Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat Recipe

Unlock the secret to replicating the mouthwatering magic of Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork with this easy tried-and-true copycat recipe!

Prep time: PT15M

Cook time: PT600M

Total time: PT855M

Rating

4.97 stars (141 reviews)

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe

Put the pork in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag to marinate. Add about a can and a half of Coke and ¼ cup of brown sugar. Marinate for 4 hours or overnight.
Drain the marinade and put pork, ½ can of Coke, water, and garlic salt in a slow cooker on high for about 3-4 hours or on low for 8 hours. (You want the meat to shred easily, but not be too dry.)
Remove pork from the slow cooker and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.
In a food processor or blender, blend ½ a can of Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and 1 cup brown sugar. If the mixture looks too thick, add more Coke little by little. Put shredded pork and sauce in a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours.

Tami on 2026-04-16 (5 stars):
We absolutely love this recipe around here! I’ve made it for multiple family events, and everyone always raves about it. One quick question, if I’m short on time and opt for the instant pot method, and I am tripling the recipe, do I still triple the amount of Coke that I put in for the cook? (I know with instant pots you don’t always have to up the liquid, so that’s why I ask.)
Megan on 2026-03-03 (5 stars):
Love this recipe! I am making it again for an upcoming baby blessing to feed about 50 people and I am hoping to make before hand than reheat/serve. Have you reheated In a crock pot again? What process would you recommend for cooking, refrigerating, heating, and serving? Thank you!!
Alyssa on 2026-01-22 (5 stars):
Wow Wow Wow!!! I've made this recipe since I was in high school and well up until my first years of marriage (2015) and had it memorized. I haven't made it in years, because when it was just my husband and I, it was a lottt of food. Here we are years later and I'm like, "I need to find that recipe again, might be hard to find but I remember it was fav family of something" one easy google search and it was the TOP option FOR GOOD REASON! The was my jaw dropped (because let's be honest, I'm from the 1990's hahah I found this recipe before social media was a thing) anyways all that to say, it really is a five star recipe. THE BEST "DUPE"