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A close up of a copy cat of costa vida sweet pork salad with tomatillo ranch on top of a pile of pork with other taco toppings.
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Cafe Rio Pork Copycat

If you've ever been to Cafe Rio (or Costa Vida) you know their sweet pork is the BEST! This copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork is a tender and flavorful pork cooked in the slow cooker for an extra easy meal. This sweet pork is perfect for tacos, burritos, nachos, salads, and more. 
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time5 hours
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: cafe rio pork copycat, mexican pulled pork, pulled pork
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 239kcal

Equipment

  • Slow cooker
  • Large Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • 8 oz Coca Cola
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2-3 lbs boneless pork roast

For Cooking the Pork Roast:

  • 4 oz Coca Cola
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 /2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the Sauce:

  • 10 oz red enchilada sauce
  • 8 oz Coca Cola
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 4 oz diced green chilies

Instructions

For the Marinade:

  • Add the Coca Cola and 1/4 cup of brown sugar to a large bowl or ziptop bag (big enough for your pork) and mix them together. 8 oz Coca Cola, 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • Add the pork to the container and seal tightly to marinate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. 2-3 lbs boneless pork roast

For Cooking the Pork Roast:

  • Drain the marinade from the pork, and add the pork to the crockpot bowl.
  • Pour the Coca Cola over the pork. Sprinkle the salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and pepper all over the pork roast. 4 oz Coca Cola, 1 tsp salt, 1 /2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Cook the pork in the slow cooker on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the pork is tender enough to shred with a fork.
  • Remove the pork from the slow cooker and discard the liquid.
  • Shred the pork with 2 forks, discarding any big fat pieces, and return it to the slow cooker.

For the Sauce:

  • In a blender, combine the enchilada sauce, last 8oz of Coca Cola, brown sugar, and green chilies to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce over the shredded pork in the slow cooker and stir together. 10 oz red enchilada sauce, 8 oz Coca Cola, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 4 oz diced green chilies
  • Cook on low for an additional 1 to 2 hours. You can cook on high for the last 30 minutes, with the lid off to help the sauce thicken.
  • Serve pork, spooned out with a fork or a slotted spoon to remove extra liquid on your favorite tacos, burritos, nachos, salads, etc.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 397mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 232IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg