Si, I made this Instant Pot Cafe Rio for our RS Birthday dinner which was right before the Covid shutdowns. So happy you enjoyed it! Im going to have to try and find that sauce packet!! Just made this recipe for the second time. We also made your Tomatillo Sauce/Dressing and its perfection. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. Marinate in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Oh no! Once it finishes and steam is released I drain liquid, shred with two forks, then add the enchilada sauce mixture and just incorporate together until hot. Prepare everything the same, but set the pork and bouquet garni in a slow cooker for 8-10 hours. xo I have updated the total time to include the extra cook time and the marinating time. Pork is best served the day after it is cooked completely and sauce is made. Your ingredient list doesnt have the taco sauce on it. How to make Cafe Rio Sweet Pork in a slow cooker: Place the pork in the pot of your slow cooker. Sounds delicious. Instructions . The IP cooks at such a high temperature and pressure for a small amount of time, while the slow cooker is the complete opposite. Si. Living in Midwest we have to make our own Cafe Rio and I have made versions often. . I ordered a 5 pound one! Then place the pork in the slow cooker and turn it on high and let the meat cook for 4 hour. Hope this helps and thanks for asking! He, Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Butter! Hi Cristi! Ive tried many sweet pork copycats and this one is just spot on. I couldve eaten the meat alone with a fork and left all the toppings!!! We are doing a lot of recipe testing to find one. I love anything and everything with root beer.and now youve made pulled pork with it. Turn the roast over and use the other half of the seasoning mixture to do the same on the other side. All of those pics should be pinnable. Made some mistakes about draining the juices but it was pretty fool proof turns out. Biggest compliment ever! I recommend using a large, marbled boneless pork roast like pork shoulder, pork butt or pork carnitas. How long did you pressure cook it for? Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker. We are thrilled that so many of you have enjoyed this recipe as much as we have. Seal. Neither has a high enough fat content to make the fall apart finished product youre looking for. You can turn on the keep warm feature and the meat will stay on a low temperature for hours and be ready to eat later in the evening without overcooking. To the slow cooker, add in the garlic, onion, chili powder, water and cola. You do not need to change the cooking time. Christine, Hope this helps! Please check back and let us know how long it took you to cook your 7 lb roast. Will the carrots get tender on just the warm setting? Remove Chipotle chilies and shred meat. -Make red enchilada sauce from scratch. But heres the deal. Cook the pork in a slow cooker for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. I did try the recipe as is and loved it! Cook for 30-60 more minutes. While we dont have the actual recipe, we literally cannot taste a difference. Making this recipe in the Instant Pot is so easy and delicious! Im not sure it would be that good. Instructions. Thats because it tastes so similar to the original. Can this be made ahead of time and frozen? Add coke, water, garlic salt, onion salt, and chili powder. Should I take the time to cut it off the bone? Wow Bonnie, how lucky are you! Through the years weve had many friends who have moved on to new adventures in places other than Utah (though Cafe Rio is spreading like crazy across the countrynow in CA, AZ, CO, FL, ID, MD, MT, NV, VA, WA, and WY!) Cook on low for at least 6-7 hours. As far as pork butt/shoulder goes, if its not shred-able, just keep cooking. I think you need the sweetness of regular soda for this recipe. I would cut it into thirds and definitely do it in the oven. And this recipe is perfect for a crowd! Drain the marinade and add the pork to a 5-quart slow cooker. It might be overcooked a little. Combine meat and sauce: Return the shredded pork to the crock pot, along with the sauce mixture. . Well, Ive tried my fair share of these recipes in the pastbut since I strongly dislike colas (yes, all of them) I found that I did not like those recipes that included them! Perfect for burritos, salads and tacos! Ingredients Scale 2 1/4 cups Coke, divided (not diet) 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into quarters 1 1/4 cup brown sugar, divided 1 tsp garlic salt 1 (4 oz) can green chilies 1 (10 oz can) red enchilada sauce Instructions If you are short on time, you can skip the marinating step. I love your variation and thanks for sharing, Joana! Cook the Pork Drain marinade. These items are bundled up in cheesecloth, tied off with string and throw into the dish with the food. Im wondering if it will works or if I need to go to the store! Yum. Where did you get yours and what part of the grocery store is it in? Thank you! Discard liquid from crock pot. Thank you so much! If you want to start the meat at 3:00 pm when you leave to start driving carpool, go ahead, the meat will be fine in the Instant Pot for hours. read more:If you love this copycat sweet pork recipe, youre bound to love our BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe too! The pork slow cooks all day, and then at dinnertime, you have an amazing dish to serve to your family. I am so sad the Old El Paso sauce is no longer available. Pour half of the Coke and water around pork. I need to get myself an instapot and try this! first taste before i put it away was tip top, best pulled pork ive ever made But have you noticed that most of them call for Coke or Dr. Pepper? Do you think it will be enough? Remove pork from crock pot and transfer to cutting board. After eating more than my share of Cafe Rio meals, I came up with this oven or slow cooker recipeback in 2011. xo Cover and heat until warmed all the way through and the meat has absorbed the sauce, about 1 to 2 hours on LOW heat. I have had pork butt get tough before, and good results other times even cooking around the same amount of time with about the same size butt! Now those are some lucky judges! A bit disappointed but its still yummy. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Would it effect the cooking time if I left the bone in? A pork loin or roast is going to be too lean and wont turn out exactly like Cafe Rio. Its that good! Whisk the enchilada sauce, chopped green chiles, brown sugar and one can of soda together in the Instant Pot. It takes minut, Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie Copyc, Finished off the day with Pan Cream Cheese Sugar C, Come see us today (Monday only) from 3-6:00 at @ru, Favorite appetizer? And the other 50% of the judges liked my moms recipe! I like Old El Paso! xo, Drain marinade and discard. I cant find that sauce packet. The aromatics totally make a difference, but you throw them out after its done cooking. Arrange the carrots, celery, onions, and bay leaves around the pork, or place in a square of cheesecloth (the traditional way), pull up the corners and tie it shut with a string. I am SO excited to try this recipe. Im wanting to make this for a group of 20-25 people. Marinade pork for at least 2 hours or overnight in can of coke and 1/4 C brown sugar. Thanks again! 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. Definitely a new go to!! Ive tried it and it still turns out amazing! Make a smooth paste by blending. It really is better the next day as it sits in the juice or from the freezer. Blend for 20 seconds. Or should I do it in the oven? It is SO helpful to read about your experiences making this a few different ways and also your opinion about the best cut of meat and making ahead vs fresh! xo ), 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!) I used pork butt and my meat was thought at 6 hrs and I cant even shred. Thank you Si! . There are many different cuts of pork sold in the grocery store and at big box stores, such as Costco. I am a homebody and especially love a night to myself to putter in the kitchen with a glass of wine. Here is the old recipe: Amazing flavors and I love the slow cooker meals!! Made it today. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight. I get it. Chopped pork. Place shredded pork back in crock pot. Thanks for asking and for reading ABK! Can i make this in an instapot? Im with you Natalie! -Simmer pork in a pan with cut up yellow onions, serrano peppers and chopped carrots. Pour half of the can of soda around the roast in the slow cooker. Do you think canned enchilada sauce would work instead of the cooking sauce? Si. The regular Coke does add a sweetness to it that makes this pork so amazing. Thank you. Thanks for sharing this, I cant wait to try it! My family said it tasted just like cafe rio. The cook time was perfect. to try out. boneless pork (carnitas, shoulder etc) 12 oz Coke (1 can) 1/4 cup brown sugar 10 oz. I was referring to your homemade spice mix. Cook, covered, for 6 to 7 hours on low heat. Hi Judene! Pour over the pork in the crock pot and cook for 5-6 hours, or until tender and shreds easily with a fork. Have you made this recipe yet? We have tried a few Cafe Rio Pork recipes because we love it and live in a state where there is, sadly, no Cafe Rio. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Here, you can pin off of this link, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/157555686939072946/, Ive gone to three grocery stores and cant find el paso sauce packet WITH roasted garlic. Love your blog:). Ours always appears to be done at 6 as well but I like how the flavor builds when going to 8 hours. My son took some left-overs back to college with him and texted me to let me know that everyone loved it there as well. xo, Thank you so much for taking the time to share this recipe its fabulous I live down the street from the Cafe Rio and I eat there all the time. xo Remove the lid, turn the heat up to high and cook for about 30 minutes until the sauce is . Total time: 495 minutes Cook time: 480 minutes Prep time: 15 minutes Yields: 10 servings Cuisine: Mexican/Spanish Number of ingredients: 8 Ingredients: 2 pounds pork ((we use boneless pork ribs)) This pork is SO flavorful! Drain the marinade and add the pork to a 5-quart slow cooker. Enjoy your girls camp! Thank you so much for this recipe!! I just love that theres a quick version! This is by far the best sweet pork recipe! Put the shredded pork into a casserole dish and cover with the enchilada sauce. Cut off the meat and shred it. It literally melts in your mouth. Can you use Dr. pepper instead of coke? Wonder what the Coke does? I hate that stores dont carry the same flavors. If you are wanting to triple the recipe, yes you would triple the amount of soda. So the recipe as is feeds 6-8 people. thanks for reading ABK, Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Sweet and succulent pork, perfect for your go-to Mexican dish. There are a lot of Sweet Pork (Cafe Rio Copycat) Recipes out there. Hello! Hence, 4 out of 5 stars. I am Lucky in love to a supportive husband, blessed to raise 3 kids (all moved away now! Im happy to announce that I found a couple recipes and then put them up to the Taste Test Challenge! Yes, I do. Wondering if I could make this recipe in a crockpot-I dont have an instant pot. I used the green can of El Pato (jalepeno salsa). Once its shredded and ready to go, use it as a topping or filling in any of the following ways. Im so glad it turned out well for you and thanks for sharing. Will it make a difference with cooking time at all? What size of cut did you use? Si. -Only use pork butt or shoulder. Blend or process 1/2 can of Coke with the chilies, enchilada sauce, and the rest of the brown sugar until smooth (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste). 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. The recipe for the spice rub was a bonus, flavoring the pork beautifully. I like my endings all wrapped up. Thanks for asking! In your tips it says to simmer pork with cut up yellow onions (later you suggest caramelizing the onions prior), serrano peppers and carrots and then discard the peppers and carrots. Once pork is completely cooked, shred up the pork with two forks. Thank you for asking and for reading ABK! Amazingly easy and so delicious. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This was amazing! Hi! Have you ever tried adding chipotles in adobo sauce? It always turns out tender and moist. Complete fail and waste of a lot of money. I need guidance. Pour pork and liquid into crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Lets treat others how wed like to be treated . enchilada sauce can Two neighbors have texted me today asking for the recipe! It was all delicious!! * Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Sorry about the half eaten salad in this next pictureit was SO good that I forgot to take a picture before I ate most of it! Thank you so much for compiling this recipe and all your other recipes. Thank you Si for another great recipe! Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper over pork roast. This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe is the real deal. xo I secretly love when the hubs is out of town, I put the kids to bed WAY early and spend the night pampering in myself with dinner, a movie and a pedicure! Pork and beef have about the same amount of protein, with beef being slightly higher, so really, it just depends on what youre looking for. Hi Si you said if you do a frozen pork butt to increase the time to 70-80 minutes, but you also said that was for 4 lbs. :o). Ive tried it only with the bone and its been great. I saw you hint at a Kroger substitute but didnt specify which one. 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. When you make it, please let me know how you like it. It makes me feel so good to hear how much you love this recipe. Im having a hard time finding the spice packet. If you do try this recipe, be sure to try their Garlic Black Beans as wellso good! I strained the meat, but it looks nothing like yours!! Ive had readers tell me they didnt get the desired finished product when making Cafe Rio Sweet Pork. xo Im feeding 5 men tomorrow and was hoping to freeze the extra cooked meat, but now Im worried I wont be able to get 9lbs cooked to fork tender. Thank you! I get it! How to make copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork? Cook for the 6 hours, then an additional 2! I have another question, will cooking the pork shoulder in a crock pot break down the fat enough that it will shred ok? Haha I know! Is this for a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder roast? If you buy lean cuts of pork, your Instant Pot Cafe Rio Sweet Pork will not taste like Cafe Rios Pork. 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).