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Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe

This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe is the real deal. The pork is marinated and slow-cooked to perfection in some surprising ingredients!

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork on a tortilla in a tin bowl.

This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat 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.

For me, the sweet pork at Cafe Rio is THE way to go. I love it! I like it in the burritos and the salads and the tostada and the enchiladas and the….you get the point. It is always so tender and it practically melts in your mouth! I love the hint of sweetness, too. Now, you can have that amazing Cafe Rio pork at home — all you need is a few simple ingredients and a crock pot!

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 soooooo 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 want to skip the marinade step… go for it. 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 Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes:

  • To 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.
We have gotten rave reviews and great feedback on this Sweet Pork (and on ALL of our Cafe Rio/Costa Vida copycats). This pork is the real deal! Check out all the positive comments below!

 

How to make Sweet Pork:

4 from 5 votes
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Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe

This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe is the real deal. The pork is marinated and slow-cooked to perfection in some surprising ingredients!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8
INGREDIENTS (with Amazon Links)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

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Reader Interactions

120 Comments

  3. Erica, I’m not sure what I did wrong but…it just didn’t taste quite right. I tried it a couple of weeks ago. Dont get me wrong it was still good and we still did the whole salad but, something wasn’t write. Maybe it was to dry…but there was liquid surrounding it the whole time. And it certainly didn’t look like yours. Maybe I needed to shred it better….or maybe I cooked it to long and it didn’t shred so easily.
    Any ideas? I would love to make it again.

    reply to comment

    • Not to take away from Erica’s yummy recipe, but I found a very easy way to make the pork that is sure to taste like the real thing and use less ingredients. I made it for my sister and brother-in-law… They loved it!!! … And they’ve never been to Cafe Rio. 🙂 I’m actually in the middle of searching for it again to make for some guests. I don’t remember the exact proportions as I haven’t found the recipe yet. I do know however, the pulled pork sauce is just Pace Pecante Sauce and brown sugar. And it’s super sweet and tangy just like the real thing! I’m sure just adding those two ingredients in the google search bar will help me find out more about this amazing dish and its simple steps. 🙂 hope that helps a bit!

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    • The pork should be simmered with coke, a veggie bag( yellow onions, serrano peppers, dried peppers, and carrots all wrapped in cheesecloth), spices and some sugar. When the pork is tender is should be shredded. The pork should be placed in a bag, then topped with sugar, then with (cold) red enchilada sauce(dried chile peppers boiled, cooled, blended and strained in the morning, add spices, caramelized onions, cornstarch to thicken, and then strained again), and hot pork broth last. The bag is stapled shut, and then placed in an ice bath overnight. It must be 40 degrees or lower. It is cooked with some butter in a saucepan until it reaches 165 degrees.

      It is impossible to get any recipe to taste just like at Cafe Rio at home. Our handmade lemonades can be replicated, but that is about it. Every item has secret spices and the employees don’t even know what is in the. Exact measurements are followed that cannot be changed. This is our procedure without any exact measurements.

      -Cafe Rio Manager

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        • Strawberry lemonade:
          blended strawberries, fresh lemon juice, Stevia, & water
          Mint limeade:
          boiled mint-strained, minute maid lemonade concentrate, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, sugar & water
          Southwest limeade:
          (pretty standard recipe from mexico)
          Boiled Jamaica flowers (hibiscus), fresh lime juice, sugar, & water

          reply to comment

          • What about the tortillas? I can’t seem to get tortillas right, and I’ve never been to a place that has tortillas as good as Cafe Rio’s, they are incredible!

      • The pork should be simmered with coke, a veggie bag( yellow onions, serrano peppers, dried peppers, and carrots all wrapped in cheesecloth), spices and some sugar. When the pork is tender is should be shredded. The pork should be placed in a bag, then topped with sugar, then with (cold) red enchilada sauce(dried chili peppers boiled, cooled, blended and strained in the morning, add spices, caramelized onions, cornstarch to thicken, and then strained again), and hot pork broth last. A bag is stapled shut, and then placed in an ice bath overnight. It must be 40 degrees or lower. It is cooked with some butter in a saucepan until it reaches 165 degrees.
        It is impossible to get any recipe to taste just like at Cafe Rio at home. Our handmade lemonades can be replicated, but that is about it. Every item has secret spices and the employees don’t even know what is in the. Exact measurements are followed that cannot be changed. This is our procedure without any exact measurements.
        -Cafe Rio Manager

        Please let me translate.

        Simmer a pork but in Coke and a cheese cloth bag containing: (sliced yellow onions, 4 chopped serrano peppers, 4 dried Guajillo peppers, 4 dried new Mexico peppers, and 4 chopped carrots), and a spice blend of garlic powder, dried oregano, cumin powder, salt and pepper. Cook until pork is fall apart tender.
        Then make red enchilada sauce or use Las Palmas enchilada sauce in a 24 oz. can. Add to the sauce caramelized onions, more spice blend, and thicken with corn starch. Strain.
        Shred pork and place in a big zip lock.
        Add to the bag of shredded pork, the finished enchilada sauce and seal bag. Put bag in a big bowl of ice water and set in fridge overnight.
        Remove pork mixture from bag to a Dutch oven and warm to 165 degrees.
        Serve over cilantro lime rice and beans.

        reply to comment

    • If it does not shred easily, keep cooking it. When it has cooked enough, it will fall apart if you stick a fork in it. Shredding should be easy

      reply to comment

    • something that can always help add flavor and juiciness to meats that you plan on slow cooking is searing them/browning them before you put them in the crock pot.
      it does take a bit more effort but you wont regret it!

      reply to comment

  4. Hmmm, I have no idea what to tell you. I actually did my pork on low for about 10 hours the last time I made it. Then when I drained it and added the other ingredients, I let it simmer on low another 3 hours. Maybe that will make a difference. I like to shred it up a lot when I add those other ingredients so the flavor is really absorbed by the pork. Maybe that will help! Sorry it didn’t turn out! Oh… another thing, I use the boneless pork RIB meat (I will add that to the posting so it is more clear on what kind of pork to use). Is that what you used?

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  9. I made the pork, salad dressing, and beans today for our Memorial Day picnic. It was fantastic and everyone loved it! Thank you for the recipe.

    I have 1 question, is it really necessary to drain the marinade before you put it in the crockpot and start over with a new coke?

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    • I know that this is a couple years later… But for anyone else wondering this same question…. Throw away the marinade! Holy bacteria city!! Never ever try to heat or boil down a marinade that has had raw meat in it! To save yourself from getting a horrible food born illness, just throw away the marinade and start over with a new sauce to thicken!

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      • Oh good grief. If you bring the marinade up to temperature (160F) for at least 5 min it will kill any bacteria. How do you think the bacteria is killed in the meat itself?

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        • Debbie… that has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. You are putting new coke on RAW Meat when you put it in the crock pot… the hole point of crock pot cooking is to slow cook your food to allow your food to soak up the most possible flavor. Therefore your New “sanitary” coke is going to sit on uncooked meat and thereby becoming as you state Bacteria city… Nancy is absolutely correct as long as you bring your meat to 160F it will kill any bacteria both in your marinade and your meat. So Amy to answer your question no you do not have to start over with new coke as long as you allowed your meat to marinade in the refrigerator.

          reply to comment

          • Nothing like a bit of ‘helpful’ advice. Perhaps next time you guys can be kind. Just a thought. Anonymous posting can turn us into animals.

          • Awwww, hey! Be nice. I was always taught to toss out the marinade, too. Food-bourne illness is not really something to scoff at. “Many people don’t know it, but some foodborne illnesses can actually lead to long-term health conditions, and 3,000 Americans a year die from foodborne illness.” (foodsafety.gov) When in doubt, toss it out. But hey! If it doesn’t bother you, or the people eating your food that you don’t toss your marinade…then who am I to say? Besides, according to that website, the temperature is the main thing to be concerned with, so I suppose that if you marinade in the fridge (please, yes) then cook it all up right away…thennnnnn…ehhhh? I can’t see it becoming a huge issue as long as leftovers are refrigerated right away. But as for me and my house…I’m a tosser-outer. Raw meat fuh-reaks me heck out! Anyways, I’m gonna try this recipe right now, ‘cept I don’t have time for the marinade part. Wish me luck!

        • LMAO….You are so very right! If heated high enough any bacteria will be killed and totally eliminated. Took food safety classes and used to cook in a restaurant.

          reply to comment

          • I’m not one for posting, but I saw the debate about marinades. I have a degree in microbiology, so I thought I’d share a little. The issue with bacteria is not the bacteria themselves, but what they leave behind when they metabolize.

            Bacteria consume sugars, fats and proteins and leave behind poisons, which is why it is called “food poisoning” and not “food infection.”

            These poisonous by-products are not affected by high temperatures and can make you sick even after long periods of high heat. Broths and foods such as potato salad are ideal for rapid bacterial growth. That’s the science behind it… do what you may with the info 🙂

  10. What size can of chopped green chilies and enchilada sauce did you use? I just bought all the ingredients for the entire recipe today, and don't want to destroy it 🙂

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  12. I'm about ready to try this recipe tonight – I've never been able to get the exact Cafe Rio taste so I hope this is it. I do want to mention that after extensive research and discussions with butchers – the boston or pork butt is the best cut to use. Note – it's name has to do with the shape rather than the location – it's not really the "butt". I've never used the rib meat – hopefully it's as tender. According to the butcher it's not but who knows. The only thing I DO know is NEVER use a pork roast – especially the Costco pork roast. The reason is that a pork roast has NO fat and is the most lean cut and will never become tender and shred. The costco pork roast is really high quality so it has even less fat. I made this mistake recently when a grocery store advertised a boston butt for a great price and I was making a hawaiian Kaluha pork for a luau. The cut looked a bit different than I was used to but I cooked it anyway. When it had cooked for 8 hours it was rubbery and non shreddable so I called the store only to discover it had been mismarked and I had actually used a pork roast. What a nightmare!

    reply to comment

    • I’ve never used pork butt before but I have some in my freezer right now. Should I trim any of the fat? Or just use the whole cut in the crock pot? It sounds like a delicious alternative to the traditional rib meat and I would like to give it a try!

      reply to comment

      • I have always used a Costco boneless pork loin and it shreds very well! You have to cook it in the crock pot for a while first and then shred,. It’s easy to do after it’s cooked!

        reply to comment

    • I believe the “BUTT” is the Ham!! lol But who am I to say….cuz I sure am not a butcher. I believe a butcher told me many yrs ago that the butt was the ham. Y’all have a great rest of the week and since I live in a motel…this is the perfect recipe for me being as I don’t have an oven….but DO have a slow cooker. Cannot wait….we don’t have that restaurant in IL where I live…but I do soooo love pork.

      reply to comment

  14. So I just finished making the pork and well, it's pretty close. It's been 1 year today since my last Cafe Rio and we thought we would remember it by trying this recipe. Thanks for posting it, yummy.

    reply to comment

  18. I am in the middle of cooking the pork right now. . .as I type. I'm worried that there isn't enough liquid in the pot. Should it cover the pork completely? I got 6lbs of meat for our family party tonight.

    Thanks!

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  19. It doesn't need to cover the pork completely. It should be fine, you don't want it too thin. If you are still worried about it– add more brown sugar and coke.
    Let me know how it turns out!

    reply to comment

  21. I'm so excited to make this Sweet Pork! I am actually wanting to make the Sweet Pork Burrito… Any suggestions??? It has been a long time since I've had Cafe Rio, so I'm not sure what all goes in or on them. I hope you can help… Thanks!

    reply to comment

  22. Hey Holler Hinckleys:
    I think in the burrito, they put the lime rice and beans and they top it with your choice of sauce when they do it enchilada style. You either want to make your own tortilla shells or try to find the biggest ones you can at your local store. Good luck! Let me know how they turn out!

    reply to comment

  23. I just found this recipe and am excited to try it! I do have a few questions, though, if you don't mind.

    Do you use light or dark brown sugar?
    Do you use red or green enchilada sauce?

    Thanks for posting your hard work for us to enjoy! 🙂

    reply to comment

  27. I was wondering how many salads you usually get out of this recipe. I'm making dinner for 12 and am wondering if I need to double it or how much I need to make! Thank You!

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  28. You probably want to double the recipe. Last time we made it, it fed 6 comfortably. I am sure by doubling it, you will be able to feed 12 easily.

    reply to comment

  32. Hi Erica, love your recipes… I haven't ever seen sliced green chilies so is it actually a can of diced green chilies that you use? I did find a can of whole green chilies that I can slice if need be. Just want it to be perfect. Thanks!

    reply to comment

  34. So I moved away about 8 months ago to sc and there is a missionary in my ward. Every Sunday we talk about how good Cafe Rio "was". I told him we could escape and drive 11 hours up to DC and come right back after eating at the new Cafe Rio in MD. However, I don't think that will work. So, I found this on line and was wondering if you ever figured out the Pinto Bean recipie? I like black beans but they don't like me and so I had converted to the Pintos the last couple of years. Let me know and thanks for the post!!

    reply to comment

  35. Ya know, I have only had the pinto beans once. I wonder if you added cilantro and green chilies to the beans that maybe they would taste similar? And if you are making them from scratch, use chicken broth?

    reply to comment

  36. I've had this recipe bookmarked for a while, but haven't ever gotten around to making it, until today. I looked for caffeine free coke, but the store was out. I tried root beer instead, and yeah, it didn't work so well. It tasted fine, but the meat definitely had a root beer taste! So just a warning for anyone else out there, don't use root beer!

    reply to comment

  39. I just found your blog and I love it already. I am making the cafe rio pork right now. I am so excited. I'm going to make the dressing and rice now too!

    reply to comment

  42. Thanks for sharing this. We love it. We combine the first and second steps together, I cook it in the marinade, brown sugar and garlic. and then I just mix the enchilada sauce and chilis into that sauce. Why toss perfectly good sugar and Coke? It may not taste the exact same but my hubs still raves about it and it's easier. I use caffine free Coke too.

    I've used green enchilada sauce too I just added some tomato paste to get the flavor and color, still tasted great!

    reply to comment

  44. Do you have to use Coke or can you use Dr Pepper? It is pretty sweet; maybe less brown sugar, if so, at least for the marinade. I wanted to start today and cannot get to the store for Coke.

    reply to comment

  45. @kimmyh – I have only used Coke because I know that is what Cafe Rio uses. I have heard of others using Dr. Pepper though and it turning out fine. I don't think it will make that huge of a difference.

    reply to comment

  46. When you say pork rib meat… what is the actual cut of meat called that you buy? Pork shoulder? Pork Butt? I'm assuming you don't buy spare or baby back ribs and shred that meat… do you?

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  51. @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!

    reply to comment

  52. 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!

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    • 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.

      reply to comment

      • 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.

        reply to comment

  55. 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?

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  56. 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. 🙂

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  58. 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.

    reply to comment

      • 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!

        reply to comment

  59. 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!

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  60. 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….

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  61. 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

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    • 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.

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  62. 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.

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  64. 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!!!

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  66. 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.

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  67. 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.

    reply to comment

    • 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!

      reply to comment

  68. 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!

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  69. 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!

    reply to comment

    • 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’ 😀

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  70. 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?

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    • 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?

      reply to comment

    • 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!

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  72. 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.

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  73. 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.

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  74. 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!

    reply to comment

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