Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
Published: April 25, 2011Updated: February 26, 2021Author: Elyse Ellis
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
This Cafe Rio Sweet Pork is so simple to make and has the most amazing flavor. Just throw it in your slow cooker in the morning, and it will be ready to go by dinner. It is the best pork recipe you will ever try.
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork
Camille gave me this recipe and we love it. We use it in burritos, salads, quesadillas and even sandwiches. It is so easy and makes a ton.
It pairs with just about anything, and the best part is, you can put as many toppings on as you want, including vegetables, and it will still taste delicious.

Try this creamy ranch with it:

I love the sweet pork, but if you are looking for a delicious dressing to pair with it, I highly recommend trying our Copycat Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing.

Literal heaven in your mouth. You won’t taste anything better. I could drink this dressing.

The best way to cook pork in the slow cooker:

When cooking your pork roast, it is important to remember that they cook quicker than most other meats.

Pork can also be a little more dry, although most roasts are a little more tender.

It’s important to carefully watch them as you cook them, to ensure they are not overcooking and drying. Here are some cooking tips for pork chops:

  • Cook them on low, for a longer amount of time. This will help the juices soak into the meat, and not cook out quickly. It will also help avoid the meat from cooking fast on the outside, but not on the inside, leaving you with burnt pork.
  • Let your pork chops marinade for a while, and even make a little extra sauce to put on the side, to baste them as they cook. In the slow cooker, they are pretty much marinading the entire time they cook, but it doesn’t hurt to spoon some juices on top every now and then.
  • Don’t cut into the pork as it is cooking. If you do, make a small incision in the very center to ensure that the meat is done cooking, or a thermometer to see that it has reached the temperature of 145 degrees.
  • You also don’t want to open the slow cooker lid if you don’t have to. It’s best to keep all that sweet meat moisture in the slow cooker, for a nice tender pork.

Did you know we have a Youtube Channel?

We have hundreds of simple and delicious recipes, your family is going to love.

We take you through each recipe, step by step, and show you exactly how to make them.

Looking for more pork recipes? here are a few of our favorites:

Serves: 6

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 8 hrs
Total Time 8 hrs 10 mins
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs pork roast
  • 16 ounces chunky salsa
  • 12 ounces Dr. Pepper soda pop
  • 1 cup brown sugar

Instructions

  • Put pork in crockpot and fill halfway with water. 
  • Cook 4 hours on high. 
  • Drain water, cut pork in thirds, mix together sauce and pour on top. 
  • Cook 4 more hours on low. 
  • Drain liquid and shred pork. 
  • Save a little liquid and mix it in with the pork so it is really moist. Serve over salads, in burritos, or tacos!

Notes

We love to make salads with this pork like the ones you can buy at Cafe Rio Sweet Pork.

Nutrition

Calories: 486 kcal · Carbohydrates: 48 g · Protein: 52 g · Fat: 9 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Cholesterol: 143 mg · Sodium: 665 mg · Potassium: 1112 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 45 g · Vitamin A: 363 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 64 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Elyse Ellis

Follow Six Sisters’ Stuff on Instagram |Facebook |Pinterest | YouTube

check out our new cookbook

Have you heard about our newest cookbook, Copycat Cooking? We took over 100 of our favorite restaurant recipes and simplified them so that you can make them right at home!

Every recipe has a beautiful mouth-watering photo and has been picky-eater approved. The directions are simple, easy to follow, and do not require any strange ingredients.

This cookbook includes copycat recipes from Wingers, Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks, Panera, Cheesecake Factory, Kneaders, and so much more. We have you covered from drinks, to dessert and everything in-between.

We are so excited to share these recipes with you. Order your copy today!
Six Sisters’ Stuff COPYCAT COOKING <—– Click here to order!

 

Leave a Review!

We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or review here.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*.

Rate This Recipe!




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. esahm says:
    June 8, 2011
    This recipe sounds really interesting! Thinking of giving it a try when my husband gets back from his business trip. I came to check out your site after you found mine through the blog hop. I love your concept! It really makes me want to make my sisters a part of my own blog. I'm now a GFC and Facebook follower.

    http://www.educationofastayathomemom.com
    Reply
  2. Zitting Zoo says:
    December 14, 2011
    does it have to be dr. pepper? or could i use diet coke?
    Reply
  3. Camille says:
    December 14, 2011
    @Zitting Zoo- I have tried this recipe with Coke (and it's still so good), but I have heard that Diet Coke doesn't taste as good . . . something about the "diet" ingredients not producing the same yummy flavor (I think that the sugar plays a big role in why this is so good!). But, you never know! If you try it, let us know!
    Reply
  4. Julie says:
    January 3, 2012
    This was a hit! Served it with lime-cilantro rice. Very yummy! Thank you for sharing
    Reply
  5. fran heckert says:
    August 13, 2012
    Hi Im wondering do I use a pork roast or tenderloin? Thanks
    Reply
    • Camille says:
      August 13, 2012
      I prefer to use a pork roast. It seems to do better in this recipe!
      Reply
  6. alexxkw says:
    November 20, 2012
    Does the sauce include the salsa? Or does that go on the side...
    Reply
    • Camille says:
      November 20, 2012
      It includes the salsa! You can put additional salsa on top or I like to use fresh pico de gallo or fresh tomatoes. :)
      Reply
  7. Jacki says:
    March 13, 2013
    Do you have a recipe for the Cafe Rio salad dressing? We moved from Utah to NC and miss Cafe Rio so much!
    Reply
    • Six Sisters says:
      March 14, 2013
      We found a recipe on another blog for you -
      http://cookandcraftmecrazy.blogspot.com/2013/02/copy-cat-cafe-rio-salad-dressing.html
      We are big Cafe Rio lovers! Have a great day! -The Six Sisters
      Reply
  8. Kari says:
    January 25, 2014
    These are my absolute favorite thing to eat! Just curious, which brand of salsa do you use?
    Reply
  9. Lenna says:
    January 23, 2017
    Could you tell me approximately how many adults does this recipe serve?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      January 23, 2017
      It really depends on how much meat they put on their tortilla or salad. It could easily feed 10 people. Possibly more.
      Reply
  10. Yari says:
    May 24, 2018
    Can you use non-spiraled ham that you make in the crockpot to make this?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      May 24, 2018
      We use a pork roast for this recipe. I don't think it would taste very good with ham.
      Reply
  11. Doris says:
    July 31, 2020
    When I first made this recipe, it included the recipes for the pico de gallo, the cilanthro rice and the bean recipe. Are these recipes still available?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      August 4, 2020
      This link includes all of those recipes. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/cafe-rio-steak-salad/
      Reply
      • Kim says:
        August 9, 2020
        Can you substitute pork for chicken? And if so, how long would you cook the chicken for?
        Reply
        • Cyd Adamson says:
          August 27, 2020
          You can easily sub chicken for the pork. Chicken won't cook quite as long. I'm thinking maybe 4-6 hours total on low. Just be sure it's cooked all the way through. And you don't want it to be dry.
          Reply
  12. Monika says:
    February 3, 2021
    My daughter said this was the best dinner ever. Our whole family loved this, another great recipe from six sisters!
    Reply
BuzzFeedElleGlamourHuffington PostParentingTaste of HomeToday Show