Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

An easy, divine recipe for the best pork tenderloin in the pressure cooker! Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe uses fast, simple preparation, but tastes gourmet with tender, juicy pork smothered in a tangy balsamic gravy. 

Pork Tenderloin recipes absolutely kills it for a weeknight dinner. Prep work is fast, easy, and everything is made in one pot.

Plus, cooking pork tenderloin can make ameutar cooks feel like culinary rock stars. It’s a forgiving cut of meat that is hard to mess up. (Especially when armed with a meat thermometer. More on that below!⬇️)

This easy pork tenderloin recipe is even more foolproof because it cooks in a pressure cooker. If you are an Instant Pot pork newbie, you may never go back to a traditional pork recipe again.

First, mix together a few pantry-staple spices, like ground sage, garlic powder, salt and pepper, for a dry rub. Use the Instant Pot SAUTE function to sear the sides in olive oil. Add chicken stock and seal the lid in place. Cook at HIGH pressure for only 5 minutes. 

After the pressure has released, remove the pork to rest, and make the sweet, tangy balsamic glaze in the pressure cooker. The gravy also has simple ingredients, such as traditional balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and pure maple syrup. 

The flavors balance out perfectly because of the acidity of the vinegar, saltiness from soy sauce, and sweetness of maple syrup. The recipe yields plenty of gravy, so drizzle it on juicy slices of pork and flavor your mashed potatoes or rice. 

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin Recipes

A quick google search brings up many variations of pressure cooker pork tenderloin recipes. Interestingly, there doesn’t seem to be a standard for how low long to cook the pork.

Cooking pork tenderloin in an Instant Pot builds in extra insurance against dry, overcooked pork because of the sealed in moisture. However, I wanted to settle on that optimal time and flavor. 

How Long to Cook Pork Tenderloin in the Instant Pot

Easy Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe uses a very short cooking time because it has a tendency to overcook. The cooking process starts with the searing. Browning the pork first locks in the the spice rub flavor and creates and a nice golden crust. 

Then it cooks more as as the instant pot builds pressure. Once full pressure is reached, the pork only needs 1 minute cooking time. 

Cooking still happens during the 10 minute natural release time, at a slower, gentler pace.

Use a quick release to let off any remaining pressure. You will then have pork tenderloin with a rich flavorful crust and moist, juicy interior. 

Intimidated by using an Instant Pot? Learn in minutes with this Easy Start Instant Pot Guide full of tips, hacks, and tricks.

How to Take Internal Temperature of Pork

If you want to be sure the pork is adequately cooked use a meat thermometer (my preferred thermometer is this instant read one) to check the internal temperature is at least 145ºF (63ºC). This temperature is accurate for pork tenderloin, pork chops, or pork loin.

Take the temperature when the pork has been removed from the pressure cooker, before resting. As the pork rests the temperature will raise 10-15 degrees fahrenheit. After the internal temperature reaches 145ºF (63ºC), allow the pork to rest for 3 minutes, according to pork.org. 

How to Cook from Frozen

Although you can cook completely frozen pork in the pressure cooker, the spice rub won’t adhere to it. Allow the pork to thaw partially for a few hours in the refrigerator first before rubbing on the spices and searing.

If the pork is partially frozen, add 2 minutes to the cooking time. For completely frozen pork tenderloin, add 3 minutes to the cooking time. 

Doubling Pork with Gravy in Instant Pot

Two pounds of pork tenderloin feeds 4-6 people, depending on guest’s appetite and if you’d like leftovers. 

The easy pork tenderloin Instant Pot recipe may be doubled without any adjustment to the cooking time. Since the pressure cooker will be more full, more time will be be needed for it to come to pressure. However, the time needed to cook at pressure will remain the same.

By increasing the amount of pork tenderloin, you may want to double amount of gravy. Instead of adding 1 cup chicken stock to the pot, use 2 cups. Also double the sauce ingredients of balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and maple syrup.

The sauce thickener slurry needs to also increase from 2 tablespoons to 4 tablespoons cornstarch and water. 

If you love pork and gravy, try Instant Pot Pork Roast as well!

Pulled Pork Tenderloin in the Pressure Cooker

For fall apart, shredded pork Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe can be easily adapted. Keep everything in the recipe the same, except increase the cooking time to 30 minutes. Allow pressure to fall naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.

For the ultimate pulled pork experience shred the pork and lay it on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pour the balsamic sauce over the shredded pork and broil for 2-3 minutes. The sauce will bubble and the top layer of pork will start to become crispy. 

How To Cook Pork Tenderloin in Instant Pot with Gravy

1. Mix together seasonings in a small bowl – ground sage, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cut the pork tenderloins in half horizontally so pieces fit into Instant Pot.
2. Rub the seasonings all over the pork pieces.
3. Heat olive oil on SAUTE function in the pressure cooker. Brown and sear the outside of the pork, rotating to cook all sides. Remove pork and set aside.
4. Add chicken broth to pot and use a spoon to scrape up browned bits. Add pork back to the pot, lock, and seal lid. Cook at HIGH pressure for 1 minute. 
5. Allow pressure to decrease naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Remove pork to a cutting board to rest. 
6. Add balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and maple syrup to liquid in the pot. Bring to a boil and whisk in cornstarch / water (or cream) mixture. Boil and stir constantly for 1 minute, or until gravy is thickened. 

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How To Cook Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker

Don’t have a pressure cooker or want dinner to be waiting for you? This balsamic pork tenderloin recipe is easily adaptable for the slow cooker!

1. Rub seasonings all over pork tenderloin. In a large skillet heat olive oil and brown pork on all sides.
2. Transfer seared pork to slow cooker. Add 1/2 CUP chicken broth. Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.
3. Remove pork and set aside to rest.
4. Use a mesh strainer to pour slow cooker liquid into a small saucepan.
5. Add balsamic vinegar, pure maple syrup, and soy sauce to saucepan. Heat to simmering. 
6. Mix together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water (or cream). Whisk into simmering liquid. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened, about 1 minute.
7. Cut pork and serve with balsamic gravy. 

What to Serve with Pork Tenderloin

• Roasted veggies, such as butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, or broccoli and cheese
• Sauteed apples – What goes together better than pork and apples?
• Cheese Grits Casserole 
• Rice – Perfect to soak up all that extra sauce.
• Sweet Potato Salad –  Roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, apples, and dried cranberries with maple mustard dressing
• Mashed potatoes – The ultimate comfort food meal – meat and potatoes! Plus, pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot makes plenty of balsamic gravy to flavor the potatoes.
• Instant pot baked potatoes – Fast and easy baked potatoes with crispy, seasoned skins. 

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