Hands down the BEST, ultra tender pork tenderloin with a balsamic glaze made right in the pressure cooker. This Instant Pot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin will melt in your mouth and leave you craving more.
We all have that one recipe. You know the one that you got from a family member, who got it from a family member who got it from the back of a flour sack in the depression but who altered it to work with ingredients that she had on hand and who passed it along to her kids who tried to make it more like the original recipe but who actually knows what that even is anymore?
Well, this is that sort of recipe. Except I may have exaggerated slightly. This one doesn’t have that dramatic of a story but it was passed around and altered a bit before it got to me, and here I am altering it even further to make it work in a more modern kitchen appliance — the Instant Pot.
This Balsamic Pork Tenderloin recipe initially came from my aunt, who passed it along to my mother, who made it quite often when I was growing up. It is a recipe for a baked pork tenderloin covered in balsamic glaze. I’m not sure how my mom tweaked it exactly but I know that she did — she always had just the perfect spin to put on any recipe.
While I’ve made this recipe plenty of times as instructed, I always wondered how it would work in the Instant Pot. After all, I’ve used this fast-cooking method for many other versions of pork and chicken, (like, Instant Pot Honey Teriyaki Chicken, for example) and I figured it would be a cinch to adapt around our fast-moving lifestyle. I love being able to eat the classic recipes I grew up eating but I also love cutting the cooking time.
Oven Cooking Instructions
As I mentioned, this pork recipe originally was made to be baked in the oven. If you would prefer to make it that way, simply bake the oiled and seasoned tenderloin at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. You’ll make the glaze in a saucepan on the stove while the meat cooks. You’ll want to adjust the water added to the vinegar to ⅔ a cup instead of 1 cup.
I also think that the pork tenderloin benefits from a good sear on the stove before being baked in the oven but that’s totally optional. Searing it before baking seals in the flavors of the pork and gives it that nice “crust” on the outside. To save on dish washing, use an oven-safe pan to sear the pork (like cast iron or enamelware) that you can take from stove to oven.
What Is The Difference Between a Pork Loin And A Pork Tenderloin?
Although at first glance, these two cuts of meat might seem interchangeable, they are not. A pork tenderloin is thinner and smaller and a loin is very big and wide and steak-like — the loin is where pork chops are cut from.
You also cook these two pieces of meat differently. (And they’re not interchangeable.) A pork tenderloin is great for marinades and slow cooking. A pork loin is great on the grill or cooked on the stove but can be easily overcooked.
Either way, you want to make sure that your pork is cooked thoroughly before you eat it. If you’re not sure if it’s done, use a meat thermometer. It should read 145 degrees at its thickest point to be considered cooked through.
Is Pork Tenderloin Good For You?
Most cuts of pork are good sources of lean protein, when trimmed of extra fat. (Sorry, bacon and pork ribs do not count as healthy protein sources.) Leaner cuts of pork also contain thiamine, B6, phosphorus, niacin, riboflavin, zinc, and potassium. If you’re not sure which cuts of pork are good for you, check for words such as “loin” or “round.”
What To Serve With This Recipe?
- If you’re looking for an easy side you can throw together with ingredients you probably already have on hand, then it doesn’t get any simpler than this Best Simple Tossed Green Salad. The six-ingredient dressing that goes on top of this salad also goes great with any mixture of salad greens and veggies.
- I like to serve this pork over the top of wide egg noodles, spaghetti, fettuccini, or any pasta you have on had. It also goes great over white or brown rice.
- Roasted vegetables such as these Crispy Parmesan Green Beans, Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli & Cauliflower, or Lemon Parmesan Roasted Asparagus.
- Nothing says spring or summer potlucks like this Best Ever Creamy Sweet Macaroni Salad — which just happens to pair perfectly with this pork loin.
- I also like to make this Baked Parmesan Creamed Corn on the side of a lot of different meats, but for some reason it just tastes the best with a pork tenderloin.
More Recipes Like This
If you love instant pot recipes, you’ve gotta try Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos, Instant Pot Parmesan Chicken and Rice with Mushrooms, and Instant Pot Honey Teriyaki Chicken.
- Best Baked Pork Tenderloin (seriously though, just check out the reviews.)
Instant Pot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1-2 pork tenderloins - (see note)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend - (see note)
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons corn starch + 4 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Set pressure cooker to SAUTE. Rub tenderloins all over with oil. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper to taste, then dried herbs and garlic powder.
- Use tongs to place tenderloins in the pot, turning over every 1-2 minutes until browned on all sides.
- Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and water and add to the pot. Put the lid on in the locked position with the steam valve closed. Set to PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL for 15 minutes.
- When cook time is up, allow to natural release for five minutes, then turn the steam valve to the venting position and remove lid once float valve drops down. Use tongs to transfer pork loin to a cutting board and set aside.
- Switch pressure cooker to SOUP setting. Once boiling, stir corn starch into the 4 tablespoons cold water until dissolved, then pour into instant pot and stir until thickened to a glaze.
- Slice tenderloins, then serve with balsamic glaze on top. Extra glaze can be stored in a jar in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
Can this be done in the oven instead of a pressure cooker?
Yes, you can 🙂 simply bake the oiled and seasoned tenderloin at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. You’ll make the glaze in a saucepan on the stove while the meat cooks. You’ll want to adjust the water added to the vinegar to ⅔ a cup instead of 1 cup. I also think that the pork tenderloin benefits from a good sear on the stove before being baked in the oven but that’s totally optional. Searing it before baking seals in the flavors of the pork and gives it that nice “crust” on the outside. To save on dish washing, use an oven-safe pan to sear the pork (like cast iron or enamelware) that you can take from stove to oven.
If I am baking, do I put the glaze in with the pork or pour over after it’s baked? Do I cover?
After it’s baked. You can prepare the glaze while it’s baking. And there’s no need to cover it but you can if you prefer to.
My daughter sent me your recipe which I served to my neighbor. Very easy to make and absolutely delicious. Did use oven method and meat was very moist and tender. I have a convection oven in my stove. Reduced temp to 350 and meat was done in 30 minutes. This will be on my list of favorite recipes. Thanks so much
Glad it turned out well! 🙂
Just made this with a Pork Loin and it still came out excellent! Wow!
You did it the same way as the recipe calls? Same time and everything? Having to do it for family thanksgiving and we have a big family so got an 8lbs loin before I saw “not interchangeable”. Made this 2 other times it tenderloin and was amazing but worried about the loin (going to have to do in at least 3 batches)
I’ve made this a few times with great success (even better with chocolate balsamic) however I need to make it for a very large group for thanksgiving so I got an 8 lbs pork loin instead of tenderloin before I read they’re not interchangeable. How should I cook the pork loin? I already know I’ll probably cook in 3 batches but should I cook for longer? Shorter?
I would recommend cooking one that large in the oven instead of in the Instant Pot. Cut the pork loin into three equal-size segments, brown in a skillet on the outsides, and bake in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet for 25 minutes at 375 degrees, then tent with foil and bake another 25-35 minutes until internal temperature reads 145 degrees. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Make the glaze on the stovetop in a sauce pan while the pork is resting or while it is cooking. This recipe was originally adapted from my mother’s recipe and she made hers in the oven, not the Instant Pot and it was always delicious. 🙂
What if the loin is frozen? Had to store in a family members freezer as mine was too full and I didn’t get it out until this afternoon with no time to thaw before thanksgiving. I know it’ll change the cook time. Should I do 40 min uncovered and 40 min covered?