Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
1 Comment Oct 22, 2022
Updated May 26, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Slow Cooker Cafe Rio Sweet Pork is a copycat recipe made with just six ingredients. Who knew that such minimal ingredients could yield such flavorful meat? If you’re looking for an easy and yummy recipe to put on the dinner table, this sweet pulled pork is one to try!
Cafe Rio sweet pork is part of Steve Stanley’s signature recipe in a meal that’s considered a fan favorite. If you’ve ever eaten at Cafe Rio and had their Original Sweet Pork Barbacoa, then you’ve sunk your teeth into delicious sweet pork. All the more reason to try this copycat sweet pork recipe in your crock pot!
If you enjoy shredded pork, try my Slow Cooker Carnitas. It’s another dish that yields plenty of fall-apart tender meat.
Ingredients in Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
Just a few ingredients and a few hours for the best burritos! Find the full recipe in the recipe card below the images.
This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe starts with a pork roast, cut into chunks for even cooking. It’s slow-cooked in a mixture of Coca-Cola and brown sugar, which adds a sweet, rich base. After shredding, the pork is simmered again with red enchilada sauce, green chilies, minced garlic, and more brown sugar to build that signature sweet and savory flavor. Simple ingredients, but big results—perfect for tacos, burritos, salads, or bowls.
How to make Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
In just three easy steps you will have sweet pulled pork for all your recipes.
Step One – Whisk together the Coca-Cola and ½ cup of brown sugar in a large bowl until dissolved. Cut the pork roast into large chunks and place in the slow cooker. Pour the cola mixture over the pork.
Step Two – Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 7–8 hours, until the pork is very tender. Remove and shred the pork, discard the cooking liquid, then return the meat to the slow cooker with enchilada sauce, green chilies, garlic, and the remaining brown sugar.
Step Three – Stir everything together and cook on HIGH for 1 more hour to let the flavors soak in.
Best Ways to Serve
Who doesn’t LOVE the thick homemade tortillas from Cafe Rio? If you want something similar, try Tortilla Land Tortillas. You brown them in a dry skillet and they taste just like homemade. You can find them at most stores. Make burritos with these thick homemade-style tortillas.
This pork can be served on a bed of white rice with toppings such as sliced jalapeno, diced tomatoes, and fresh cilantro.
Sweet pork is also a perfect topping for nachos. Don’t forget to add toppings to that as well (chopped onion, lime wedges, chopped lettuce, avocado, black beans, etc.).
To make a Cafe Rio–style sweet pork salad, layer warm cilantro lime rice, black beans, shredded sweet pork, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, cotija cheese, and top it all off with a drizzle of cilantro lime dressing.
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 4.5 lb pork butt roast, (around 4-5 lbs.)
- 24 oz. Coca Cola, (2 cans)
- 1 cup brown sugar, divided into ½ cups (can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar)
- 10 oz. red enchilada sauce, canned
- 4 oz. fire-roasted green chiles, canned
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- (WAIT TO ADD THE ENCHILADA SAUCE, GREEN CHILES, GARLIC AND HALF OF THE BROWN SUGAR) – PLEASE NOTE THE 9 HOUR TOTAL COOK TIME BEFORE YOU START.
- Cut the pork roast into 4 or 5 large chunks and place in your slow cooker. In a large bowl, whisk together the coca cola and a ½ cup of the brown sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the cola mixture over the pork.
- Cook on HIGH heat for 5 hours or on LOW heat for 8 hours until very tender and shreddable. Remove the pork and place in a large bowl. Discard the cola/juices from the slow cooker.
- Shred the pork and add back into the slow cooker, add in the red enchilada sauce, green chilies, minced garlic and the other ½ cup of brown sugar. Mix and cook on HIGH heat for 1 hour. Serve over white rice and top with chopped tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro. Enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More slow cooker pork recipes:
Mississippi Pork and Slow Cooker Pork Roast are comforting, hands-off meals that turn out juicy and flavorful with minimal effort.
Pulled Pork Burritos and Jalapeno Pork Tacos are perfect for a casual dinner or party, offering a flavorful twist with tender pork and bold toppings.
Pork Enchiladas and Green Chile Pork Loin are great ways to bring a little heat and Southwest flair to your slow cooker lineup.
I wonder if coke zero or pepsi zero or dr. pepper zero would yield a better flavor than their ordinary diet counterparts because I’ve tried both coke zero and diet coke and the diet coke seems more watery-tasting than coke zero.