Delicious and easy, this recipe taste just like Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa and can be made in a slow cooker or instant pot! The perfect pulled pork recipe for dinner!
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Below you will find tips, tricks and helpful hints for making this recipe including step by step instructions with pictures. If you would like to go directly to the recipe, scroll down to the recipe card or tap “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page.
Mexican Food is probably at the top of my list of favorite cuisines. I could seriously eat tacos every day!
Cafe Rio’s Sweet Pork Barbacoa
When my husband introduced me to Cafe Rio many years ago, I was hooked. Hooked on the delicious and tender, Sweet Pork Barbacoa.
I’ve tried it in a burrito, a salad, a tostada, tacos, and in a quesadilla and I love them all!
Unfortunately, my bank account won’t allow me to visit Cafe Rio on a daily basis to enjoy items from their delicious menu, so I had to come up with a way to re-create Sweet Pork Barbacoa at home.
When you make this recipe, you also HAVE to make Cafe Rio’s Creamy Tomatillo Ranch! It’s the perfect compliment to this pork.
What is Barbacoa?
The definition of barbacoa is beef, lamb, or other meat that has been slowly cooked with seasonings, typically shredded as a filling in tacos, burritos, etc.
So Sweet Pork Barbacoa is basically a Mexican-spiced, sweet pulled pork.
To make the pork in this recipe, you can use a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Whatever you like!
I love this recipe because you can kind of set it and forget it, which makes it a great dinner idea for busy weeknights.
It’s also a good idea to make some extra. Then you can have salads, tacos, etc. for lunch the rest of the week!
What to Serve With Sweet Pork Barbacoa
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Ingredients for Sweet Pork Barbacoa
*Ingredient amounts are located in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Pork Roast 2-3 Pounds
- Red Enchilada Sauce
- Garlic Salt
- Black Pepper
- Brown Sugar
How to Make Sweet Pork Barbacoa
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray or use a slow cooker liner.
- Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.
- Cook the roast on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the roast, drain the juice, and shred the meat.
- Mix together the enchilada sauce and brown sugar.
- Add the mixture back to the slow cooker along with the shredded pork and heat for another 30 minutes.
- Serve in a burrito, salad, taco. tostada, or quesadilla!
Instant Pot Instructions
- Spray the inside of the Instant Pot with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the pork roast in the Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle the roast with the garlic salt and black pepper.
- Add one cup of water.
- Replace the lid and make sure the vent is shut.
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual mode for 50 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, let the Instant Pot naturally release for another 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the roast and shred the meat with two forks.
- Empty the liquid in the Instant Pot and turn on the Sauté mode.
- Add the enchilada sauce and brown sugar, stir until it is mixed.
- Place the shredded meat back in the Instant Pot and stir to coat with sauce.
- When the meat and sauce are heated through, you can turn the Instant Pot to warm and serve.
This recipe is definitely on that my family and I enjoy all of the time.
I hope you like it as much as we do! Try this with a side of Sweet Moist Cornbread.
Other Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Recipes
Check out all of my recipes HERE!
Sweet Pork Barbacoa
Delicious and easy, this recipe taste just like Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa and can be made in a slow cooker or instant pot! The perfect pulled pork recipe for dinner!
Ingredients
- 2-3 Pound Pork Roast
- 1 Can Red Enchilada Sauce, 10 ounce
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray or use a slow cooker liner.
- Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.
- Cook the roast on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the roast, drain the juice, and shred the meat.
- Mix together the enchilada sauce and brown sugar. Add the mixture back to the slow cooker along with the shredded pork and heat for another 30 minutes.
- Serve in a burrito, salad, taco. tostada, or quesadilla!
Instant Pot Instructions
- Spray the inside of the Instant Pot with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the pork roast in the Instant Pot. Sprinkle the roast with the garlic salt and black pepper. Add one cup of water. Replace the lid and make sure the vent is shut.
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual mode for 50 minutes. When the timer goes off, let the Instant Pot naturally release for another 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the roast and shred the meat with two forks.
- Empty the liquid in the Instant Pot and turn on the Sauté mode. Add the enchilada sauce and brown sugar, stir until it is mixed. Place the shredded meat back in the Instant Pot and stir to coat with sauce.
- When the meat and sauce are heated through, you can turn the Instant Pot to warm and serve.
Erma
Tuesday 1st of June 2021
This is great with pork. My family loved it. I have some shredded beef. Do you think the sauce could be used with beef?