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Delish Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipes

Delish Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipes

This slow-cooked Cafe Rio–style sweet pork is tender, caramelized, and perfect for tacos, salads, burritos, or quesadillas. A cola and brown sugar braise makes it irresistibly juicy with a mild kick.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients
 

Main Ingredients

  • 4 lb boneless pork shoulder (pork butt) trim excess fat and cut into large chunks
  • 2 cup cola not diet
  • 1.5 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 cup red enchilada sauce
  • 4 oz diced green chiles mild
  • 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar balances sweetness

Instructions

Preparation Steps

  • Trim excess fat from the pork and cut into large chunks for even cooking.
  • Whisk 1.0 cup cola with 0.5 cup brown sugar. Place pork in a bowl or bag, pour marinade over, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Discard marinade after marinating.
  • Transfer pork to a slow cooker. Add remaining 1.0 cup cola, remaining 1.0 cup brown sugar, enchilada sauce, green chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar; stir to combine.
  • Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours (or High for 4 to 5 hours) until pork is very tender and shreds easily.
  • Lift pork out to a bowl. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid.
  • Shred pork with two forks, discarding any large fatty pieces.
  • Set slow cooker to High and simmer the cooking liquid 10 to 15 minutes with the lid off to thicken slightly.
  • Return shredded pork to the cooker and toss with just enough sauce to coat and glaze. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  • Serve in tacos, salads, burritos, or over cilantro-lime rice with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Use regular (not diet) cola for best caramelization. Leftovers keep in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. For extra heat, add 0.25 tsp chipotle powder or a chopped jalapeño when cooking.