Cafe Rio-Style Sweet Pork Salad/Burritos

This is a recipe from my friend's blog, A Bountiful Kitchen by Si Foster, so enjoy!

To Build a Cafe Rio style Sweet Pork salad:
print instructions/grocery list

Cafe Rio style Sweet Pork- find it here
Cafe Rio style Black Beans-find it here
Mexican Rice with Cilantro Dressing - find it here
Cafe Rio style Cilantro Dressing- find it here
Pico de Gallo - find it here
Our favorite Chunky Guacamole- find it here

Other items you will need/want to make a Cafe Rio style salad:
Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
Cheese, Mexican blend and/or Cotija (Mexican cheese) for sprinkling on top, if desired
Flour Tortillas, we like the type found in Costco in the refrigerated section, grill for a few minutes on each side at home, or you may use grilled corn or regular grocery store flour tortillas, warmed
corn tortillas and vegetable oil- cut the corn tortillas into strips, fry over medium high heat, drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt
Sour cream for topping salad
Fresh cilantro to top salad
lime slices, to top each salad
8 or 9" disposable foil tins found in baking section of grocery or the dollar store, or plates work too

Assembly:
Place all items on serving table in this order:
Tins or plates, tortillas, beans, rice, meat, lettuce, cheese, pico, guacamole, dressing, sour cream, tortilla strips, cilantro and lime slices.

For roasting meat:
13.5 lb Pork Shoulder* (yield approx 6 1/2 lbs cooked, fat removed, shredded pork)
2 teaspoon onion salt
fresh ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine or crushed
1 can or approx 12 oz Coke or Dr. Pepper, not Diet (see reader comment below by Bonnie)

For sauce after roasting:
3- 4 oz cans diced (mild to medium) green chilies
1-28 oz can red enchilada sauce
2 cups light brown sugar
2 cans or 24 oz Coke or Dr. Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in bottom third of oven.
If making a full recipe and using a piece of meat larger than 6 lbs, cut the meat into at least two or more pieces to insure meat will be cooked through.
Season the pork with onion salt and ground pepper on all sides. Rub the top of the pork with crushed garlic cloves.
Place the pork in a large heavy roasting pan or crock pot. Pour Coke around the sides of roast.
Cover tightly with foil, so no steam escapes. Roast at 350 for 2 1/2 hours. Do not open oven. Turn oven to 200 roast for 2 more hours. Alternately, Place the pork into two large crock pots. Follow directions, except cook on low for about 10-12 hours.
After roasting, remove meat. Let cool for about 15 minutes, or cool enough to handle. Pull meat apart with hands, removing any visible fat remaining on meat. Discard fat and drain remaining liquid from pan.
Place meat back into roasting pan, shred with forks.
Prepare sauce by placing green chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar into a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the Coke, stir with spoon. Pour the sauce over the meat, and heat the meat again before serving. Do not stir too much, this makes the meat a mushy mess. Visualize the icky barbecued meat in the frozen section at the grocery. I prefer to pour sauce on top and leave the meat alone :) Using tongs helps tremendously.
Yield: about 35 servings.

Tips:
-*Important: Make sure to buy Pork Shoulder or Pork (Boston) Butt. Pork Roast or Pork Loin does not have enough fat to produce a product that will shred properly. I like Pork Shoulder best for this recipe. A large Pork Shoulder can be found at Costco for approximately $2.00 per pound.
-This recipe may also be used as a taco filling or for burritos.
-If preparing ahead, follow directions until meat has been shredded. Refrigerate or freeze meat at this point. When ready to serve, prepare sauce and pour over meat. Heat up in oven or on stove top at low heat.
-This recipe freezes well. When I have leftovers, I freeze the meat and drain off the sauce. When I want to use the frozen meat, I let it thaw in the fridge overnight; then place the meat in a pan on top of the stove. I make fresh sauce but only prepare 1/3 of the recipe above.
-If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you may add water, 1/4 cup at a time.
-If you are looking for a recipe that is scaled down to 6 servings, read this post at Family Favorite Recipes. The recipes are a bit different than mine, but the quantities are smaller for the pork. Fam Fav Recipes also does a great job of thoroughly explaining the assembly process in making the salad.


Cafe Rio Style Black Beans
adapted from delish.com
print recipe

2-15 oz cans black beans, (drain one can, don't drain the other)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-11.5 oz can tomato juice
salt ( kosher or sea salt) and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a non stick pan, cook garlic, cumin and olive oil over medium heat until fragrance is released, about one minute. Be careful not to burn garlic.
Add beans, cook down for about 5 minutes until some of the liquid from the beans is absorbed and evaporated. Add can of tomato juice and seasoning to taste.
Stir in chopped cilantro when ready to serve.
Yield 8 servings


Cafe Rio Style Beans for 50
Si and Mel, A Bountiful Kitchen

1/2 cup olive oil
12 cloves garlic, about 1/3 cup chopped garlic
1/4 cup ground cumin
12-15 oz cans of black beans ( drain 6 cans, do not drain 6 cans)
60-70 oz tomato juice (about 1 1/2 46 oz. cans)
2 bunches fresh cilantro, stems removed and chopped
Salt to taste about 1-2 tablespoons

Place oil in large pot. Add garlic and cumin and continue to cook over medium heat until fragrance is released, about one to two minutes. Add black beans, tomato juice and fresh cilantro. Cook until mixture
is heated through on medium heat, about 20 minutes. When mixture has cooked about 30 minutes, turn off heat and add chopped cilantro. Cool and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, heat slowly on medium heat, stirring gently to avoid burning beans at bottom of pan. Add more tomato juice if needed.
This may be made and stored up to five days before serving.

Tips-If you are interested in cooking black beans from the dry bean stage, I Dare You to Eat It has an excellent tutorial.


Mexican Rice with Cilantro Dressing
printable recipe

Rice:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small can chopped green chilies, mild
2 cups long grain white rice
3 1/2 cups chicken broth without MSG
salt to taste (I used about 3/4 teaspoon)
1/2 to 3/4 cup Cilantro Dressing

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and green chilies. Cook until onion is soft, about 5-10 minutes over medium heat. Mix in rice, stir about 2 minutes. Mix in broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is tender and broth absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice sit, covered for 5 minutes. Transfer rice to serving platter or bowl. Let rice sit for about 5 more minutes to cool slightly. Pour dressing over rice, tossing gently together. Season with salt and pepper. Can be prepared ahead. Let stand at room temperature.


Cilantro Dressing:
1 1/4 cups packed chopped cilantro (about 1 small bunch)
3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon minced seeded Serrano chile


Combine all dressing ingredients in blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Can be made one day ahead. Chill.

What's a Cafe Rio salad without the dressing? While other copycat recipes use Ranch packets, this recipe is all home made. Tomatillos are found in the refrigerated section of your produce department. You're going to love this.
Promise.


Cafe Rio Style Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

2 cups mayonnaise (not light)
2 cups sour cream
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, washed, stems removed
3 tomatillos, quartered (remove outer paper-like skin)
2 stems green onion, green parts
1 garlic clove
1 jalapeno, seeded
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
salt to taste, about 1 teaspoon

Place all ingredients in a blender or use a hand immersion blender and blend until smooth.
Store in refrigerator.
Yield, about 20 servings.
Keeps in fridge for about 10 days.


Pico de Gallo

4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, about 1 cup chopped, white or sweet variety
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, optional
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a medium size bowl.
Best if made at least one hour before serving.
Serve at room temperature.


Mary Mac's Chunky Guac

2-3 avocados, not too ripe-peeled, pitted and chunked
1/2- 1 cup chopped red onion
1 large fresh tomato, chunked
1/3-1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1-2 limes, juiced
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped (optional)
Kosher salt to taste
fresh ground pepper

Place the chopped avocados in a bowl. Slightly mash a few of the avocado pieces. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix together and serve immediately with tortilla chips.