I cant believe they discontinued that packet on us!! Do you have a good suggestion to replace the sauce packet since they arent sold anymore? Calista This amount of sauce will work fine for 4.5 lbs. All of those pics should be pinnable. I originally started this blog to remind me to be happy amid adversity, and I hope it inspires you, too! Our favorite way to enjoy it is on top of a salad. Drain the marinade and add the pork to a 5-quart slow cooker. Remove meat and shred. This updated recipe allows cooking of the sweet pork in a fraction of the original 5-12 hour time. . It really is better the next day as it sits in the juice or from the freezer. Thanks for reading ABK, Here is the link https://abountifulkitchen.com/favorite-cafe-rio-copycat-recipes/, I have used this recipe several times, most recently for New Years Eve. You just mix together all four ingredients (yes, only four ingredients! Si. Help please. Hi Melissa, Instructions. Thank you for your kind comments! Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Sweet and succulent pork, perfect for your go-to Mexican dish. We dont buy caffeinated drinks so I was hoping it would taste just as great with rootbeer. These items are bundled up in cheesecloth, tied off with string and throw into the dish with the food. Would this be good to eat on slidder rolls for a picnic? I cook a recipe from your blog at least 3x a week , Oh no Sara, Im sorry! So they do a fresh flour tortilla, a little cheese, cilantro rice (recipe is on my blog as well as the cafe rio tomatillo dressing), beans of choice, meat, lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and the special dressing with crisp tortilla strips. Thanks for sharing, Cover and heat until warmed all the way through and the meat has absorbed the sauce, about 1 to 2 hours on LOW heat. This recipe will serve 8-10 people. You could try to add more brown sugar to compensate if you absolutely cannot find or use a regular soda. I love using the IP to speed up what used to take hours to cook in a slow cooker or oven. Absolutely! I made this last night for my family and we had missionaries over and everybody loved it- the leftovers are amazing too! Sarah, It actually acts as a meat tenderizer in the recipe so dont leave it out. I m making it again today. . Marinate in the fridge for several hours or overnight. I was definitely skeptical about adding that much sugar but it came out about perfect. Perfect! It is safer not to risk a reaction. My husband is coming home from a trip tomorrow and I think this will be a perfect meal to make to make us both happy. xo Or should I do it in the oven? The only problem is the other six people who live with me hated it. So Ive beenexperimenting withdifferent versions and this one is the one we feel tastes closest to the real thing. Its a little scary making a meal for a group when youve never tried the recipe before! We love your recipes and your website! All Rights Reserved. How to make copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork? This was a hit in my house! xo Your pork is incredible. Pour can of Coke, water and garlic salt over pork in the slow cooker. And yes, youll use ground oregano. Place the lid on the top of the pot (make sure the sealing ring is in place inside of the lid) and lock into sealing position. Two neighbors have texted me today asking for the recipe! Hi, which instant pot did you use for this recipe? Im considering this for dinner but theres not enough time to thaw it today. -Simmer pork in a pan with cut up yellow onions, serrano peppers and chopped carrots. Your email address will not be published. We originally shared this recipe back in 2007, and it has been the most popular Cafe Rio copycat recipe on the internet! Las Palmas brand used at Cafe Rio. 2- Cut pork roast into quarters and add to the Instant Pot. Use it to top a salad, a burrito, or a taco. Hi Deb, Im sorry to hear that. Again, it will be different, but at least it will still be delicious! Really? I like my endings all wrapped up. Si. Such a sweet comment!! I followed the recipe to a T with a 5 lb boneless butt roast and my meat turned out a gelatinous mess swimming in sauce. Excited to try this. My. Pull apart pork with two forks and discard the fat. We dont have Caf Rio where I am, so I have nothing to compare to, but it sounds like a great combo. Drain marinade and put pork, can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but dont let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. The pork shoulder/butt has the fat and flavor you need! I will update that ASAP, thank you for letting me know. And this recipe is perfect for a crowd! It might be overcooked a little. I have always marinated my pork the night before or for at least a couple hours, but if you forget or just dont have time go ahead and cook it without marinading it. Cafe Rio sweet pork can be served on a bed of white rice with toppings such as sliced jalapeno, diced tomatoes, and fresh cilantro. This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe is the real deal. Sometimes making a slow cooker sweet pork just fits into your schedule better, I totally get that! Pour 8 ounces of Coca-Cola ( I used a measuring cup) and water around pork. I love this sweet pulled pork!! Also the dressings freeze well too! If the chicken is frozen cook for 13 minutes and then check it should be easy to shred. 3 lbs. Pork tenderloin and pork loin roast are not good choices for this recipe. I would love to make this for my wife, however she is allergic to sulfites. I would also place the trivet at the bottom of the instant pot before you put the roast in. Bring to a boil and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. I wish I had looked for an instant pot recipe earlier!! -I made it the night before so it could sit in the sauce overnight. I made this yesterday and it was delicious and so much better than having to remember to thaw the pork a day in advance and then put it in the crock pot first thing in the morning. Thanks! Hi Kate, it should be the same cooking time even with the bone in. Hope this helps! Hi Tara! Do you live around a Kroger? Hi Elise, you could try cooking it for 45 minutes if you only have 3 lbs of meat. This recipe has always been a hit, especially in our family. Cut off the meat and shred it. During the natural pressure release time, the meat continues to cook with the residual heat in the pot, the pressure is slowly released and the juices stay in the meat instead of escaping out of the pan (or pot). This is my favorite cafe rio pork recipe. Oh my gosh, cant thank you enough for perfecting this recipe for the instant pot. haha, at least Im not the only one dealing with a non-sharer. I did see some Frontera sauces at my grocery store today. Hoping it turns out! Hi! Hi Tamara, I usually just simmer the pork in a pan with cut up yellow onions, serrano peppers and chopped carrots, then remove the peppers and carrots after cooking and do not use the peppers and carrots in the sauce. I dont need to spend 10 bucks for one at Cafe Rio ever again when I can make it so easily at home! Thicken your sauce Bring your sauce to a slow boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. This one is by far my favorite and is almost identical to the sweet pork from Cafe Rio. Marinade for a few hours or overnight, shaking once or twice during the marinating. Si. Thank you so much for your review! The Dr pepper moistens the pork incredibly. Thank you! The recipe for the spice rub was a bonus, flavoring the pork beautifully. Enjoy your girls camp! This easy Pulled Pork recipe is made with pork shoulder (Boston pork butt), pantry spices and Cherry, Coke to tenderize the meat and then cooked in the oven, slow cooker or instant pot., Serve the spoon tender BBQ Pulled Pork in sandwiches, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, on pizza etc. Sounds delicious. Thank you so much for compiling this recipe and all your other recipes. I need guidance. Thanks for asking! Do I have to thaw my meat? xo I used pork butt and my meat was thought at 6 hrs and I cant even shred. 50 min and I let it npr for 1hr until I was ready to finish dinner. Sautd a 6.5# pork shoulder on all sides and cooked for 52 min + 50 min natural release and it was still not cooked all the way through, which left the meat tough and not able to be shredded. In the Instant Pot It took me years to jump on the pressure cooker bandwagon. So sorry, I asked my comment in a reply on accident. Hi Kathy! ), add on top of the pork roast, cook it up all day, take out the pork and shred it up, and add back in some of the sauce (not all of it.it makes a lot of sauce!) But sadly it has not come to Oregon yet. You do not need to change the cooking time. Can you please tell me how many this recipe will feed? Add apple cider vinegar and chicken broth. After I cooked up both recipes, I put a taste of each on small plates for our judges. Shred as normal, preparing the sauce separate and toss to combine. I followed the recipe to a T, also making the ABK homemade menudo dry rub and the ABK Homemade Enchilada Sauce for the simmering meat. Theyre smoked jalapeos, but the adobo sauce they come canned in is the magical part. Remove the peppers and carrots after cooking. Amazing flavors and I love the slow cooker meals!! Thanks again! We like to use the following toppings on our salad: It works great in the Instant Pot too and you can find my Instant Pot Cafe Rio Pork recipe here. Have you ever seen a chef create a bundle of herbs and place it in a pot or with a roast to cook then it gets discarded? I did try the sauce and it is tasty. Pour half of the Coke and water around pork. A pork loin or roast is going to be too lean and wont turn out exactly like Cafe Rio. Permission granted! I am anxious to try this recipe since we love their pork : ). Cook again. Let marinate for 3 hours or overnight. -It is important to remember that Instant Pot cooking is not necessarily quick cooking! Theres no need to marinate the pork, like other recipes. Oh good! Its in the crockpot right now. The nearest Cafe Rio is 1200 miles away and we miss it as much as we miss The Mandarine.which is a lot!!! When I first made this I was so happy to see that adobo sauce and marinating the meat werent part of your recipe (Im glad you agree that it doesnt add noticeable extra flavor). I like Old El Paso! But for adults, 1/2 lb perversion (before adding the sauce). It goes perfectly in burritos, tacos, salads and so much more. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Has anyone tried making it with rootbeer? I love the pork dont get me wrong, but I have a ton of frozen chicken I need to use and Ive been craving the sweet pork so Im hoping I can still get the flavor and use up the chicken (we are moving in a few weeks so Im trying to use up our food)! This recipe is clearly a little different because it uses Coke, but trust me its the way its prepared that is key. Add garlic, salt, and pepper. We will have ovens, or I could bring a crockpot to reheat? I tried several different cook times, from 30-75 minutes. xo Remove pork from crock pot and transfer to cutting board. I know the huge Pork Loin Roast at Costco is ridiculously inexpensive, and hardly has any fat on it, so not much waste as far as discarding fat goes. Go ahead and make this recipe as written. Do you by chance have a copycat recipe for the Cafe Rio spicy green chile pork? This unique cookbook guides the way through every step, including meal lists and easy-to-follow recipes, and features dollops of heartwarming family stories. We just tried this and it was AMAZING! Im eating leftovers for lunch with my 5yo and 2yo and they also approve. Hi Allison, if youre using a 4 lb roast, I would set the pressure time for 70-80 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, and oregano. Should I triple the amount of soda while cooking? Christine, I love the copycat cafe rio recipes. Here is the old recipe: Cook for the 6 hours, then an additional 2! Were not really Coke people, so we used root beer instead. xo, Boston butt and pork shoulder, technically from the same part of the pig or hog, are from the top portion of the shoulder area. thank you si!!! Years ago, I posted a slow cooker or oven version of Cafe Rio Sweet Pork, along with a complete menu of recipes. Thanks so much for sharing and for reading ABK! Your email address will not be published. This recipe is the most spot on i have ever found. You could do the same cooking time if you have 4-6 pieces in there or less you should be able to do low for 4 hours. Shred the meat well, discarding large pieces of the fat pad. By taco seasoning mixes and the Spanish rice. Combine the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper in a small dish. My husband doesnt like sweet sauces so I pulled some meat out for him to make carnitas and even that was fantastic. We are doing a lot of recipe testing to find one. So, its actually not the butt at all, but the shoulder. Garlic Black Beans Si. Should cook time stay the same or would you suggest longer? This pork look so saucy and delicious! Lauren, Karis Garden Salsa In a blender or food processor, blend the remaining 8 ounces Coca-Cola, diced green chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar. For this recipe, count on 2 hours minimum for preparing, pressurizing and then natural release of pressure and removing any fat still attached to meat. I pretty much make all the recipes for this meal for family parties and everyone loves it!! Prepare a large crock pot by spraying the inside with cooking spray. Cant wait to make it. If I use a 7-8lb shoulder, how long do you think I should cook it? I used to work at a Costa Vida and the sweet pork is very similar to Cafe Rios. (And Si is one of my favorite imaginary friends on instagramId love to actually meet her. It is so yummy! You need the regular soda for the sugar in it)). Si. I love your variation and thanks for sharing, Joana! Remove the peppers and carrots after cooking. :o). Whisk the enchilada sauce, chopped green chiles, brown sugar and one can of soda together in the Instant Pot. Is there anyway that you could still leave the old recipe up too? I definitely saving this one! xo Yes, you can. I have cooked frozen chicken breasts successfully in the IP, but chicken is a much smaller cut of than a pork roast I suggest letting it thaw and cooking afterward. It does add more flavor to the meat, but it will still turn out great. Just made this today and no one in my family could wait a day to let it set. I would cut it into thirds and definitely do it in the oven. -Shred pork after cooked and let sit in a ziplock bag overnight with sauce made fresh after pork is cooked. Add the pork to a gallon-sized ziplock bag and add cup brown sugar and 2 cups Coca-Cola. The meat cooks for a long time in the crock pot in its own juices which allows it to absorb a lot of flavor. Glad it was such a hit for you. I am one of those people that wont print out a recipe until it meets the mark. I know, I know. This process can't be rushed! Im hoping to serve 8 people. Made some mistakes about draining the juices but it was pretty fool proof turns out. Place shredded pork back in crock pot. And then release for 45 min. This will definitely be a staple meal in out home! Its not listed in the ingredients. Mix to combine and sprinkle over the roast. I have both a 6 nd 8 quart, I most often use the 6 quart unless Im cooking for a big crowd or cooking two dishes at once in the IP. If you are in a hurry, skip this step and omit the oil in the pot. Thanks for reading ABK, Would you recommend cooking all of it at once for a longer time, or cutting it into thirds and cooking only one piece for now? Muffins, Quick Bread, Coffee Cake & Cinnamon Rolls, https://abountifulkitchen.com/favorite-cafe-rio-copycat-recipes/. Thanks for sharing, Krista! Soooo good. (It does not need to cover roast) Sprinkle evenly with garlic salt, salt and pepper. . I researched a lot of different recipes on the internet and Im glad I went with yours turns out its the best thanks again. Hey Mindy! This is the perfect mix of savory sweet and will find its way into our regular taco Tuesday rotation. Mention @favoritefamilyrecipes or tag #favoritefamilyrecipes! All Cafe Rio style recipes listed and linked on post. After trying a few different cook times and water levels and also marinating vs not marinating, I found pork loin to be too lean. The sweet pork also makes a perfect topping for nachos. Meaning, it will take time to allow this to happen and this time needs to be built in to the cooking time of the meat. Add the shredded pork back to the slow cooker. Can this be made ahead of time and frozen? Its THAT good! Add the 2 tablespoons of reserved spices, red enchilada sauce, brown sugar, green chiles and green salsa/enchilada sauce and stir/toss to combine. Si. We like to eat it with a tortilla on a plate then topped with lettuce, black beans, rice and cilantro ranch dressing! Any suggestions for a good replacement? Do you think a 7 pound pork would be enough for a family of 12 adults and seven little kids? xo took the tip to let it sit overnight, so i am excited to try it tonight for dinner! We've perfected the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe! Instructions . Cook the Pork Drain marinade. No words can describe how happy my family is. Keep warm until ready to serve. Move along. Cafe Rio is a popular fast-casual Mexican style restaurant with headquarters in Utah. Ive made this recipe now as its written, and with keto substitutes, and they were both divine!! I do have one question though, how much taco sauce do you use? The pork cooks for a long time in the slow cooker which makes the meat tender and easy to shred. Combine a can and a half of Coke with about a quarter cup of brown sugar. So glad you like! Mine needed more time in the pressure cooker, but that was an easy fix. I cant believe it either. It was AMAZING! Would you recommend cooking all of it at once for a longer time, or cutting it into thirds and cooking only one piece for now? Ive tried many sweet pork copycats and this one is just spot on. Toss pork into your favorite salads and tacos! The link for my homemade sauce is on this post under the last paragraph "Tips and Secrets for Perfect Cafe Rio Sweet Pork". Place pork roast inside. If you turn the crock pot on high and heat it for another 30 to 45 minutes it should be good to go! We have all kinds of yummy Mexican dishes to round out your meals and celebrations! Biggest compliment ever! Filed under: Dinner, Family Reunion Food, Mexican, Pork, Slow Cooker and Instant Pot, Videos. While we dont have the actual recipe, we literally cannot taste a difference. Im wanting to make this for a group of 20-25 people. Cant wait to try it! I know Ive posted about a few copycat recipes from Cafe Rio like the cilantro lime rice, Creamy tomatillo Cilantro Ranch and slow cookerCafe Rio chicken, but this recipe is so dead on I had no choice but to post.