sara says
I know the recipe calls for coke, but could Pepsi yield the same results?
Echo says
Yes, Pepsi will work just fine. It’s the carbonation that tenderizes the meat and the sugar that sweetens it. Thanks for asking!
shelly says
I would like to serve Sweet Pork Salad for a gathering of about 60 people. I’ve noticed your recipes don’t have serving quanities. How many people do these recipes serve? I’m commenting on the Sweet Pork recipe, but portions need to apply to all the salad ingredients: pork, rice, and black beans. (You may have answered this question already; I didn’t take the time to read through all the comments.)
thanks.
ssh says
I would like to serve Sweet Pork Salad for a gathering of about 60 people. I’ve noticed your recipes don’t have serving quanities. How many people do these recipes serve? I’m commenting on the Sweet Pork recipe, but portions need to apply to all the salad ingredients: pork, rice, and black beans. (You may have answered this question already; I didn’t take the time to read through all the comments.) Also, I’d like to be able to prepare as much ahead as possible. I’m planning to make the meat ahead, freeze it and then put it in my roasting oven the morning of my event. How well will the rice do if I make it the day before, and then warm it up in big aluminum trays in the oven? I’m open for any other suggestions on how to efficiently serve this to a large crowd of people.
thanks.
Erica says
All of the Cafe Rio recipes should serve about 4-6.. the pork can usually serve a little more though if you want to stretch it out (maybe 8 servings). We have never made the rice ahead of time so I am not sure how it will turn out. You will probably be fine, my only worry is that it will be a little dry. Just be sure to keep it sealed well if you do make it before. Let us know how it turns out!
Robyn says
Hi, I just made this and it was so wonderful. There is no enchilada sauce here so I made my own, also no cans of green child’s so I sautéed some peppers that looked like Anaheim peppers and it worked nicely. This is my new go to recipe for pulled pork. Thank you!
Echo says
We’re so glad you like it!
Misti Price says
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!
Erica says
Thank you so much for this kind comment! You seriously made my day 🙂 So happy to hear you are a long-time fan. Please keep coming back for more! We will do our best to keep the good recipes comin’ 😀
Chloe says
I know this is an older recipe and I’m wanting to try it! I bought pre-cooked shredded pork. I’m wondering if you’ve tried that before and does it work just as well?
Erica says
Pre-cooked pork won’t have quite the same flavor as it hasn’t been cooked in the right flavorings. You can try marinating it in coke and brown sugar and then heating before serving. I’m not sure. I don’t think I have even seen pre-cooked shredded pork before (without BBQ sauce). Is that what you found?
Cassidy Goodfellow says
I am excited to try this. How long do I cook a 5.5 lb roast? On high or low?
Echo says
Cook it for the same amount of time as it calls for in the recipe – low for 8 hours, then shred and add the sauce and cook on low for an additional 2 hours. Thank you for asking!
Sulfyr says
Mine is about an hour away from completion by the look of it.
Ended up marinating it for two days because I didn’t have the time to get it into the crock pot between my doggo’s, fat cats and Remembrance Day/Veteran’s Day ceremonies yesterday for us Canucks.
After the entire time on low the sauce seems to have gotten thinner. I don’t know if this is a difference in ambient atmosphere pressure and the fat leftover from the pork all being drained or perhaps the green chilis and enchilada sauce are more watery-
Either way the sauce is more liquid than sauce to the point I have cracked the lid and turn up my slow cookers temperature to high to reduce it a little.
Flavours are on par! My picky boyfriend will love this, the only reason I have rated it only 4/5 stars is simple because after following the instructions to the letter I am left with a watery sauce.
jasminD says
Yeah this tasted nothing like the cafe rio pork at all. I followed it exactly, and was pretty disappointed. I’ve tried some other cafe rio recipes from this (the rice and beans) and those have been really good, so I’m pretty bummed this turned out really bland. Oh well, the other recipes have been awesome though.
Myrn says
This is very yummy. Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this in a comment, but this recipe is excellent using beef short ribs instead of pork. That’s all I had in the freezer today, so I tried it with the short ribs and it’s almost the same. Super yummy. It just takes a little longer in the crockpot on high until it’s “shreddable”. Maybe an hour or 2 longer. Good recipe!
Favorite Family Recipes says
That sounds amazing! Thanks for the tip and the 5-star rating!
Jared Drake says
THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY SPOT. ON. tastes amazing leftover too!!!!!
Erica Walker says
Thank you so much Jared! So glad you liked it!
Margo Haynes says
First of all, I’ve made many of your recipes in the past & loved the ones I’ve made. I have never been one for sweets. I have had bar-b-que in the past, but very seldom, because most of it tasted overly sweet. Once in a great while, I would find some bar-b-que that was balanced just right between the sweet & the heat & would have a small serving. Due to my lack of interest in sweets, I’ve never been concerned regarding diabetes & because diabetes has never been in my family. Imagine my great shock, when 8 months to 1 yr. ago, I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2. When looking at the picture in my mind I had already rated its deliciousness @ 5 stars! I actually thought about trying this delicious looking & sounding recipe, that is until I added up the grams of sugar in every ingredient in this recipe. While only using 1 can of coke in the marinade the others are in the sauce. I checked out every ingredient in this dish & a total of 673 grams of sugar are infused into just 2 pounds of meat & sauce for this entire recipe. This is the first bar-b-que recipe that I’ve yearned to make myself in more than 5 full years & yet I can’t! However, I’m also positive you have other scrumptious dishes within your recipes that I will still make & enjoy. Please do not refuse to publish this comment, all of us need to realize the dangers of consuming excess sugar. IF I watch carefully what I eat & manage to continue to get my weight down, I only have 80 lbs. to go, I can possibly rid myself of Diabetes 2. The reason I wrote this is the fact that I felt secure I would never have diabetes & yet I have it. Even Diabetes 2 can cause loss of vision & other serious health problems if not found, treated & corrected. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes I’ve made & enjoyed over the past year or so.
Margo Haynes
Erica Walker says
Hi Margo- we appreciate your concern and we are sorry to hear about the health problems you and your family are experiencing. For this recipe, you can absolutely cut down the amount of sugar. Plus, a lot of the sugar is discarded with the marinade. This is a copycat recipe have made it to taste just like the Cafe Rio sweet pork. It is quite sweet. If you would prefer a pork recipe with much less sugar, we have a delicious Kalua pork recipe that doesn’t have added sugar. Hope this helps!
Jennifer says
What size can of green chiles?
Erica Walker says
4 oz
Jennifer says
Thank you!
P Lenhardt says
I’ve never tried the Cafe Rio original, but was really excited to try this recipe. The name is not kidding. It is REALLY sweet. I guess I was expecting a little more spice (not sure why) and this was almost too sweet … I felt I could serve this at a child’s birthday party and all the kids would love it. I had to do something to add a little more depth so I added some ketchup … regular, and then a few shots of spicy (my mom swears by ketchup in her sweet pork and that felt safer than adding hot sauce which would’ve been unchartered territory). That helped a little but I was still a little worried serving it as a dinner but I paired it with the pico de gallo mentioned in the links somewhere and a little sour cream to cut back on the sweetness, and a lot of fresh cilantro and that balanced it out very nicely. My boyfriend had his in a flour tortilla bowl with rice, cheddar, pico, sour cream and pork, and he liked it a lot too. Grilled asparagus went well on the side. What went from being an “oh crap! I killed all that great pork with way to much sweetness” to a surprisingly good meal. Again, never tried the original version, so I can’t speak to that, but, we really ended up enjoying this. Thanks!
Echo Blickenstaff says
Whew! I’m glad it worked for the party! It is sweet. Balancing it out with ketchup was a great idea!