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This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe tastes just like the original sweet pork from Cafe Rio. It’s tender, juicy, sweet, and perfect for burritos, salads, tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, and quesadillas. This has been one of our most loved recipes since 2007, and once you make it at home, you’ll see why people keep coming back to it.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“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
Why I Love This Sweet Pork Recipe
The first Cafe Rio opened in St. George, Utah in 1997, and I was there the first week it opened. There were lines out the door every day, and I still remember asking what the best thing on the menu was. They told me it was the sweet pork, by far.
I ordered the sweet pork burrito with black beans and green enchilada sauce, and I was hooked right away. I honestly didn’t order much else for years. When I moved away from Utah and didn’t have a Cafe Rio nearby, I knew I had to figure out how to make it at home.
So I asked the workers what was in the sweet pork, went home, and started testing it until it tasted right. I first shared this recipe back in 2007, and it has been one of our most popular recipes ever since.
This recipe works because the pork cooks low and slow until it is tender enough to shred, then it finishes in a sweet enchilada sauce that soaks into every piece. It’s simple, but the flavor is so close to the restaurant version.
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pork: Boneless pork ribs, pork roast, pork shoulder, or pork butt all work well because they get tender and shred easily.
- Coca-Cola: Use regular Coke, not diet, because the sugar helps flavor the meat and the soda helps tenderize it.
- Brown sugar: This gives the pork that signature Cafe Rio sweetness.
- Garlic salt: A little goes a long way and gives the pork more savory flavor while it cooks.
- Water: Helps keep the pork from drying out in the slow cooker.
- Diced green chiles: These blend into the sauce and add mild flavor without making the pork too spicy.
- Red enchilada sauce: This is the base of the sauce and gives the pork that rich Cafe Rio-style flavor.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Pork options: I like boneless pork ribs or pork roast, but pork shoulder, pork butt, carnitas-style pork, or Boston butt also work well.
- Bone-in pork: You can use it, but boneless is easier to shred and serve.
- Coke substitutes: Regular Dr. Pepper or root beer can work in a pinch, but Coke gives the closest flavor to the original.
- Diet soda: I don’t recommend diet Coke for the closest Cafe Rio flavor. The sugar in regular soda helps with the sauce and the overall taste.
- Lower sugar option: Some readers have used Coke Zero and brown sugar substitutes with good results, but the flavor and texture will be a little different.
- Garlic: If you want more garlic flavor, you can add a little minced garlic to the sauce.
- Enchilada sauce: Use a red enchilada sauce you like. The flavor of the sauce matters because it is one of the main ingredients.
- Spice level: The green chiles are mild, but you can use hot diced green chiles or add a pinch of cayenne if you want more heat.
How to Make Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
- Marinate the pork. Place the pork in a heavy-duty zip-top bag with Coke and brown sugar. Marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you have time.
- Slow cook until tender. Drain the marinade, then place the pork in the slow cooker with more Coke, water, and garlic salt. Cook until the pork is tender and shreds easily.
- Shred and make the sauce. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and discard the cooking liquid. Shred the pork with two forks, then blend Coke, diced green chiles, red enchilada sauce, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Finish in the sauce. Add the shredded pork back to the slow cooker and pour the sauce over the top. Cook on low until the sauce thickens and soaks into the meat, then serve in burritos, salads, tacos, enchiladas, or rice bowls.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Place the pork, ½ can Coke, water, and garlic salt in the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes for a pork roast, or 40 minutes for pork ribs or pork chops.
- Let the pressure naturally release for 20 minutes.
- If the pork is still tough, cook on high pressure for another 10 to 20 minutes.
- Discard the liquid and shred the pork.
- Blend the remaining ½ can Coke, diced green chiles, enchilada sauce, and brown sugar.
- Return the pork to the Instant Pot and add the sauce.
- Use the sauté setting, stirring often, until the sauce thickens.
Recipe Tips
- Marinate overnight if you can. Four hours works, but overnight gives the pork more flavor.
- Don’t skip the second cook. Letting the shredded pork simmer in the sauce helps it taste more like the Cafe Rio version.
- Use regular Coke. Diet soda doesn’t give the same flavor or sauce texture.
- Cook until the pork shreds easily. If it feels tough, it needs more time.
- Discard the cooking liquid before adding the sauce. This keeps the final pork from getting watery.
- Blend the sauce until smooth. This helps the chiles mix right into the sauce.
- Taste the sauce before adding it to the pork. If you like it sweeter, add a little more brown sugar.
- Short on time? After shredding the pork, you can simmer it with the sauce in a deep skillet on the stove until the sauce thickens.
- Feeding a crowd? This recipe doubles well, but use two slow cookers if needed so the pork cooks evenly.
- Make extra. Leftovers are so good in burritos, salads, nachos, quesadillas, and rice bowls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Place the pork, Coke, water, and garlic salt in the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes for a pork roast, or 40 minutes for pork ribs or pork chops. Let it naturally release for 20 minutes. If the pork does not shred easily, cook it for another 10 to 20 minutes. Discard the liquid, shred the pork, add the blended sauce, then use the sauté setting and stir until the sauce thickens.
Marinating gives the pork the best flavor, and Cafe Rio marinates their meat, so I recommend it. That said, if you forget or don’t have time, you can still make the recipe. The pork cooks for a long time and will still taste great.
Boneless pork ribs, pork shoulder, pork roast, pork butt, carnitas-style pork, or Boston butt all work well. I like using a cut with good marbling because it stays tender in the slow cooker.
Yes, but boneless is easier. If you use bone-in pork, remove the bone and any extra fat before shredding.
The Coke adds sweetness and helps tenderize the meat. It also adds to the flavor of the sauce, which is why I don’t like leaving it out.
For the closest copycat flavor, use regular Coke. Some readers have had success with Coke Zero, but regular Coke gives the sauce a better flavor and texture.
Yes, you can use Dr. Pepper or root beer, but Coke tastes the closest to the Cafe Rio version.
No, this recipe is mild. The diced green chiles add flavor, but not much heat. If you want it spicier, use hot green chiles or add a little cayenne pepper.
You can use chicken, but it will not taste the same as Cafe Rio Sweet Pork. If you try it, use the same amount of chicken and reduce the cooking time since chicken cooks faster than pork.
You can turn the slow cooker to high for 30 to 45 minutes, or simmer the shredded pork and sauce in a deep skillet on the stove until everything is hot and the sauce thickens.
Make Ahead and Storage
This is a great recipe to make ahead because the flavor gets even better as it sits.
- Make ahead: Cook and shred the pork, then store it with the sauce in the fridge until you are ready to reheat and serve.
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Cool completely then freeze leftovers in freezer bags or airtight containers for up to 5 months.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the slow cooker until warmed through. Add a splash of Coke, water, or enchilada sauce if it looks dry.
Pairing Ideas
This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork is perfect with all the Cafe Rio favorites. I love serving it with Cilantro-Lime Rice, Black Beans, Homemade Flour Tortillas, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, Tortilla Strips, and Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing. It also makes the best Sweet Pork Salad, Burritos, Tacos, Tostadas, Enchiladas, and quesadillas.
More Cafe Rio Recipes
- Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad
- Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Burrito
- Family Style Sweet Pork Baked Burritos
- All Our Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes
If you love Cafe Rio Sweet Pork as much as I do, this recipe needs to be on your dinner list. It has the same sweet, savory flavor I fell in love with years ago, and it is so easy to make at home in the slow cooker. Make a big batch, use it all week, and don’t forget to leave a rating and comment after you try it. I love hearing how you serve it. 💛
Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
Video
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 chiles
- 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 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 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, chiles, 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 1 to 2 more hours.
Notes
- Use regular Coke, not diet, for the closest Cafe Rio flavor.
- Marinate the pork overnight if you have time.
- Boneless pork ribs, pork roast, pork shoulder, pork butt, carnitas-style pork, or Boston butt all work well.
- If the pork does not shred easily, it needs more cooking time.
- Discard the cooking liquid before adding the sauce so the finished pork is not watery.
- If you are short on time after shredding, simmer the pork and sauce in a deep skillet on the stovetop until the sauce thickens.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 5 months.
- Reheat with a splash of Coke, water, or enchilada sauce if needed.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I tried this tonight to make sweet pork nachos and it was delicious! Added some lettuce, corn salsa, pico, and cotija cheese and it was so, so good!
would this recipe be good on slidder buns for a picnic?
This pork is more for Mexican dishes like burritos and tacos, but I would recommend our Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork (https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/instant-pot-pulled-pork/) or our Kalua Pulled Pork (https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/kalua-pork-pulled-pork-sandwiches/) for sliders! Hope this helps!
Thank you for these great recipes!
Are the diced green chili cans the 4oz cans or the 7oz cans?
Thanks!
4 ounce!
I love this recipe, and I need to make it a few days in advance. Do I cook it and shred it and put it in the fridge or do I add the other ingredients before I put it in the fridge?
I would add the other ingredients before putting it in the fridge. The flavors will soak into the meat.
Thinking of making this for a big crowd and I’m wondering if I use 6 lbs of pork instead of the 2 listed would I also need to triple the other ingredients as well? I feel silly even asking but it’s just that would be an awful lot of brown sugar so I want to be sure. Thanks in advance!
Yes, you would need to triple the other ingredients for there to be enough sauce for the meat. If you don’t, it will dry out.
My wife loves when I make it since we don’t live close to Cafe Rio.
Anytime we entertain, we make this! You can make a ton & everyone loves it. Our favorite is in salad!
I crave this pork all the time! We love Cafe Rio, but this recipe brings into our home, which is even better!
We make this sweet pork at least once a month if not more. It is a meal that my entire family enjoys. So much flavor and so tender! We put it on salad or make a burrito with it. SO GOOD!
Hi! So excited to try this!! I got a slow cooker but its 4 qt – is it still possible? do I need to adjust recipe? Thanks!
As long as the meat fits in the bowl comfortably, it should be fine!
Can this be made large scale in a roaster?
We haven’t tried it that way before, but my guess is that it would work! Let us know how it goes if you do try it!
Has anyone tried this with diet coke even though it says not to in the recipe. Looking to try it for a more diabetic version using diet coke +lakanto sugar
I use Stevia rootbeer or cola and it works just fine. I think the aspartame causes issues with this recipe. I also just use Lakanto, swerve, or Boca Sweet. Its amazing every time!
I use Coke Zero and Lakanto Brown Sugar replacement and it’s still yummy, my family still loves it.
So here’s my problem and frustration I looked at the total cook time that it suggests and it says 8 hours and 15 minutes total so I figured out when I needed to start it and I read further and found out that it’s actually 10 hours so now what because I am having five in about 8 hours from now.
You should be able to get it done! You can cook the pork on high for 3-4 hours and then cook for two additional hours on low after you shred it. Hope this helps!
This recipe is so good!!! Its so worth making!!
Thanks for the great recipe! Just FYI, old El Paso red sauce showed up on my GF app as containing traces of gluten. Hatch’s organic red enchilada sauce is labeled GF. Should be an easy swap. Maybe you’re been made aware, but since the recipe isn’t updated I thought I’d point it out
Hello! For the diced green chiles, I am wondering, do you drain them first or just add them with all the juices? Thank you!
Add the whole can to the blender and blend it with all the juices. Thanks for asking!
This sounds delicious! Can shredded chicken be substituted for pork? I’m thinking it would be but…
Yes I think that would work!
So I moved to Texas a little over a year ago and to my dispear ther 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. Everytime I eat it it’s like a warm homey feeling comes over me.
Why can I not use diet? It’s all I have :/ I hope I didn’t ruin it
I think the sweetener in diet sodas–usually aspartame–isn’t heat-stable, meaning if you cook with it, the sweetener breaks down and isn’t sweet anymore. There are some diet sodas that have stevia or sucralose that might be heat-stable, since you can cook with both of those sweeteners, as well as monkfruit, erythritol, and some others. I used 3/4 c. sucralose (such as Splenda) and 1/4 c. dark brown sugar and 2 cans of regular (not diet) left-over root beer today (I usually only have diet soda too.) We’ll see how it turns out.
How did it turn out with the Splenda? I’m making it this weekend and considering making one or two crockpots with the original recipe and one with less calories (Splenda + some brown sugar as you’ve noted with either Coke Zero or Dr. Pepper Zero).
I love it! I’ve made it twice now and it is so close to the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork. I put it in the crock pot about midnight, then shred it in the morning and let it cook in the sauce, then I don’t have to rush if we have company!
Do you cook the pork for 8 hours on low PLUS an EXTRA 2 hours for the sauce or do you put the sauce in at the 6 hour mark with 2 hours left to cook?
You cook the pork for 8 hours on low, and then an extra 2 hours with the sauce. So 10 hours total. It is a long time, but totally worth the wait! The pork comes out so so tender and the flavor is amazing!
I find 1 HUGE issue with this recipe, it’s so damn good you can’t stop eating it.
I made the ribs part in the instapot for 30 minutes on high pressure shredded it and then slow cooked for the 2 hours also in the instapot.
Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all of us you actually understand
what you’re talking about! Bookmarked. Kindly also visit my website =).
We will have a hyperlink trade agreement between us
have you cooked the pork roast in an insta-pot?
We haven’t yet! If you try it, let us know how it is!
Can I make this entire recipe a week ahead of time and then just reheat it. Or should I just do the initial 8 hour cook and wait to finish the 2 hour (after shred cook ) until right before I serve it?
I think it’s best to make it all at once and then heat up the amount you need as you go throughout the week. It keeps very well in an airtight container in the fridge.
I have for one hour on the stew setting or med-high pressure. It turns out amazing! Perfect especially bc the pressure helps infuse the flavor if you didn’t marinade prior.
Great option for cafe rio at home!