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Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
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4.91 from 121 votes

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe

Unlock the secret to replicating the mouthwatering magic of Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork with this easy tried-and-true copycat recipe!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 hours
Marinating Time4 hours
Total Time14 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican/Spanish
Keyword: Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe
Servings: 10
Calories: 395kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Ingredients

Sweet Pork

  • 2 pounds pork (boneless pork ribs work best)
  • 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

Sauce

Burrito

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.
    Boneless pork ribs marinating in a bag
  • 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.)
    Boneless pork ribs cooking in a crock pot
  • Remove pork from the slow cooker and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.
    Shredded pork on a cutting board
  • 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.
    Shredded Cafe Rio Sweet Pork in a crock pot

Sauce

  • Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 20 minutes.
  • Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
    Layer rice, beans, pork, and ¼cup cheese on top of the tortilla. Roll it up into a burrito. Pour about ½ cup of green enchilada sauce over the burrito and top with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
  • Serve with lettuce, pico de gallo, and guacamole.
    Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Video

Notes

  • Instant Pot Instructions: Throw all the ingredients in the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 60 minutes. Natural release for 20 minutes. If using pork ribs or pork chops, the time can be reduced to 40 minutes. For larger pork roasts you may need to add more time. The pork should shred easily after cooking. If the pork is still tough, place it back in the Instant Pot for another 10-20 minutes depending on how much more time you think it needs. After shredding, put the Instant Pot on the "sauté" setting and cook until the sauce thickens to your preference.
  • 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. 

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 210IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg