Café Rio Sweet Pork
A copycat of Café Rio's sweet pork: pork marinated in Coke and brown sugar, then slow-cooked and shredded in a sweet, mildly spicy enchilada-cola sauce. Great over rice, in enchiladas, tacos, sandwiches, wraps or salads. Includes a homemade mild red enchilada sauce.
⏱️ Prep: 20 min🍳 Cook: 210 min
Nutritionper 100 g›
210
Calories
15g
Protein
14g
Carbs
10g
Fat
Ingredients
| 2 pounds (900 g) | pork (rib meat or loin) |
| 3/4 cup (180 ml) | Coke (for marinade) |
| 1/4 cup (50 g) | brown sugar (for marinade) |
| 1 cup (240 ml) | Coke (for cooking) |
| 1/4 cup (60 ml) | water |
| 1/2 teaspoon | garlic salt |
| 1/4 teaspoon | onion salt |
| 1/4 teaspoon | chili powder (for cooking) |
| 3/4 cup (180 ml) | Coke (for sauce) |
| 3/4 cup (150 g) | brown sugar (for sauce) |
| 1/4 teaspoon | chili powder (for sauce) |
| 1 can (4 oz / 115 g) | canned diced green chiles |
| 300 ml | mild red enchilada sauce (homemade) |
| 4 tablespoons (60 ml) | avocado oil or olive oil (for enchilada sauce) |
| 4 tablespoons (30 g) | all-purpose flour (for enchilada sauce) |
| 1/2 cup (55 g) | chili powder (for enchilada sauce) |
| 1 teaspoon | garlic powder (for enchilada sauce) |
| 1 teaspoon | ground cumin |
| 1/2 teaspoon | dried oregano |
| 4 cups (960 ml) | chicken or vegetable stock |
| to taste | fine sea salt |
Instructions
- Marinate: place the pork in a zip-lock bag. Add 3/4 cup Coke and 1/4 cup brown sugar, seal and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Slow cook: add the pork to a slow cooker and discard the marinade. Add 1 cup Coke, water, garlic salt, onion salt and chili powder. Cover and cook on high 3 hours. Drain the slow cooker and shred the pork with two forks.
- Sauce and finish: blend the remaining 3/4 cup Coke, 3/4 cup brown sugar, chili powder, diced green chiles and enchilada sauce in a blender. Pour over the pork in the slow cooker and cook 30 minutes longer. Serve over rice if desired.
- Homemade enchilada sauce — cook the roux and spices: heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano and cook 1 more minute, whisking constantly.
- Simmer: gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly until no lumps remain. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low and keep it lightly bubbling, uncovered, about 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Season and serve: taste and season with salt as needed (about 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt). Use immediately in your favorite recipe.