This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin is a quick cooking meal that has an amazing sweet and tangy flavored sauce to go on the pork medallions. The delicious balsamic apple gravy is lightly spiced and makes this pressure cooker pork tenderloin a great dinner idea.
Instant Pot Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin
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!
One of my favorite cuts of pork is the tenderloin. I have always loved those little medallions, so tender, 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 juicy result.
I’m always looking for smaller meals with great flavor to make. Since I am a cook and develop recipes, smaller meals are easier said than done!
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.
Making a pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot is easy and the sauce is delicious!
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
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil, neutral, such as canola or sunflower
- 1 ½ lbs Pork Tenderloin* (not loin roast)
- 1 small Onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 2 ½ Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (good quality vinegar makes a big difference)
- ½ cup Apple Juice or Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 2 Apples, chopped (any variety)
- ½ teaspoon Coarse Salt, or ¼ tsp table salt
- 1 sprig Rosemary, about a 3" sprig
- 3 sprigs Thyme, fresh
To Finish
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 ½ teaspoons Corn Starch
Instructions
- Turn on pot to Sauté function (Normal/Med heat). When the display reads Hot, add the oil.
- 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.
- Remove the tenderloin to a plate. Set aside.
- 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).
- Add the garlic. Stir.
- Add the balsamic vinegar. Stir.
- Add the juice/broth, apple, salt, rosemary, and thyme. Stir well.
- Add the tenderloin back in and nestle it down into the broth mixture.
- Put the lid on the pot and lock it in place. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Cancel the Sauté function.
- Press Pressure Cook (Manual) and adjust the pressure to Low Pressure, then the + or - to choose 2 minutes (smaller tenderloins use 1 minute).
- 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).
- 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°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°F temp).
- 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.
- Turn the Sauté function back on.
- Add the honey and stir well to incorporate.
- Add the butter and stir.
- Cook for about 5 minutes to let the mixture reduce a little and the flavors concentrate.
- Scoop out about ⅓ cup of the liquid into a cup and whisk in the corn starch. Pour mixture into the simmering sauce and stir well to thicken.
- Turn off the pot.
- Slice the tenderloin into medallions and serve with a generous portion of the balsamic-apple sauce.
- Garnish if desired (photo shows thyme and pomegranate arils).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Resources to Make Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe and more
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Hi Sandy,
I really want to use this recipe but my IP doesn’t have a high or low pressure setting, only manual or several other buttons for soup, meat, cake, eggs etc. what would you recommend for a 3lb tenderloin cut in half lengthwise?
Hi Melissa, I would just use the Manual/Pressure Cook setting for 2 minutes, and the 15 minute natural release, since it is a larger tenderloin. You can cut it in half, but I wouldn’t cut it lengthwise, as that will thin it out too much. If it’s not quite up to temp after cooking, just put the lid back on and let it sit a few more minutes. That should work.
I was very impressed until I burnt my sauce 🙁 I realized I used a balsamic glaze and not a vinegar. (I’m new to cooking, it was am expensive glaze so I thought it would be nice). I tasted it before cooking the sauce. Thankfully we can still enjoy the meat which I was so happy with the texture.
Hi Crystal, yeah, the glaze will be too thick. I hope you try it again, as the sauce is so nice on the meat!
I have 2 pork tenderloins that have a net weight of 2.22lbs. I was thinking I should cook them for 2 or 3 minutes on low pressure. Please advise.
Hi Julie, that sounds right. When each tenderloin approaches 2 pounds, I do 2 minutes. When each is closer to 1 pound, I do 1 minute. Always a 15 minute Natural Release. Low Pressure, if you have that option.
I have made this numerous times and my family loves it. I use a pork loin instead of the tenderloin. I have begun playing with the recipe in my own. I add more balsamic than the recipe calls for. I also add 1/2 applesauce. This gives it a bit more sweetness and offsets the increase in balsamic that I use to help break down the pork loin so it’s more tender that one would expect from a pork loin. This is a fantastic recipe. I serve it with some fresh green beans, rolls and a nice green salad.
Hi Gwen, your version sounds great! Pretty much the same, but using the loin is a great way to add more servings. Thank you for your review, and I’m so happy that this is a regular recipe in your home!
Hello! I am so excited to try this recipe this week! I have 2 pork tenderloins (from Costco) that weigh about 2.3 pounds each. They are long and skinny but I’m wondering if I should do more than 2 minutes to cook them? Planning to cook them both at the same time. Any tips appreciated 🙂 thanks!
You can try 3 minutes (Low pressure) and a 15 minute NR. I always start with the shortest time as I don’t want to overcook the tenderloin. If it needs more time, just put the lid on or a plate over the pot and let them sit a few more minutes. You can cut the long ones in half to better fit in the pot.
Pam, I am going to make this later this week. Not sure where my tenderloin falls on the continuum for 1 or 2 minutes. It weights 1.5 lbs, is 12 inches long, about 3 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick. Would this be one that you would consider big enough for 2 minutes?
Also, would you be inclined to cut it in half lengthwise? It might make it easier to fit in the pot and brown, but it won’t make any difference to the cooking time, will it?
If the pin drops before the 15 minutes sup, do you still leave the meat in the IP?
I also have another tenderloin which is smaller which I will cook later. Does tenderloin freeze well?
Hi Wayne, I would try 2 minutes on that tenderloin, and yes, I would cut it in half to fit. If the pin drops early, leave the meat in the pot for the full amount of time. Tenderloin does freeze well, I have two in my freezer right now! I hope this works well for you!
Did the recipe tonight. OMG, so tender, juicy and tasty, yet fully cooked. Hard to believe with such a short cooking time and at LOW pressure. I used a local farm produced apple juice and bought an Apple Balsamic Vinegar. It was not overpowering but really brought out the apple flavour. Fortunately, when we bought the tenderloin, it was on sale, so we picked up two. One is in the freezer, so we are looking forward to having this again in a few weeks.
Hi Wayne! I’m so happy that you liked this recipe! I MUST fine apple balsamic vinegar, it sounds amazing! Thanks for the tip. I appreciate your review, and I hope you enjoy the second one as much as the first!
I made this tonight on a whim and I’m in love! It is delicious!!
Hi Wendy, no, the whole tenderloin is cooked. They average 1 1/2 pounds, so if yours is smaller, go with the 1 minute time, larger, go with the 2 minute time.
Worked beautifully! The pork was tender, and I loved the sauce. This will be a regular in our recipe rotation. Thank you!
I’m so glad I found this recipe. I have a pork tenderloin recipe I was trying to convert to the Instant Pot but all similar recipes said to cook 20+ minutes. I only cook my pork tenderloin 20 minutes in a conventional oven. Your recipe looks amazing. Can wait to give it a try.
Hi Pam! I am glad you found me! This recipe is a favorite of ours, and I hope it becomes one of yours, too! Thanks for stopping by!