Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
Recipe by Amy + Jacky | PressureCookRecipes.com
How to cook Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin: Learn the secrets to cooking the juiciest tender pork tenderloin in Instant Pot with Amy + Jacky's "Zero-Minute" method. Enjoy tasty pork tenderloin with gravy. Easy weeknight dinner made with healthy pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (~454g) pork tenderloin , 1.5” thick
- 1 tablespoon (14.5g) unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 cup (250ml) unsalted chicken stock
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Dry Rub:
- 1 teaspoon (0.5g) dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon (2g) dried sage
- 1 teaspoon (1g) dried rosemary
- 3 (14.6g) garlic cloves , finely minced
Thickener:
- 2½ tablespoons (22.5g) cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) cold water
Equipment
Instructions
- Brown Pork Tenderloin: Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function. Wait until it says HOT (~8 mins). Pat dry pork tenderloin with a paper towel. Generously season one side of pork with salt and ground black pepper. Add 1 tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil in Instant Pot. Make sure to coat the oil well over the whole bottom of the pot. Place seasoned side of pork in Instant Pot. Then, season the other side of pork with more salt and ground black pepper. Brown the two sides of pork for 2 minutes per side. No need to constantly flip the pork.
- Pressure Cook Pork Tenderloin: Remove and set aside the browned pork tenderloin.Add 1 cup (250ml) unsalted chicken stock, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat briefly.In a small bowl, mix 1 tsp (0.5g) dried oregano, 1 tsp (2g) dried sage, 1 tsp (1g) dried rosemary, and finely minced garlic together. Apply Dry Rub to all sides of the browned pork tenderloin. Place pork tenderloin in Instant Pot. Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 0 minutes (zero minutes), then Natural Release for 15 minutes. "Zero-Minutes" Method: Zero minutes is not a typo! We're using the time it takes to "get up to pressure", and "release pressure" to perfectly cook pork tenderloin in Instant Pot.Thicker Pork Tenderloin: If your pork tenderloin is thicker than 1.5", increase the natural release time (~5 to 6 minutes per 0.5" of thickness).
- Check Pork Internal Temperature: Check pork tenderloin's internal temperature at its’ thickest part with an accurate thermometer. It needs to be above 142°F (61°C). Amy + Jacky's Notes: If the temperature is off by more than 6°F, quickly close the lid. Then let the residual heat in Instant Pot to cook the pork for a few more minutes. Remove and place pork on a chopping board. After resting for 3 minutes, slice pork tenderloin in bite-size medallions.Amy + Jacky's Notes: Pork tenderloin should be slightly pink on the inside. It's fine!
- Bonus - Make Gravy: Use “Saute More” function to bring the mixture back to a simmer. Mix 2½ tbsp (22.5g) cornstarch with 3 tbsp (45ml) cold water in a small mixing bowl. Add cornstarch mixture one third at a time to thicken the gravy until desired thickness. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or soy sauce.
- Serve: Enjoy the juiciest tender, and flavorful Pork Tenderloin! Serve immediately.
Notes
1. Thicker Pork Tenderloin: If your pork tenderloin is thicker than 1.5" thick, increase the natural release time. Add roughly 5 to 6 minutes per 0.5" of thickness. Use a meat thermometer to make sure.
2. Unsalted Butter and Chicken Stock: We develop recipes with unsalted ingredients so we can better control the flavors. If you’re substituting them with salted ingredients, the sodium level can vary a lot between different brands. Reduce the amount of salt accordingly.
3. Dry Rub: Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your preferences (i.e. paprika, chili).
4. Double Recipe: If you want to cook two 1.5"-thick pork tenderloins at the same time, try to leave some space between the 2 pork tenderloins. Then set it to "Pressure Cook for Zero minutes", and reduce the Natural release time by 1 to 2 minutes. We're reducing the pressure release time because the "get-up-to-pressure" time will be longer.
5. Instant Pot Models: We developed & tested this recipe with 6 Quart Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cookers. Since this is a time-sensitive recipe, using the optimal Natural Release time is critical. If you're using Instant Pot models with a higher wattage or pressure level (i.e. Instant Pot Pro, Instant Pot Pro Plus, Instant Pot Pro Crisp, Instant Pot Duo Crisp, or Instant Pot Max), adjust the Natural Release time.
6. Can't Set Zero-Minute: If your Instant Pot doesn’t let you set “zero minutes”, set it to “Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 1 minute”. Once it gets up to pressure, press “Cancel”, then let the pressure Natural Release.
7. Keep Warm Mode: It doesn't matter if you keep the "Keep Warm" mode on or off during the Natural Release process. For the Instant Pot, the "Keep Warm" mode won't kick in well after the pressure is released.
8. Early Pin Drop: If your pin drops before the needed natural release time, leave the lid close until you reach the required natural release time.
9. High Altitude: We developed & tested this method close to sea level. So if you're cooking at a high altitude, increase the cooking time accordingly.
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Nutrition
Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 511mg | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1.5mg