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This crockpot Cafe Rio sweet pork barbacoa recipe is a lifesaver for busy weeknights. I love a good “toss it all in the slow cooker and forget about it ‘til dinner time” meal, don’t you?
This is a great Monday recipe that you toss in the crock pot and forget about while you get the rest of life in order. The pork is delicious and tender, and can be used in tacos, burritos, salads, quesadillas, or taquitos. The sweetness is really a perfect complement to the spice and acidic flavors that are common in salsa and other Mexican-y foods.
If you don’t know what Cafe Rio is, it’s a great Mexican restaurant chain in the West that is super popular. It always has a line, and just about every dish is delicious. The closest one is a few hours from our house, so making mock Cafe Rio recipes is a favorite. I’m updating and posting all the recipes that you’ll need to have in order to make your own pork tacos this week, so be sure to keep coming back over the next few days for the rest of your pork taco staple items. Making all of the recipes and having a taco party is the best, and we do it often when friends and family are coming over for dinner. I know you’ll love these Cafe Rio-inspired recipes as much as we do.
Table of Contents
How long does Cafe Rio sweet pork barbacoa last?
After making this barbacoa, be sure not to let it sit out at room temp longer than two hours to avoid its spoiling. It can store in the fridge up to 4 days, and pork barbacoa also freezes very well. Put it in an airtight container to freeze for up to 2-3 months.
What kind of meals can you use sweet pork barbacoa in?
Sweet pork barbacoa is incredibly versatile. Its subtle sweetness is a nice complement to the spicy and acidic flavors of Mexican food. Try it in tacos, burritos, salads, quesadillas, taquitos, or breakfast tacos, if you want to get real fancy.
What kind of pork meat is barbacoa made from?
Barbacoa is actually a form of cooking that originated in the Caribbean, and it’s where we get the term “barbecue” here in the U.S.! Traditional barbacoa meat is prepared using beef from the heads of cattle, but this recipe uses pork for a different flavor profile. I love the adaptability and fullness of flavor in pork, and it translates really well to a lot of different dishes!
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 – 4 pound pork butt, shoulder, or picnic roast
- 4-5 tablespoons taco seasoning or 2 packets, divided
- 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cans diced green chiles
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 -2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Rub the pork with half the taco seasoning. Place it in the crock of your slow cooker.
- Add the tomatoes, green chiles, and garlic.
- Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 6 hours. (It depends on your slow-cooker, but you can’t really overcook this; the pork should fall apart. Slow and low is better here.)
- When the pork is cooked and tender, shred with a fork and remove anything creepy (you know, what you wouldn’t want to eat).
- Add the other half of the taco seasoning and brown sugar. Taste it and add more of either if needed. It should be sweet and still taste “mexican-y.”
- If you have the time, let the pork cook on high heat with the lid off the slow-cooker for at least 30 minutes to reduce the liquid. If you don’t have time to do this, just serve with a slotted spoon. Add cilantro and green onions just before serving (if your kids don’t like green things in their meat, chop them very small, or keep them separate and add them separately to your taco).
Notes
- I have used many different cuts of pork when making this. I have even made this with pork chops when they were on sale. I haven’t found much difference between the cuts of meat or if they were bone-in or boneless; it is a very easy and forgiving way to cook meat. You are free to use what you have on hand or like.
- This recipe makes a large batch, which will serve a crowd. If we aren’t having people over, I normally freeze half the recipe for later.
Nutrition
Seriously though, how good do those tacos look?!
Here’s all of the recipe you’ll need to make a Cafe Rio inspired taco feast:
- Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Rice
- Cafe Rio Black Beans
- Homemade Hard Corn Taco Shells
- Creamy Cilantro Ranch Dressing
- Restaurant-Style Salsa
- Homemade Baked Corn Tortilla Chips
Other taco filling/meat recipe that you might like:
- 20-Minute Roasted Zucchini, Corn, and Black Bean Tacos
- Instant Pot Chipotle Chicken Taco Meat
- Easy Crispy Instant Pot Pork Taco Recipe
- The Best Mushroom Tacos
- Quick and Easy Lentil Tacos
Enjoy this great and simple recipe from my kitchen to yours!
Hey Melissa, do you think I could make the sauce with the above ingredients and then add it to already-cooked pork? (Like using her Costco pulled pork as a short-cut.)
YES! It’ll work just fine.
My son and I made this in the slow cooker a few days ago and it was fabulous. We have been eating on this for three days! It was a lot of food. Love the sweet flavor, and taste great with Healthy Melissa’s One Pot Quinoa Taco Casserole(recipe found here as well). We made this recipe a few days after and opened up our Barbacoa leftovers to eat on the side. So good!
I made this for dinner tonight. Tyler loved it!!! And I loved how easy it was.
I am making the barbacoa rec ipe right now. Question: what size can of green chilies and what size can of diced tomatoes?
I am making this as a part of a taco buffet party tonight. So sorry I did not use another recipe! Trying to punt.
It’s a little can of green chilis 4.5 ounce and a normal can of diced tomatoes – about 14.5 ounce. Good luck, you’ll love it!
oh chistopher’s appendix was the reason for our first trip to the ER when he was 2.
I LOVE these in taquitos- soo easy & a great freezer meal! Though my recipe is alot easier: equal parts salsa & brown sugar. I”ll have to try yours sometime though!
Those tacos look AMAZING! I grew up a vegetarian, and still don’t cook with meat very often but I’ve wanted to try pulled pork for a long time (I’ve even put a raw pork butt in my cart a few times only to put it back a few minutes later) BUT this inspires me!! I am going to buy it! 🙂
You can do it! I always make the rice and beans to go with it (the rice recipe is coming) and so we actually eat very little of the meat. I think this would be a great way to try cooking pork, you just can’t go wrong here. Let me know if you try it!
Oh, friend! These look AMAZING! I can’t wait to give it a try. YUM!
Also, sorry for your little man! Hope he gets well soon.
GORGEOUS photos!!!
Thank Emily… I’m working on the photo thing and I think they look great too 🙂
Mexican anything is on my list of favorites! This a great recipe and a time saver if you need make-ahead meals. Pork can be cheaper than hamburger when on sale, too! Always a plus in my book. Your photos have improved greatly also. Love it!
Thanks Momma!