Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin is a quick cooking meal that also has an amazing sweet & tangy flavored sauce to go on the pork medallions. I have seen many cook times for pork tenderloin in the pressure cooker, but I feel my method yields the most tender and moist tenderloin. This pressure cooker pork tenderloin recipe is one of the top 3 most loved recipes by my readers!
Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin
One of my favorite cuts of pork is the tenderloin. I have always loved those little medallions, so tender, and always covered with an amazing sauce! Such a versatile little pork roast. A pressure cooker pork tenderloin can easily be overcooked, so I developed this recipe to give a tender and juice result.
With Paul and I practically empty nesters, I’m always looking for smaller meals with great flavor to make for us. Since I am a cook and develop recipes, smaller meals are easier said than done! We need the kids to come back home and eat! Well, maybe not.
It’s important to note that there is a difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin. You can tell it’s a tenderloin because it is long, thin, and tubular in shape, and usually weighs 1 lb to 2 lbs on average. A pork loin roast is flatter, rectangular, and wider.
This recipe for Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin uses the long, thin, tubular cut and cooks very quickly. After it cooks you cut it into medallions and drench them in this incredible sauce!
The apple and honey in this Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin recipe add the sweetness to the sauce. This is a great way to use up any apples that are too ripe to eat, or too mealy. Ever bite into a mealy apple? Not a fan. But I am a fan of cooking with them!
Fruit and pork go very well together, especially apples and pork. Check out my Instant Pot Autumn Apple Pork Chops.
We always have apples around. Being in Washington State, we have nice apples readily available all year. When they are in season we get them from our local farmers market.
Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin is a very nice meal for when you have company over, or for a nice “date night” in, or even just to treat yourself, as you should!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Instant Pot Autumn Apple Pork Chops
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Sausage Potato Soup)
Instant Pot Beef Barley Vegetable Soup
Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin has a sweet and tangy burst of flavor. The thick gravy made from the apple and balsamic vinegar is accented with fresh rosemary and thyme. A dish you can serve to company, or enjoy on a weeknight.
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil, neutral, such as canola or sunflower
- 1.5 lbs Pork Tenderloin* (not loin roast)
- 1 small Onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 2 1/2 Tbsps Balsamic Vinegar (a good quality vinegar makes a big difference)
- 1/2 cup Apple Juice or Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 2 Apples, chopped (any variety you like)
- 1/2 tsp Coarse Salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
- 1 sprig Rosemary, about a 3" sprig
- 3 sprigs Thyme, fresh
- 2 Tbsps Honey
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- 2 1/2 tsps Corn Starch
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Turn on pot to Sauté function (Normal/Med heat). When the display reads Hot, add the oil.
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Place the tenderloin in the pot and let it cook for 2-4 minutes (depending on thickness), undisturbed, Then flip it over and do the same on that side. Brown all sides.
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Remove the tenderloin to a plate. Set aside.
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Add the onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently, deglazing the pot (scraping up all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pot). You might need to add a small splash of the broth to help loosen the fond (brown bits).
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Add the garlic. Stir.
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Add the balsamic vinegar. Stir.
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Add the juice/broth, apple, salt, rosemary, and thyme. Stir well.
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Add the tenderloin back in and nestle it down into the broth mixture.
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Put the lid on the pot and lock it in place. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
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Cancel the Sauté function.
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Press Pressure Cook (Manual) and adjust the pressure to Low Pressure, then the + or - to choose 2 minutes (smaller tenderloins use 1 minute).
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When the cooking cycle ends, Turn the pot off or unplug it (so the warming doesn't get activated) and let the pot sit for 15 minutes (natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining pressure/steam (there may not be any, and that's okay).
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When the pin in the lid drops, open the lid and use a meat thermometer to take the internal temperature of the tenderloin. If it reads 137 degrees (F) or more, you are good to remove the tenderloin to a plate and cover with foil to rest (it will continue to cook and heat to the desired 145 degrees (F) temp).
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If the tenderloin isn't up to temp, Remove the tenderloin and complete the next 3 steps. Then add tenderloin to mixture and let it cook for a few minutes, turning once. Check temperature again before removing and covering with foil. Then proceed to adding the corn starch, etc.
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Turn the Sauté function back on.
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Add the honey and stir well to incorporate.
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Add the butter and stir.
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Cook for about 5 minutes to let the mixture reduce a little and the flavors concentrate.
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Scoop out about 1/3 cup of the liquid into a cup and whisk in the corn starch. Pour mixture into the simmering sauce and stir well to thicken.
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Turn off the pot.
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Slice the tenderloin into medallions and serve with a generous portion of the balsamic-apple sauce.
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Garnish if desired (photo shows thyme and pomegranate arils).
*If you have a smaller tenderloin, say 1 pound, you will only cook for 1 minute instead of 2. Same natural release time. Please use a meat thermometer, they are so handy!
Resources to make Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin recipe and more
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April
This was such an amazing recipe! I didn’t have any onion and I didn’t feel like going out to get one lol but it was still amazing without it. I could believe how yummy the sauce was-my husband had it on top of pasta as well as the pork. Thank you!