This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe is spicy and just the right amount of sweet. If you love tex-mex, you'll love this sweet pork recipe. It has all the flavors and sweetness you love and is perfect for burritos, tacos, or salads.
Sweet Pork Barbacoa is a great recipe to make in a slow cooker because it gets nice juicy and takes very little effort. This Sweet Pork Cafe Rio recipe is one of my favorite copycat recipes because it truly tastes just like it does at the restaurant.
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Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe
This sweet pork recipe made in the slow cooker recipe is one of the easiest dinner recipes.. It's has simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. It has the sweetness you love without using soda pop as a base ingredient. You simply add the ingredients, blend it up, and the pork roast will do its thang!
Slow Cooker Sweet Pork Recipe Ingredients
- Pork Roast - Pork tenderloin is best
- Salsa - use your favorite kind of salsa
- Brown Sugar - you can use either light brown or dark brown sugar
- Green Chillies - you will need 1 4oz can of green chilis
- Garlic - for the best flavor, use fresh minced garlic
- Onion Powder - this has a sweet onion flavor
- Salt - sea salt works great
- Cumin - this adds characteristic flavor to the pork
How to Make Slow Cooker Sweet Pork
- In a blender, add the salsa, brown sugar, green chilies, and spices. Blend until smooth.
- In a slow cooker, add the pork. Pour the salsa mixture onto the pork and set to high for 5 hours or low for 10 hours. You will know when the pork is done when it shreds easily with two forks. (Some slow cookers run really warm and some cooler, It's best to give yourself ample time to make sure the roast is cooked thoroughly. You can always keep it warm if needed)
- When the pork is done cooking, lift it out of the slow cooker with a couple of forks. Scrap off any large chunks of fat and discard. Shred the meat with the forks and add back into the slow cooker with all the juices. Let the shredded pork absorb all the juices. You can take some of the juice out if there is too much but you want a little standing juice to keep the meat moist.
- Use in taco bowls, tacos, burritoes, quesadillas, or enchaladas.
- You can also freeze this pork and use at a later date. It thaws well and tastes great when it's re-heated.
What to Make with this Sweet Pork Recipe
- Burritos- Add some cilantro-lime rice, black beans, cheese, and sweet pork on a large tortilla. Roll it up and smoother with some salsa verde and shredded cheese, pop it in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and you've got a smothered burrito.
- Tacos- Toast up a couple of corn tortillas, add some sweet pork, lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa.
- Quesadilla- Spread a thin layer of sweet pork on a tortilla, add cheese and fold in half. In a saucepan, add a little butter and saute the quesadilla until it is golden on both sides. Dip in some salsa ranch for a fun dip.
- Sweet Pork Salad- On a bed of romaine lettuce, add the sweet pork, shredded cheese, fresh salsa, tortilla chips, and salsa ranch. Easy dinner idea!
- Sweet Pork Nachos- Add a thin layer of sweet pork and then shredded cheese on a bed of tortilla chips. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Drizzle with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. The best pork nachos!
Tips for Making Sweet Pork Barbacoa
- I like to blend the salsa and spices so my kids don't see any "chunks"
- If you lift the lid during the last hour of cooking, the liquid inside evaporates a little and strengthens the flavoring.
- I like to cook my pork on the deck outside so I don't have to smell it all day. Then my house only smells like cooked meat at dinnertime instead of all day.
- If there's too much liquid after you shredded the pork, you can boil it in a saucepan, evaporate some of the liquid, and then pour it back onto the pork.
- This shredded pork freezes great. It's one of my favorite freezer meals. An airtight, covered container works great. Add the shredded pork and a little liquid, so the meat doesn't dry out.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like using a pork tenderloin roast when making this sweet pulled pork recipe.
I can usually find it at Costco and it's a pretty inexpensive cut of meat. The tenderloin is perfect for slow roasting. It's lean but has a lot of flavors. The slow roasting process is perfect for pork tenderloin.
You can use a pork shoulder if you need to. Trim off any excess fat before cooking and be sure to cook it low and slow to get that perfectly shreddable sweet pork we all love. If your pork doesn't shred easily, cook it longer. This is particularly important with a pork shoulder roast.
Lime Rice- a fun twist on a rice recipe. It's cooked in chicken stock and has a fresh lime flavor. (Especially perfect to serve with Costa Vida Sweet Pork Recipe)
Salsa Ranch Dressing- This is the perfect drizzle on top of salads, burritos, and a yummy dip for sweet pork quesadillas. It's a creamy ranch dressing that everyone loves!
Homemade Fresh Salsa- This easy homemade salsa recipe is restaurant quality. It is quick, easy, and delicious at any time of year.
Homemade Guacamole- It's simple to make and is another perfect addition
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 4-6 pounds Pork Roast Pork tenderloin is best
- 1 Cup Salsa
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 4oz can Green Chillies
- 3 Tablespoons Garlic, Minced
- 1 Tablespoons Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
Instructions
- In a blender, add the salsa, brown sugar, green chilies, and spices. Blend until smooth.
- In a slow cooker, add the pork. Pour the salsa mixture onto the pork and set to high for 5 hours or low for 10 hours. You will know when the pork is done when it shreds easily with two forks. (Some slow cookers run really warm and some cooler, It's best to give yourself ample time to make sure the roast is cooked thoroughly. You can always keep it warm if needed)
- When the pork is done cooking, lift it out of the slow cooker with a couple of forks. Scrap off any large chunks of fat and discard. Shred the meat with the forks and add back into the slow cooker with all the juices. Let the shredded pork absorb all the juices. You can take some of the juice out if there is too much but you want a little standing juice to keep the meat moist.
- Use in taco bowls, tacos, burritoes, quesadillas, or enchaladas.
- You can also freeze this pork and use at a later date. It thaws well and tastes great when it's re-heated.
Nutrition
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Roast
- Tortellini Pasta Bake
- Slow Cooker Ham and Cheese Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Mississippi Pot Roast- Slow Cooker
- Crockpot Ranch Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Roast
- Easy Mississippi Pork Roast
- Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs
- Kalua Pork
- More Slow-Cooker Recipes
This recipe for sweet pulled pork is spicy and just the right amount of sweet. If you love shredded sweet pork, you'll love this easy tex mex dinner idea. It has all the flavors and sweetness you love without Dr. Pepper.
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