This Instant Pot pork loin is smothered with a savory spice rub and then pressure-cooked until it’s juicy and tender. Turn the leftover juices into a rich homemade gravy to serve over mashed potatoes!
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Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Pork Loin Recipe
Pork loin is one of my favorite pork cuts, and this recipe makes cooking it so easy! Instant Pot pork loin turns out butter-knife tender and loaded with flavor. All it takes is a simple yet savory spice rub and about one hour from start to finish. Here’s why you’ll love cooking pork in your Instant Pot:
- Quicker than roasting. Before I owned an Instant Pot, slow-roasting was my go-to method for cooking extra-juicy pork loin. The pressure cooker works its magic in a fraction of the time.
- Tender and juicy. If you haven’t cooked pork loin before, prepare to fall in love. Pork loin is a tender cut with lots of flavor, plus, it’s easy to cook.
- One-pot wonder. The Instant Pot lets you sear, pressure cook the pork, and make a savory sauce, all in the same pot.
Recipe Ingredients
This Instant Pot recipe uses easy ingredients, the most important part is choosing a good pork loin! There are a few other things worth noting. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list.
- Pork Loin – The cut you’re after is a boneless pork loin roast, sometimes called a boneless center cut. Pork loin is NOT the same thing as pork tenderloin (confusing, I know). Make sure you’re buying the right one!
- Seasoning Rub – I make a quick pork rub with brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. You can use smoked or sweet paprika, and dried or fresh thyme, whichever you prefer.
- Olive Oil – Use a nice quality olive oil, or your choice of cooking oil, to help the outside of the pork loin sear.
- Chicken Broth – This pork recipe needs liquid since we’re cooking under pressure. I use chicken broth (or chicken stock if I have some on hand), or I’ll sometimes use white wine or even beer for a different flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce – You can also use soy sauce. A little umami goes a long way!
- Cornstarch – I turn the leftover cooking liquid into a mouthwatering gravy for serving. All it takes is whisking cornstarch in water to make a slurry, which helps the juices thicken.
How to Cook Pork Loin in Your Instant Pot
I usually take my pork loin roast out of the fridge about 30 minutes before I cook it. It’s not 100% necessary, but thicker cuts cook more evenly when they’re at room temperature.
Afterward, cooking pork loin in the Instant Pot takes a few easy steps. Scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Prepare the pork loin. First, you’ll mix up your spice rub ingredients, and rub the pork loin all over.
- Sear. Next, use the Instant Pot’s saute setting and a bit of oil to sear the outside of the pork loin. Get it nicely browned on all sides.
- Deglaze. Remove the pork, and deglaze the pot with chicken broth. Use a (not metal) spatula to scrape up all those tasty bits from the bottom. Switch off the pot and stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
- Cook. Position your pork loin on top of the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot. Seal the lid, and cook for 18 minutes at High Pressure, followed by a 20-minute natural release.
- Rest. Now, release the remaining pressure, take out the pork, and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Stir cornstarch with water to make a slurry. With the Instant Pot set to saute again, stir the slurry into the leftover cooking liquid inside the pot and let it simmer. After a couple of minutes, you’ll have a delicious thickened gravy.
- Serve! Slice up your Instant Pot pork loin topped with a generous drizzle of gravy, then serve.
Does Pork Loin Get More Tender the Longer You Cook It?
Nope. Unlike fatty beef roasts (like the chuck roast I use for my slow cooker french dip sandwiches) or even pork shoulder, pork loin doesn’t become softer the longer it’s cooked. Overcooking your Instant Pot pork loin will lead to dry, stringy pork.
While we’re on the topic of overcooking, it’s worth remembering that the pressure cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pork loin roast. For this recipe, I use a 2 ½ pound roast. Keep in mind that smaller roasts will take less time.
Tips for the Juiciest Instant Pot Pork Loin
- Trim the pork loin. Most pork loin roasts come with a fat cap, which you can leave intact (fat = flavor!). You’ll want to trim off any loose fat or silverskin, though. You can also ask your local butcher to do this for you.
- Sear the pork first. Browning the outside of the pork loin locks in the flavor, and the meat will have a better texture.
- Don’t skip the natural release. Make sure to let the pressure naturally release for the full 20 minutes after the cooking time is up. Doing a quick release right away makes an Instant Pot pork loin tough.
- Check the pork loin roast for doneness. Your Instant Pot pork loin is finished cooking when the internal temperature reaches 145ºF on an instant-read thermometer. Be careful that the pork doesn’t overcook and become dry.
- Let the pork rest. Just like beef and chicken recipes, resting the pork loin after cooking is an important step that lets the juices redistribute. It works out perfectly since the pork can rest while you finish the sauce!
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve juicy pork loin slices is with a mountain of buttery crock pot mashed potatoes, and fluffy Parker house rolls to sop up the gravy. I’ll let the potatoes cook all day, and then quickly pressure cook the pork in the evening for an easy comfort food dinner. For a veggie side, we love air fryer asparagus or brown sugar roasted carrots. And for dessert, nothing pairs better with pork than a scoop of homemade apple crisp!
Storing and Reheating Pork Loin
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover pork loin in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers taste great served cold in sandwiches, or chopped up to roll into a wrap!
- Reheat. The best way to reheat pork loin without drying it out is to cover it with foil and place it into a 350ºF oven until it’s warmed through.
- Freeze. If I have a lot of leftovers, I’ll often double-wrap this pork loin (or stash it in a freezer bag) and freeze it for up to 3 months. It’s great to defrost and reheat for quick, tasty dinners down the road.
More Pork Recipes
Print
Instant Pot Pork Loin
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Resting Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pork
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Instant Pot pork loin recipe is smothered with a savory spice rub and out-of-this-world tender. Sear and cook this juicy pork roast all in one pot, and turn the leftovers into an easy gravy!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pound boneless pork loin roast (also called boneless center cut)
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ¼ Cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Combine the brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
- Generously coat the pork loin with the seasoning mixture.
- Turn the instant pot to saute mode and add the oil.
- Add the pork loin and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Remove the pork and set it aside.
- Add the chicken broth and deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Turn off the instant pot.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce to the chicken broth, then place the trivet in the instant pot. Add the pork loin on top of the trivet.
- Place the lid on the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Cook on manual high pressure for 18 minutes. Once the cooking time has elapsed, naturally release the pressure for 20 minutes then release any remaining pressure. Once you open the lid, check that the internal temperature is at least 145 F.
- Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside to rest for 15 minutes.
- Turn the instant pot to saute mode. Make a slurry of the cornstarch and water. Once the cooking liquid has come to a simmer, whisk the slurry into the cooking sauce. Cook while stirring until thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Slice the pork loin and top with the sauce.
