Description
Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast - a quick pork roast with a pan sauce from the pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1.5- to 2½-pound boneless pork loin roast (about 3½ inches thick, and 5 to 7 inches long)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup chicken broth (homemade, or low sodium store-bought, or use water)
- juice of ½ lemon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (if using homemade broth or water)
Instructions
- Brown the roast: Sprinkle the pork loin evenly with the teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in the Instant Pot on sauté mode adjusted to high until the oil is shimmering, about 3 minutes. (Use medium-high heat in a stovetop PC). Put the pork loin in the pot, fatty side down, and sear until well browned on that side, about 3 minutes. Remove the pork to a plate.
- Pressure cook for 18 minutes with a 15 minute Natural Pressure Release and rest: Pour the chicken broth into the pot, and use a flat-edged wooden spoon to scrape loose any browned bits of pork stuck to the bottom of the pan. Put the pressure cooker rack into the pot, then set the pork loin on the rack, fatty side up. Lock the lid and pressure cook at high pressure for 18 minutes for medium doneness, or 23 minutes for medium-well doneness. ("Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode depending on your Instant Pot.) Let the pressure come down naturally for 15 minutes, and quick release any remaining pressure. (There probably won’t be any pressure left; my pressure valve dropped after about 10 minutes most times.)
- Defat the sauce and serve: Unlock the pot, lift the pork roast out, and set it on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. While the pork rests, make a sauce: Pour the juices in the pot into a fat separator and let them settle for five minutes to separate the fat. Pour the defatted juices into a gravy boat (or other serving container) and stir in the lemon juice and thyme. If you are using homemade broth or water, also stir in ½ teaspoon of salt - store bought broth does not need any more salt. Slice the roast, drizzle with a little of the sauce, and serve, passing the rest of the sauce at the table. Enjoy!
Notes
Brining: If you plan ahead, brine the pork loin - it will come out much juicier. Instead of sprinkling the loin with salt and pepper: 3 to 8 hours before cooking, dissolve ¼ cup fine sea salt in 1 quart of water, submerge the pork loin in the brine, and refrigerate. Remove the loin from the brine, pat it dry with paper towels (don’t rinse it), and continue with browning the fatty side of the pork loin.
Smaller or larger roasts? This recipe is not as flexible as most, because you don’t want to overcook your pork loin. A smaller roast will probably overcook, and a larger roast is probably too wide to fit in your Instant Pot.
Tools
6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker)
Rack (this silicone bakeware sling with handles is my favorite)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American