Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

On Sunday I usually do my menu planning for the week and some weeks it's pretty standard but sometimes I get a craving for something we don't get to eat all the time. I was excited for the whole week when I decided to put this salad/burrito on the menu. We don't eat it often but whenever we do I think, "Why don't I make it more often?"

This salad-burrito-amazingness is a copy cat recipe from Cafe Rio. If you haven't had this before you have no idea what you are missing out on and if you've eaten it before you know that you have to make this right away.

There are several components but follow my schedule and it's very easy.

A couple days early make the dressing and store in fridge.

The night before start the pork in the marinade. You can make the beans to and reheat them if you want.

Also we do this as a salad and burrito but if you do it as a burrito find some homemade tortillas or uncooked and cook them yourself. It is so much better!

Don't for get the garnishes. We usually do crumbled tortilla chips on salad, guacamole, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.

 
SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork (we like to use boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (1ooz) can red enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork. In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little. Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it! 
 

Cafe Rio Black Beans

2 T. olive oil
2 cl. Garlic, minced
1 t. cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 ½ t. salt
2 T. fresh chopped cilantro


In a nonstick skillet. Cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over med heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving add cilantro.


Cafe Rio Rice


1 c. uncooked, long grain rice
1 t. buttermilk2 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. Chicken broth
1 c. water
1 T. fresh lime juice
2 t. sugar
3 T. fresh chopped cilantro


Combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes until rice is tender. Remove from heat. Combine everything else in bowl and mix well. Pour over cooked rice and fluff as you mix.



Cafe Rio Ranch
1 packet of ranch (not buttermilk)
1 c. mayo
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, husked and diced
½ bunch fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno, chopped


Mix everything in blender. Done.