Cafe Rio Barbacoa Pork

If you've never made this YOU MUST MAKE THIS IMMEDIATELY!!  So Kindra's post got me motivated to take pictures this time.  Cafe Rio Pork has been my FAVORITE meal for about a year now. I make it in large quantities so I can enjoy it day after day for 3 meals a day. :)  We triple everything, except the dressing.  There's plenty of that in a single batch.

You can make this into a Cafe Rio Salad or Burrito(same basic ingredients). We make ours with tortillas, beans, rice, pork, cheese, and dressing. You may also include pico, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, tortilla strips, and coijta cheese. I think the basic combination of flavors is so perfect, I like to keep it simple. We buy the raw tortillas from the grocery store. They are wonderful. If they aren't available in your grocery store(usually by the cheese and such) try this tortilla recipe.

Cafe Rio Pork

Feeds 4-6   Time: 5 hours + Marinade

2 lbs Pork*

1 1/2 + 1/2 + 1/2 cans Coke

1 + 1/4 c light brown sugar

dash garlic salt

1/4 c water

1 can diced green chilies

3/4 (10 oz Can) Old El Paso red enchilada sauce

Marinate Pork, 1 1/2 cans coke and 1/4 c brown sugar in a ziploc bag for a few hours or overnight.

Drain pork and place in a crock pot on high with 1/2 can coke, water and garlic salt for 3-4 hours(or until it shreds easily).

In a blender combine 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and 1 c brown sugar.

Drain pork again, shred, and place in crock pot with blended ingredients. Cook for 1 more hour.

*I have heard recommendations for several different types of pork. Boneless pork ribs for example, we tried it, tastes great. We've also tried several different types of pork roasts (whatever is on sale, picnic, sirloin, rump, shoulder). They ALL Worked great!! The only kind of pork that I have found that DOES NOT work, is the kind that isn't cooked enough. If your pork won't shred, cook it longer. If you're using a roast, cut it up into baseball sized chunks. It helps it to cook faster. I did about 6 lbs of meat. I cut it up into chunks and it cooked nicely in my crockpot in about 5 hours plus the additional 1 hour. Please keep in mind, I'm not a pork expert. If you're aware of a pork that wouldn't work, don't try it :) But feel free to leave a comment and save someone else the trouble :)





Black Beans

Makes 2 cups

1 T oil

1 t cumin

1 t minced garlic

1 can black beans

3/4 t salt

1 1/3 c tomato juice

3 T chopped fresh cilantro

Heat pan, add oil, garlic and cumin on medium. Heat until the cumin is fragrant. Add beans, salt and tomato juice. Bring to a boil. Simmer on med-low for 20 minutes. Add cilantro before serving.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

Makes 3 cups

1 t butter

1 t minced garlic

1 t + 1 T lime juice

1 c rice

1 1/2 c chicken broth
3 T fresh chopped cilantro

2 t sugar


Heat butter and garlic in pan. Add rice, 1 t of lime juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Combine sugar, cilantro and 1 T lime juice in a small bowl.  When rice is finished, add it to the rice and fluff.

Julie's Cooking Variation: Bring 1 1/2c chicken broth to boil. Add 1 c rice. When it comes back to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20min. Combine garlic, sugar, cilantro and 1 T lime juice in a small bowl.  When rice is finished, add it to the rice and fluff. 

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Makes 1 quart or 32 oz

1 pkg (3T) Traditional Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (not buttermilk)

1 c mayo

1/2 c buttermilk

2 tomatillos, husks removed, diced

1/2 bunch cilantro

1/2 t minced garlic

juice of 1 lime (3 T)

1 jalapeno, diced (remove seeds, if you don't like spice)

Mix ingredients together in a blender.  Refrigerate.  Let it sit overnight, if you have time.

Yum!

Adapted Slightly From Favorite Family Recipes