Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
One of our favorite copycat recipes, this Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork is perfect for salads, burritos, tacos, and even quesadillas! Slow cooked all day long, this sweet and savory shredded pork is versatile and delicious!
Servings 12 servings
Calories 286kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3-5 pound boneless pork shoulder or pork butt roast
- 1 (12 oz) can cola
- 1 (15 oz) can green enchilada sauce divided
- 1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Cut the pork into large chunks. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the spice mixture, taking the remaining and rubbing it over the pieces of pork.3-5 pound boneless pork shoulder or pork butt roast
- Place the seasoned pork in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cola and half the can of enchilada sauce. Pour this into the slow cooker with the pork.1 (12 oz) can cola, 1 (15 oz) can green enchilada sauce
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours, until the pork is pull-apart tender.
- Once cooked, remove the pork to a cutting board to cool slightly. Discard all but about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker.
- Shred the pork with 2 forks, then return to the slow cooker.
- Mix together the remaining green enchilada sauce, the red enchilada sauce, the green chiles, the brown sugar, and the reserved spices. Stir this into the pork.1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce, 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles, 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- Cover and cook until warmed through, about 30 more minutes.
- Serve on salads, in burritos, or in tacos.
Notes
You can use root beer instead of cola, if desired. I do not recommend using diet.
I prefer using a boneless pork roast, just because it is easier to cut into chunks. I have used bone in before, when that I all I am able to get, but it takes a little more time to cut up, and they tend to be larger.
You can cook this on high if you are short on time, but you will get much better results if you cook it low and slow.
Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 1207mg | Potassium: 806mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g