Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salads

By Karins_Cookin

WE LOVE Cafe Rio! If you who don't live in the Western U.S. and have never heard of Cafe Rio, it is a Fresh Mexican Grill restaurant. We have been making their Sweet Pork for a while, but this past week we decided to try and make all the ingredients for their Sweet Pork Salad. So, this post is like 6 recipes in one! :) I still love eating out (because I don't have to do any cooking or cleaning), but Jared and my sister Kristen thought this was better than Cafe Rio's version! I will let you be the judge . . .

Ingredients

• Sweet Pork*
• 3 lb. pork roast (shoulder, butt, or loin roast all work great- I have used them all)
• 16 oz. chunky salsa
• 1 can Dr. Pepper or Coke (not Diet)
• 2 c. brown sugar
• Cilantro-Lime Rice*
• 1 c. uncooked rice
• 1 tsp. butter or margarine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• Pico de Gallo*
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded or chopped (more or less, depending on how hot you like it)
• 2-3 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 cloves freshly minced garlic
• Juice of one lime
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 avacado, cubed (optional)
• Black Beans*
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/3 c. tomato juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
• Cilantro Ranch Dressing*
• 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 1 c. buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, add 1 tsp vinegar to your cup of regular milk)
• 2 tomatillos, husk removed and diced
• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlicJuice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeno (more or less depending on how hot you like it)
• Easy Guacamole*
• 2 avocados
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 ripe tomato, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt and pepper to taste

Details

Adapted from sixsistersstuff.com

Preparation

Step 1

*Sweet Pork*
This is what makes the entire meal! If you don't feel like making a salad, this is a great meat for burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, etc!

3 lb. pork roast (shoulder, butt, or loin roast all work great- I have used them all)
16 oz. chunky salsa
1 can Dr. Pepper or Coke (not Diet)
2 c. brown sugar

Put pork in slow cooker and fill halfway with water. Cook 4 hours on high. Drain water, cut pork in thirds, mix together sauce and pour on top. Cook 4 more hours on low. Drain liquid and shred pork. Save a little liquid and mix it in with the pork so it is really moist.

*Cilantro-Lime Rice*
I am not crazy about this rice, but Jared loved it!

1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan 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. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

*Pico de Gallo*
This is my favorite recipe for pico! We love just eating it with chips!

2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded or chopped (more or less, depending on how hot you like it)
2-3 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves freshly minced garlic
Juice of one lime
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 avacado, cubed (optional)

Combine tomato, onions, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro (and avacado if you are using it). Season with salt and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

*Black Beans*
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

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

*Cilantro Ranch Dressing*
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, add 1 tsp vinegar to your cup of regular milk)
2 tomatillos, husk removed and diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlicJuice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (more or less depending on how hot you like it)
Mix all ingredients together in the blender.

*Easy Guacamole*
•2 avocados
•1 small onion, finely chopped
•1 clove garlic, minced
•1 ripe tomato, chopped
•1 lime, juiced
•salt and pepper to taste
Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in onion, garlic, tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper. Season with remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for half an hour to blend flavors.

Now you are ready to build your salad! Cafe Rio serves their salads in an aluminum deep-dish tin and you seriously need something deep with edges like that to hold these salads- they grow really big, really fast!

*Putting the Salads together*
1. Take a flour tortilla and place on bottom (either of the bowl or plate you are using). (**Jared and I don't usually put a tortilla at the bottom . . . we figure it is just extra calories. Ha ha! But Cafe Rio always uses them, so that is why I threw it in here)
2. Place rice and beans on next, then your meat.
3. Next is the pork.
4. Then the lettuce (we use romaine lettuce and I am pretty sure that is what Cafe Rio uses too).
5. Add pico and guacamole on next. Add sour cream if you want it . . .
6. Top with shredded cheese (we love Colby Jack cheese, but any kind will work).
7. Pour on the delicious dressing!

Cafe Rio usually also tops it off Parmesan cheese, tortilla strips, and a decorative sprig of cilantro, but it tastes just as good without those. They are totally optional! :)

Anyway, enjoy!