Costa Vida Sweet Pork Recipe

This Costa Vida Sweet Pork recipe tastes just like the restaurant but made easy in the slow cooker. I've tested this recipe several time out on family and friends to crack the special recipe for the sweet pork at both Costa Vida and Cafe Rio restaurants. With just 7 simple ingredients and 15 minutes prep time, you can have a delicious taco takeout night at home.

Mission Accomplished! I made it my goal to replicate my favorite restaurant Costa Vida's incredible sweet pork, and boy did I ever! It's tender, sweet, savory, easy-to-make, and OH-SO delicious! Bonus, it can be used in so many ways and is excellent for leftovers!

Crockpot recipes are my easy-dinner go-to! If you haven't tried Sweet Pork Sliders, Slow Cooker Korean Beef, Crockpot Pork Carnitas, and Crockpot Shredded Barbecue Beef, they're some of my families favorite recipes. They will not disappoint you!

What is Costa Vida Sweet Pork?

Costa Vida Sweet Pork is a popular and signature dish from the Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill restaurant chain. It's known for its distinctive sweet, savory, and slightly smoky flavor and is used as a filling for burritos, tacos, salads, and enchiladas.

While the exact Costa Vida Sweet Pork recipe is a closely guarded secret, there are many folks, like myself, that have tried to make a copycat Costa Vida sweet pork with its flavors as close as possible. This recipe is the real deal!

Cafe Rio, a similar restaurant chain, has a "Café Rio Sweet Pork" that tastes like Costa Vida.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Versatility: This Costa Vida pulled pork recipe is incredibly versatile and can be used as a filling for a range of dishes such as burritos, tacos, salads, quesadillas, and more.
• Delicious Flavor: The combination of sweetness from brown sugar and soda, savory notes from enchilada sauce and spices makes for the perfect balance of flavors!
• Easy to Make: With 9 simple ingredients (not including water, salt, and pepper), this crock pot recipe is a great set-it-and-forget-it meal!
• Restaurant Quality at Home: With the perfect amount of sweetness, it brings the delicious flavors of Costa Vida or Cafe Rio right at home. It's great for dinner time, game day, holidays, or family reunions.

What cut of pork is best for Costa Vida Sweet Pork recipe?

The best cut of meat for making this sweet pork recipe is pork shoulder or pork butt. They have a good amount of marbling and fat, which contributes to the tenderness and juiciness of the meat during the slow-cooking process. The fat slowly renders and connective tissues and collagen break down, keeping the meat moist and flavorful.

These cuts absorb the flavors of marinades and seasonings and are delicious in dishes like burritos, tacos, or salads.

You might find them labeled as pork shoulder roast, pork butt, or Boston butt. Trim the excess fat as needed, leaving a thin layer for flavor and moisture.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

• Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt Roast: The choice of cut is crucial for the texture and flavor. Pork shoulder or pork butt is used for this sweet pulled pork recipe due to its higher fat content, which contributes to tenderness and succulence during slow cooking.
• Root Beer or Diet Root Beer: Its carbonation helps tenderize the meat, while its sweetness combines with the brown sugar to create a sweet and flavorful base.
• Red Enchilada Sauce: Adds a rich and savory flavor to the dish as well as color and moisture.
• Ground Cumin: Adds warmth and earthiness to the marinade.
• Brown Sugar or Brown Sugar Substitute: Its rich, molasses flavor is the primary sweetener in the marinade.
• Molasses: Adds another layer of sweetness and bold flavor.
• Garlic Powder: Adds savory notes and depth to the marinade.

Tools You'll Need

• 6 Quart or Larger Crockpot
• Large Skillet (optional)
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cups

How to make Costa Vida Sweet Pork Recipe

1. Season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper. Optional: sear in a large skillet in oil on high heat 2-3 minutes per side.

2. To the Crockpot, add water and the pork. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 5-6 or until pork easily shreds with a fork.

3. Once it’s done, transfer the pork to a cutting board to cool. Carefully pour the broth from the Crockpot into a container to cool and store for another dinner. Discard the bone and excess fat. Shred pork with two forks.

4. In a medium bowl or directly in the Crockpot, whisk together root beer, enchilada sauce, molasses, salt, black pepper, cumin, brown sugar or Swerve, and garlic powder. 

5. Combine the sauce and pork in the Crockpot. Cook on high for 30 minutes. 

6. Use the sweet pork as desired. See notes for delicious recipe ideas.

Tips for Recipe Success

• Excess Pork Pro Tip: With only 2 folks in our home, we reserve some of the plain cooked pork for other dishes like my Not Your College Ramen and barbecue pulled pork sandwiches.
• Enchiladas (as shown in video): Lightly cover the bottom of a baking dish with enchilada sauce. Fill each 6-inch tortilla with ¼-1/2 cup shredded pork and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place enchiladas in the baking dish. Cover with a thin layer of enchilada sauce and shredded cheese. Bake at 400°F 8-10 minutes.
• Sweetness Adjustment Options: You can start with a cup of brown sugar then add more to taste, if desired. You can also use brown sugar substitute instead of brown sugar and diet soda versus regular.
• Choose the Right Cut: Opt for pork shoulder or pork butt. Boneless pork ribs can work as well. Pork tenderloin or pork loin doesn't have the fat content to yield as tender of a result.
• Trim Excess Fat: While pork shoulder and pork butt have good marbling, trim any excess fat while leaving a thin layer for flavor. This helps prevent the dish from becoming overly greasy.
• Slow-Cooking is Key: Slow-cook the marinated pork until it's fork-tender. This can take 6-8 hours on low heat in a slow cooker. The low and slow method allows the flavors to meld, and the meat to become tender.
• Adjust Seasonings to Taste: Taste the marinade with the pork, and adjust the seasonings as needed. Some seasoning additions you might consider are chili powder, paprika, chili peppers in adobo sauce, and chicken broth instead of water,
• Soda Options: Root beer can be substituted with Coca Cola, Diet Coke, Dr Pepper, or Diet Dr. Pepper.

What to Serve with Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

Consider serving sweet pork with complementary sides like rice, black beans, refried beans, pinto beans, cilantro lime rice, cotija cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, mango salsa, salsa Fresca, tortillas, tortilla chips, guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream.

The sweet pork is excellent on Taco Fiesta Bowls, as a sweet pork salad, delicious tacos, a sweet pork burrito or burrito bowls, cheesy enchiladas, nachos, sandwiches, loaded baked potatoes, and quesadillas.

Storage and Freezing

This Costa Vida Sweet Pork recipe is excellent to make ahead of time and reheat when ready to eat. Here are some guidelines on how to store sweet pork for optimal freshness:

Refrigeration: Allow the sweet pork to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. This helps prevent condensation inside the storage container. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Consume within 3-4 days

Freezing: If you intend to freeze sweet pork, consider portioning it based on your usage needs. Smaller portions are easier to thaw and reheat. Sweet pork can be stored in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Reheating: Use methods such as the microwave, stovetop, or oven for reheating. If frozen, thaw sweet pork in the refrigerator overnight or use the defrost setting in the microwave. Reheat to an internal temperature of 165°F. Avoid repeated thawing and refreezing, as it can affect the texture and quality of the sweet pork.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Crockpot Recipes to Try

• Crockpot Tomato Basil Chicken
• Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
• Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
• Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken