This pork loin roast served with a thick reduction of pan juices is tender and juicy and will be on your dinner table in less than an hour.
Can Pork Loin Be Made In The Instant Pot?
Yes! One of my most popular posts is How to Roast Pork Loin Perfectly. The feedback has been so positive that I decided to test a recipe for pork loin roast using the Instant Pot to help you get this delicious roast on your table even quicker. And the good news is that it works! I have to say though, that I prefer pork loin cooked in the air fryer. The Instant Pot gives you slightly juicier meat, but the air fryer gives such a nice crispy brown crust. If I have to choose, I’d do the air fryer.
I really love my Instant Pot – this is the one I use! It will really help you get a delicious roast on your table quicker than ever.
What’s The Difference Between Pork Loin And Tenderloin?
I think that it is important to mention here, this recipe is for pork loin roast and not a pork tenderloin. Pork loin and pork tenderloin actually come from different parts of the animal and both look and cook differently.
Pork tenderloin is best cooked quickly over a high heat while a pork loin is often slow roasted or grilled. You can learn more about these cuts of meat over at The Kitchn.
How Should You Season Pork Loin Roast?
I like to season the roast with a simple mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic powder after rubbing it with a little olive oil.
Searing the roast in the Instant Pot using the sauté function creates a caramelized exterior – yum! And it leaves behind some tasty bits on the bottom of the pot to flavor the pan juices – double yum!
Can I Leave The Browned Bits On The Bottom Of The Instant Pot?
No. After searing the roast, some browned bits will be stuck to the bottom of your Instant Pot. This is normal. However, you need to scrape those up before pressure cooking begins.
This is because the browned bits stuck to the bottom get really hot when pressure cooking starts. This heat signals to the unit that something is burning. You can then get a burn notice from the Instant Pot and it will shut itself off.
To prevent this burn notice, after searing the roast, add liquid to the Instant Pot. Let it come to a simmer. This softens and loosens the stuck bits.
Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned stuck bits so that they’re floating in the liquid. From there, you can proceed with the recipe.
How Do I Know The Pork Is Done?
After the pressure cook and natural release, check your pork loins internal temperature.
Tip: Use an instant read thermometer to check the cook on your meats. The recommended safe temperature is 145°F for pork.
If your pork isn’t quite there, put the lid back on your instant pot for 2-5 minutes and let the residual heat continue cooking it a little longer. Once your pork loin is done, it’s time to remove it so you can make use of all the delicious juices in there.
What Should I Do With The Pan Juices?
The juices left behind from the cooking process are like liquid gold. After I take the roast out of the pot and remove the trivet, I use the sauté function again to turn pan juices into a delicious, rich sauce to serve over the pork.
If you’d like more of a gravy, check out my recipe for Instant Pot Gravy over here or my recipe that you can use without any pan drippings.
In just under an hour, you can have a tender, flavorful roast on the table any day of the week or for a special occasion.
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Instant Pot Pork Loin with Pan Juices
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
This pork loin roast served with a thick reduction of pan juices is tender and juicy and will be on your dinner table in less than an hour.
Note: This recipe has been retested and edited in January 2021. The original used a 2 lb. pork loin and less liquid. We’ve also added in some butter and onion to this updated recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 1/2 lb. pork loin roast, boneless or bone-in
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 of an onion, cut in quarters
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth or water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch (optional, to thicken pan sauce)
Instructions
- Take roast out of the fridge and cut slits in the fat.
- In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
- Rub pork roast with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with the salt mixture on all sides.
- Let seasoned pork rest for 45 minutes.
- Select the Sauté button to heat the Instant Pot. When “Hot” is displayed, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter.
- Add the seasoned pork and sear on all sides, approximately 3 minutes each on top and bottom and one minute each on the long sides.
- When roast has been seared on all sides, press Cancel and remove pork from the Instant Pot. Set aside on a plate.
- Add the broth or water to the Instant Pot, scraping any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Place the trivet and onion in the bottom and lay the pork fat side up on top of the trivet.
- Cover pot, lock on the lid, and set the steam release valve to Sealing
- Select the Meat/Stew or Pressure Cook button and set the cook time to 19 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle has finished, do a 12 minute Natural Release.
- Check internal temperature, recommended temperature is 145°F.
- Remove the pork loin roast to a cutting board with tongs or a slotted spoon. Remove the trivet from the Instant Pot.
- Select the Sauté button. Bring the juices to a boil and reduce by 1/2, stirring occasionally, about 5 – 7 minutes. If you’d like to turn the pan juices into more of a gravy, stir cornstarch into some cold water and then add that slurry into the juices.
- Carve pork into 1/2” pieces and serve with pan juices.
Notes
If you like a crispy crust, you can use the final-sear method by placing the pressure cooked roast on a sheet pan or roasting pan and putting in an oven that has been heated to 475˚F for 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
I answer a lot of questions in the comment section at the bottom so do read those, but here’s a summary of the most frequently asked questions.
Can I cook 2 pork loins at the same time in my Instant Pot?
Yes! As long as you have enough room, you don’t want the roasts touching. If you have 2 (2 lb.) pork loins, try a 25 minute pressure cook and a 10 minute natural release, then check the internal temperature.
Can I cook potatoes with the pork loin?
Sure, you can add potatoes to the broth underneath the trivet if you’d like them to be like boiled potatoes or try adding baby potatoes on top of the roast for more of steamed potatoes.
What do I do if I followed the instructions and my pork still isn’t quite done?
Not to worry. Because there are so many types of Instant Pot (and sizes of pork loin) this may happen while you are figuring out what works for yours. If it’s only slightly under, put the lid back on the IP and let it rest in the heat to get the rest of the way to your desired temperature. If it’s more than 10 degrees undercooked, set it to pressure cook for additional time, maybe 5-10 more minutes.
This post originally appeared in June 2018. It was revised and republished in January 2021.
Pam Brown says
I use my IP all the time, it’s the best method (for me) when cooking pork. One thing I do is add Honey Crisp Apple Cider, I PROMISE you will want to add it every time once you try it because apples/pork just go together in flavor. The gravy is DELICIOUS.
Christine Pittman says
Thank you for sharing, Pam!
Kathy says
Meet turned out extremely dry. Very little flavor
★
MARY M says
This was DELICIOUS!! And yes- easy! I was surprised by the 45 minute “rest period” but as it turns out I think I did at least 30 minutes- just figure the resting time into your plans. I used “Better Than Boullion” to make the 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth- BTB has a great flavor! The gravy this recipe made was off the charts great! Thanks!
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
That’s wonderful, Mary! I’m thrilled you loved it so much.
Linda A says
I made this with a 10 lb pork loin from Sams. I cut it into 4 chunks, seasoned per recipe, browned each piece, used 1/2 wine to loosen the brown bits on bottom of pan. Stood up the 4 pieces in my 8qt IP, added 1.5 cups chicken broth. After reading all the reviews I selected 30 minutes plus did a natural pressure release. The meat was 165 and sliced/crumbled like I wanted it to to use for bbq sandwiches. Personally I’d prefer a pork roast but my family hates fat, so this worked perfectly. Thank you.
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
You’re welcome, Linda! Thank you for sharing your process with us.
Carmie says
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s delicious- thanks for the note about this being recently edited as I thought I’d lost the recipe! I usually modify by adding wine with the broth and oregano with the spice rub. I also usually add baby potatoes on top of the meat while cooking.
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
You’re welcome, Carmie! Thanks for sharing your adjustments with us.
Dorothy Cole says
Made this recipe with a 1.8 lb rib end pork loin. Cooked on high manual in my 6 qt instant pot, following these instructions. It came out perfectly. So moist and tender, it was delicious.
Christine Pittman says
That’s wonderful, Dorothy! Thank you for letting us know.
Jack says
I have a 4.4 lb. pork center loin roast with bone in. What do you recommend as cook time? Everything I’ve found comes up
with an appx. Time of 7.25 minutes per lb.
★★★★
Christine Pittman says
Jack, Around 7-8 minutes per pound is right. There are other factors that affect it, like size of Instant Pot. My advice would be to start at 30 minutes plus 10 minute natural release. Then use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature. If it’s at your desired temp then, great. If it’s a little bit under, you can put the lid back on and just let it rest in there to raise the temperature a bit. If it’s too low for that (more than 10 degrees) then do another 5-10 minutes of pressure cooking.
Fernand LeBlanc says
O…..M….G….. The best pork tenderloin I’ve ever cooked in my whole life, and I’ve been cooking for 50 some odd years. I did nothing different like some people that add or omit this or that and don’t deserve to make comments if they did. I’ll never change the recipe.
Christine Pittman says
Thanks, Fernand. Glad you enjoyed!
Meghan says
This worked perfectly for me. My pork loin was around 1.5 lb. and came preseasoned. I was going to make it in my 6qt but felt it might be a tight fit so I used my 8 qt instead. I used beef broth instead of chicken because it’s what I already had open in the fridge. The flavor of the gravy was still wonderful. I used a little flour/water slurry to thicken the pan juices. They would be amazing over mashed potatoes. As it was we used a crusty Italian bread to get all that gravy from our plates. The cook time was spot on. I had originally found a recipe online which called for a 30 minutes cook time. As soon as I read they did a quick release I knew it was a bad recipe. I’m so glad I found yours.
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
We’re glad you found us too, Meghan! Thanks for sharing with us.
Jeanie says
Now that we have the Air Fryer lid, it should be easy to crisp the roast that way instead of the oven.
Shannon says
I have a large family and need more than a 2lb roast to feed everyone. Can I cook 2 – 2lb. roasts at the same time? Do I need to cook for a longer time? I am using a 6 QT Instant Pot Duo.
Christine Pittman says
Yes, you can, Shannon. Just make sure the roasts aren’t touching. I would try 25 minutes, doing a natural release for 10 minutes, then take check the internal temperature to make sure it’s done.
Hazel says
This recipe is great, thank you for sharing! But like a few others my pork came out pink following the 17 min pressure cooking an 10 min release. I had a 4 lb loin that I cut in half. The first time I tried the recipe I followed instructions to a T and it was still very pink inside so I put it back in the InstantPot for another 6 min and it came out a tad too dry.
The second time I tried it I put it in for 22 min with a 10 min natural release and it was just a touch too pink. If I try again I think the 23 min mark will be just perfect. But the gravy was amazing and everyone still enjoyed the pork. Thank you!
Christine Pittman says
That’s for sharing your results with us, Hazel!
Bcollins says
Trying this for the first time!
Christine Pittman says
Enjoy!
Derrick says
How long for a 5lb pork loin?
Christine Pittman says
Derrick, I’m not entirely sure off hand. I checked some online resources and am not getting good answers. Instantpot.com has it at 20 minutes per pound, which is definitely incorrect since that’s about how long you cook a loin in the regular oven for, and, our 2 pound one above is 17 minutes total. I’m going to add this to my list of things to test out and I will report back. If you want to make it in the meantime, I would suggest trying 35 minutes total with a 10 minute natural release. Then test the temperature with an instant read thermometer. I don’t think it will be overcooked at that point but if it needs longer, you can do another 5-10 minutes of pressure cooking in the instant pot. Sorry I can’t offer more help right now.
Shannon says
Made this tonight and it was a huge success!! Made it with pork roast, as instructed, for 17 minutes and it was spot on perfect.
Christine Pittman says
Wonderful, Shannon! So happy it turned out so well!
LouAnn says
Can you also add potatoes while cooking?
Christine Pittman says
I haven’t tried it but it should work, LouAnn. Put the potatoes with the broth under the trivet. They will be like boiled potatoes. Alternatively, you could put them over the pork so they’re not sitting in the liquid. They’ll end up more like steamed potatoes. I’m not positive but I don’t think you’ll need to adjust the cooking time since having the potatoes in there will increase the amount of time the unit takes to get up to pressure.