• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Instant Pot Recipe Guide! download now!

FREE 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 Minutes E Course!


Thank you for subscribing!


Your Homebased Mom

  • About
  • Latest
  • Contact
NEW! Watch on youtube!

Your Homebased Mom

Leigh Anne Wilkes

  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Appetizers
      • Beverages
      • Bread
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Dessert
        • Bars and Brownies
        • Cake
        • Candy and Treats
        • Cookies
        • Ice Cream
        • Pie
      • Main Dishes
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Burgers
      • Sauces and Dressings
      • Side Dishes
      • Soup
    • Cooking Method
      • Crock Pot
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • One Pan
      • Oven
      • Quick and Easy
      • Recipes for Two
    • Ingredients
      • Beef
      • Eggs
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Poultry
        • Chicken
        • Turkey
      • Seafood
      • Vegetarian
      • Gluten Free
    • Cuisine
      • American
      • Asian
      • European
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
    • Holiday
      • New Year’s Eve
      • Valentine’s Day
      • St. Patrick’s Day
      • Easter
      • 4th of July
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
  • Travel
    • Europe
    • United States
      • New York City
      • Portland
    • What To Wear
  • Life
    • Home
    • Party Ideas
    • Empty Nesters
    • Church
      • Activity Day
      • Relief Society
    • Organizational Tips
    • Recommended Reads
  • New? Start Here
  • Subscribe for weekly recipes

    FREE 5 Instant Pot Meals in 5 Minutes E Course!


    Thank you for subscribing!


Recipe Finder

  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Dessert
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Burgers
    • Sauces and Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
  • Cooking Method
    • Oven
    • Crock Pot
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • One Pan
    • Quick and Easy
  • Ingredients
    • Beef
    • Eggs
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Poultry
    • Seafood
    • Vegetarian
    • Gluten Free
  • Cuisine
    • American
    • Asian
    • European
    • Indian
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican
  • Holiday
    • New Year’s Eve
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
Home / Latest Posts / Recipes / Ingredients / Pork / Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Jump to Recipe Video Share
Share on:
By: Leigh Anne WilkesPosted: 1/11/22Updated: 10/19/23

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.

pan of cafe rio sweet pork over rice

Full of delicious sweet flavor, this copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe goes perfectly in salads, tacos, burritos and more.

cafe rio sweet pork over rice

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

There are lots of different sweet pork copycat recipes out there in the blogosphere and I have experimented with a lot of them.  This one is by far my favorite and is almost identical to the sweet pork from Cafe Rio. I have even been told this recipe tastes better than the real thing.

What is Cafe Rio?

Cafe Rio is a Utah based restaurant which has now spread into other states.  But sadly it has not come to Oregon yet. Each time I visit Utah, a visit to Cafe Rio is required at least once.  One of my favorite dishes to get there is their sweet pork.  I love it in a burrito or on a salad. Thanks to today’s recipe, I can make the delicious sweet pork at home in my crock pot.

bowl of sweet pork

Sweet Pork Ingredients

  • Pork. I used pork carnitas but you could use any boneless pork roast, pork butt or pork shoulder. 
  • Red Enchilada Sauce. My favorite brand is La Victoria
  • Green Chiles. The diced green chilies that come in a can.
  • Brown Sugar
  • Garlic. Fresh, minced garlic.
  • Coke. Don’t use diet soda. You can also use Root Beer or Dr. Pepper.

Tips from Leigh Anne

  1. I recommend using a large, marbled boneless pork roast like pork shoulder, pork butt or pork carnitas. You can use a bone in but it is harder to shred.
  2. Wonder what the Coke does? It actually acts as a meat tenderizer in the recipe so don’t leave it out.

How to make Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

  • Marinate pork for at least two hours in a mixture of coke and brown sugar in the refrigerator or overnight.
pouring coke into  marinade bag
  • Place pork and marinade into the crockpot.
  • Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours or until pork shreds easily. I prefer low and slow!
  • Remove tender pork and shred.
  • Return pork to slow cooker.
overhead view of sweet pork in the crockpot
  • Add in remaining brown sugar, enchilada sauce, garlic and green chilies. Stir to combine.
  • Cook for an additional 30-60 minutes.

How to Serve on Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa

Our favorite way to enjoy it is on a Cafe Rio Salad. You can find my full directions on how to make it here. You can also use the meat in tacos, enchiladas or burritos. We like to use the following toppings on our salad:

  • Guacamole
  • Pico de Galo
  • Guacamole
  • Cheese
  • Avocado Slices
  • Sour Cream
  • Lettuce
  • Salsa
  • Tortilla Strips
  • Ranch dressing
  • Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
shredded sweet pork on tray

Pair this with

  • Cafe Rio Pork Salad.
  • Cilantro Lime Rice
  • Mexican Rice
  • Green Chile Rice
  • Cafe Rio Black Beans
  • Mexican Coleslaw
  • Corn Tortilla
bowl of cafe rio sweet pork

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make cafe rio pork in the Instant Pot?

It works great in the Instant Pot too and you can find my Instant Pot Cafe Rio Pork recipe here.

What kind of crock pot do you use?

Here is a link to my favorite one. I actually own three of them!

Do I have to marinade the pork?

I have always marinated my pork the night before or for at least a couple hours, but if you forget or just don’t have time go ahead and cook it without marinading it. The meat cooks for a long time in the crock pot in its own juices which allows it to absorb a lot of flavor. Cafe Rio does marinade the meat but you will still have a delicious meal if you don’t.

For other delicious recipes try these:

  • Instant Pot Cafe Rio Pork Recipe
  • Crock Pot Cafe Rio Chicken
  • Cafe Rio Black Beans
  • Cafe Rio Salad
  • BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.

4.96 from 71 votes

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Recipe From: Leigh Anne Wilkes
Delicious sweet pulled pork perfect for your favorite Mexican food dish. 
serves: 12 servings
Prep:10 minutes minutes
Cook:6 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
Total:6 hours hours 50 minutes minutes
Rate Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. boneless pork carnitas, shoulder etc
  • 12 oz Coke 1 can
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 10 oz. enchilada sauce can
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 oz diced green chilies small can
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

  • Marinade pork for at least 2 hours or overnight in can of coke and 1/4 C brown sugar.
  • Pour pork and liquid into crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
  • Remove meat and shred. Discard liquid
  • Put meat back in crock pot and add enchilada sauce, garlic, green chilies and brown sugar.
  • Cook for 30-60 more minutes. If there is excess liquid drain some off.

Tips & Notes:

I have always marinated my pork the night before or for at least a couple hours, but if you forget or just don’t have time go ahead and cook it without marinading it. The meat cooks for a long time in the crock pot in its own juices which allows it to absorb a lot of flavor. Cafe Rio does marinade the meat but you will still have a delicious meal if you don’t.
Wonder what the Coke does? It actually acts as a meat tenderizer in the recipe so don’t leave it out.

Recommended Products

Slow Cooker (6qt)
Slow Cooker Liners
Shredder Claws

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 242kcal (12%) Carbohydrates: 23g (8%) Protein: 25g (50%) Fat: 4g (6%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Cholesterol: 71mg (24%) Sodium: 298mg (13%) Potassium: 448mg (13%) Sugar: 22g (24%) Vitamin A: 160IU (3%) Vitamin C: 1.7mg (2%) Calcium: 22mg (2%) Iron: 0.9mg (5%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Course:Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine:Mexican
Did you make this?I love seeing what you made. Be sure to share a picture and tag @yourhomebasedmom on social media!
Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating
Previous Post
Skillet Potatoes
Next Post
Hamburger Soup

Reader Interactions

4.96 from 71 votes (63 ratings without comment)

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Made this? Rate this recipe:




  1. Alysia says

    Posted on 12/10 at 7:00 pm

    Yum yum yum! I love this recipe so much. It is going in the crock pot again this week to warm us up in this weather. I also made this for a friend post partum and delivered it with white rice and taco fixings. They were a big fan of the recipe!

    Reply
  2. Callie McGary says

    Posted on 5/5 at 6:11 pm

    I’ve tried different sweet pork recipes and this one was THEEE BEST. Tasted just like cafe Rio. I think marinating the meat was a game-changer.

    Reply
  3. Ann Winder says

    Posted on 3/3 at 10:21 am

    We love this recipe. I have not altered accept to double it. It is so nice to be able to do so many things with the meat. It is nice to have extra. Salad, Tacos, Nachos, Sandwiches, or just add Black beand and rice for a meal.

    Reply
  4. Anya says

    Posted on 10/14 at 5:55 am

    Can’t wait to surprise my husband with sweet pork enchiladas! Thank you SOOO much!!!

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Seasonal Posts

Salted Caramel Ice Cream Recipe

Homemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream

two cones with malted milk ice cream on them

Malted Milk Ice Cream

dish of blueberry ice cream

Fresh Blueberry Ice Cream

dish of lemon meringue ice cream

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

Most Popular Posts

Herb Rice

rolls in a white pan

30 Minute Rolls

texas sheet cake for two in a baking pan

Chocolate Sheet Cake for Two {Texas Sheet Cake}

chicken cooked in the microwave

How to Cook Chicken in the Microwave

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Trending Now

overhead shot of cinnamon rolls

One Hour Cinnamon Rolls

plate of smashed potatoes and a fork

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

overhead shot of bowl of almond chicken

Almond Chicken

baked riblets

Easy Oven Baked Riblets

No knead bread in a pan

Instant Pot Bread

Tomato tart pieces

Easy Tomato Tart

spoon full of mac and cheese

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Almond Torte

  • Crock Pot
  • Instant Pot
  • Chicken
  • Breakfast
  • Appetizers
  • Bread
  • Salad
  • Dessert

Order my Cookbook, Holiday Slow Cooker!

Buy Now!
Back to Top
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Contact
© 2013–2025 Leigh Anne Wilkes Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.