This instant pot sweet pork without soda is delicious and a great copycat recipe for Café Rio style sweet pork that involves NO Dr. Pepper, Cola or soda of any type. It’s simple to make and the instant pot makes it a cinch that takes way less than half the original time.

I have a household full of little ones (and big ones too) that are obsessed with Café Rio sweet pork! They cannot get enough and I always have to order some on the side for them because they just want the pork. No rice or beans for them, it’s all about the sweet pork.

So, since they could eat their weight in this pork and I don’t want to spend my life’s savings on take out, I decided to make this at home. Speaking if savings, this only costs me around $6-8 to make depending on the cost of pork and feeds 10-12 people.

Now, I am no stranger to making this pork at home. I have been making it at home for years, like seriously like 12 years, however, I have usually used recipes that involve soda of some sorts and I will be honest with you, I don’t love adding soda to the pork. I think it can water down the flavors of the pork and it isn’t as good to me. Plus I don’t love adding Cola or Dr. pepper to it.

So, I decided to make a recipe that focused on the flavors you would get from a dr. pepper or coke but didn’t involve them and I have to say I love this recipe! Most importantly, however, is that my kids that love Café Rio pork also love this recipe and my 8 year old even declared this recipe “better than Café Rio’s pork”, now that is golden praise coming from a brutally honest 8 year old who doesn’t mess around with his reviews.

Can I make this recipe in the crockpot, oven, smoker, too?

I make this recipe in the instant pot, however, it can also be made in the oven, crockpot or smoker. Just adjust the time you cook it to 8 hours instead of the 2 hours and 30 minutes that it takes in the instant pot. For the crock pot, place it on low and let it cook for 8-9 hours, in the oven, place into a covered dish and bake for 8-9 hours on 300 F.. If you want to do this on a smoker it would taste amazing! 300 F. in a smoker proof pan that is covered for 8-9 hours.

This pork can be frozen for later use! If you are like my family who loves this pork, having some on hand in the freezer is always a plus for a quick, easy and fuss free meal!

Use this meat in burritos, enchiladas, nachos, salads, tamales, etc.. Here are my recipes for cilantro lime rice and tomatillo ranch dressing.

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

What you need to make this instant pot sweet pork without soda: (printable recipe is below)

makes ~3 pounds of shredded pork, serves ~10-12 people depending what you are serving it with

~3.5 pounds pork loin – (pork shoulder or butt roast will also work)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
Dash of ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/3 tablespoons onion powder
2 bay leaves
1 cup water

Instructions

In the instant pot, add pork loin, sugar, salt, garlic powder, cloves, cinnamon, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, bay leaves and water.
Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 2:30 minutes with a quick release.
Pork should break apart easily with a fork, shred pork in the liquid and then serve.

Print Recipe

4.78 from 9 votes

Instant Pot Sweet Pork Without Soda

This instant pot sweet pork without soda tastes like café rio's sweet pork barbacoa and it's easy to make!

Prep Time5

Cook Time2 30

pressure release time10

Course: Dinner, instant pot, Main Course

Cuisine: Dinner, instant pot, main course, Mexican, pork, texmex

Keyword: Dinner, Easy Recipes, Instant Pot, main course, Mexican, pork

Servings: servings

Ingredients

3.5 pounds pork loin pork shoulder or butt roast will also work
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
Dash of ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/3 tablespoons onion powder
2 bay leaves
1 cup water

Instructions

In the instant pot, add pork loin, sugar, salt, garlic powder, cloves, cinnamon, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, bay leaves and water.
Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 2:30 minutes with a quick pressure release.
Pork should break apart easily with a fork, shred pork in the liquid and then serve.