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Cafe Rio Copycat Sweet Pork Barbacoa

Print Recipe
Total Time45 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 120kcal
This recipe is meant as a copycat sauce version of Cafe Rio’s Pork Barbacoa. The difference is that this recipe is a sauce to be added to chicken, shrimp, beef, and pork without being forced to use it with just pork. The sweetness of the Dr. Pepper melds together perfectly with the complex nature of Mexican vanilla in this easy-to-create sauce. The natural earthy clove creates a mellow spiced flavor that pairs perfectly with any protein. Don’t forget to leave a feel free to send some delicious pics using this sweet sauce!
This sweet barbecue sauce is a copycat-inspired recipe from Cafe Rio’s Beef Barbacoa. The sweetness of the Dr. Pepper melds together perfectly together with the complexity of Mexican Cuisine

Equipment

  • 1 sauce pan

Ingredients

  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • ½ cup red enchilada sauce
  • 1 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup Dr. Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoons chipotle pepper in adobo sauce minced (1 pepper)
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated agave syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In medium saucepan over medium high heat, add 4 minced cloves of garlic, ½ cup ketchup, 1 cup beef stock, ½ cup red enchilada sauce, 2 Tablespoons lime juice (½ lime), 1 cup Dr. Pepper, ¼ cup brown sugar,  2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 Tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 Tablespoons agave syrup, 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract, salt to taste, and pepper to taste
  • Heat ingredients for about 45 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove from heat and allow to cool before refrigerating.

Notes

If you do not have Mexican vanilla extract regular vanilla extract will do just fine. 
I used agave syrup however the original version of this recipe used granulated sugar instead. Feel free to use whatever form of sweetener you have. The important thing is to get the sweetness correct.
To kick the spiciness up a notch you can always use more chipotle peppers.