This juicy Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin recipe, is made with Cloves, Cinnamon and tart Granny Smith Apples. This is a great alternative to turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin
With a few tips, you can make the perfect Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin in your Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker.
There are a lot of people not having great success with pork tenderloin, but I am here to show you how it is done.
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin
Pork Tenderloin is very lean and cooks up fast.
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Is there a difference between Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin?
Yes.
Pork Loin is a different and larger cut of meat. They run along the side of the Backbone.
- It is often referred to as Top Loin.
- When a recipe calls for “Pork Roast,” you would use a Pork Loin. Check out my Pressure Cooker Lechon Asado {Cuban Style Roasted Pork} recipe.
- Pork Loin is often cut into Pork Roasts and Pork Chops.
Pork Tenderloin comes from under the Backbone and is very lean.
- It is a smaller cut of meat. They are usually sold two to a package.
- Pork Tenderloin cooks up quickly and should be slightly pink in the center.
- Can I use Pork Tenderloin in your Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas recipe? Definitely not.
Prepare Pork Loin Spiced Rub
Substituting Another Cut of Pork
Can I use Pork Tenderloin in place of Pork Shoulder?
- No.
Can I use Pork Loin in place of Pork Shoulder?
- Yes. the cook time will be about 40% less.
Can I swap out Pork Chops for Pork Tenderloin?
Depends on the recipe.
I made your Instant Pot Char Sui Pulled Pork and used Pork Tenderloin. It was so dry, what happened?
- Tenderloin only needs a short cook time, so using tenderloin instead of pork butt with a longer cook time, will yield a very dry piece of pork.
Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
The Balsamic Vinegar Reduction will become the sauce over the Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin.
Sear the Pork Loin(s)
See all those brown bits? Full of flavor!
Deglaze the Pot Completely
A quick deglaze with a little of the balsamic sauce is all that is needed.
Soak the Apples in Lemon or Vinegar
To keep apples from turning brown, place them in a Mixing Bowl with Water and Lemon Juice or Vinegar.
Return Pork to Cooking Pot
This is going to be a quick cook.
This Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin recipe basically just cooks from the warmth of your Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker going up to Pressure and than back down.
This recipe uses LOW pressure, so make sure you adjust your Pressure Cooker accordingly.
Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
Tips and Tricks for Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin.
- Make sure to fully heat your Pressure Cooker fully hot before adding the oil. Why? – It helps to make a Stainless Steel Pot, non-stick. Good reason, I think. 🙂
- A Potato Starch dusting (which is optional) prior to searing, will help to make a nicer sauce, so a slurry is never needed. Plus, it is easier to maneuver the tenderloin in the pan during sauteing.
- Be careful not to sear the tenderloin for too long.
While the Pork Tenderloin is resting, the the rest of the balsamic sauce is added and then simmered to reduce.
Resting the pork tenderloin will helps the juices in the pork to redistribute and keep the tenderloin nice and juicy. If you cut right into the Pork, the juices will flow out and the Pork will be try.
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin
This Pressure Cooker Pressure Cooker Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin is delicious served with my Pressure Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Pressure Cooker Green Bean Casserole, Pressure Cooker Cranberry Sauce and more. The Pressure Cooker Garlic Whipped Potatoes is great as a side too!
More Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Pork Recipes to Make:
- Pressure Cooker Orange Glazed Pork Chops
- Pressure Cooker Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork w/Coconut Rice
- Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas {Crispy Mexican Pulled Pork}
- Pressure Cooker Chinese BBQ Char Siu Pulled Pork
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk– a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- Rachael Ray Stoneware EVOO Oil Dispensing Bottle
- Porcelain & Bamboo Salt Box with Spoon
- Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin
Print Pin Save RateIngredients
- 1 Tablespoon Grapeseed Oil (or Vegetable Oil)
- 3 pounds Pork Tenderloins (they come two to a package) silverskin removed
- 3 Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored, quartered)
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider
- 1 Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 Tablespoons Potato Starch optional**
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
Marinade
- 2 Tablespoons Grapeseed Oil (or Vegetable Oil)
- 1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
- 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
- 3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 1/16 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Remove the Silverskin from Tenderloins. Whisk together Marinade ingredients and rub into tenderloin(s). Set aside.
- Whisk together Balsamic Vinegar Reduction ingredients and set aside.
- Use the Sauté or Browning function on your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker and wait about 3 minutes to allow the pot to fully heat.
- Add oil to cooking pot.
- Lightly dredge tenderloins through potato starch.**
- Quickly sear tenderloins, one at a time, on all sides and ends until slightly browned, about 1-2 minutes each. Remove Tenderloins to a plate.
- Pour in apple cider and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze the pot, making sure to loosen all the brown bits.
- Pour in 1/4 cup of the the balsamic vinegar mixture and cinnamon stick. Simmer for one minute and then turn off Pressure Cooker.
- Return tenderloin and any juices, to the cooking pot and place apple slices on top.
- Lock on lid and close pressure valve. Cook at Low Pressure (most machines default to high) for 0 minutes.
- When Beep sounds, wait 5 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
- Remove tenderloins and apples to a plate. Tightly cover tenderloins with foil to allow juices to redistribute.
- Select Sauté/Browning and whisk in the rest of the balsamic vinegar mixture. Simmer until sauce has reduced by about 50%, or until think and syrupy.
- Add butter and whisk in well.
- Slice tenderloin and spoon sauce over top. Place apples on the side.
Notes
Side Dishes to Serve with Balsamic Apple Pork Tenderloin:
Nutrition
PIN this Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin!
Juicy Pressure Cooker Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin
Hi, Jill-
You’re totally right about cooking (real) pork tenderloin for this amount of time. I’m an experienced cook, although a newbie to pressure-cooking, and tried a pork tenderloin this evening for 7 minutes. Fine, but basically over cooked. I can’t believe folks are cooking pork tenderloins for longer!
I’ll try your 0 method next, although I’m avoiding messing around with sautéing in my small Instant Pot.
I made this tonight and it was delicious, but the apples definitely cooked to applesauce. One of my tenderloins was bigger than the other and didn’t cook in the allotted time. I put it back in on low pressure for two minutes and it was perfect.
Can you use pork chops instead of a pork tenderloin in this recipe?
Looking forward to trying this tomorrow. I know pork tenderloin is often packaged 2 per pack. Ingredients list 2 2-3# tenderloins…..thinking that 2-3# is the total for both? To me, it reads like each one is 2-3#. I don’t see any in my store that would be that large each….most packages were close to 2#…which would include 2 tenderloins of @ 1# each. I ended up buying 2 2# packages but pretty sure I will just do one package and freeze the other :-). Thanks!
Used high pressure when it called for low.. Oops! Maybe edit the recipe and capitalize low to emphasize? I’m just so used to high pressure.. Anyway the meat was great. The apples turned to mush, but they were delicious in the sauce. It gave it a bit of a texture and it turned out great. Served it with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce
In fact, the meat was WELLLLLLL overdone. But everything else was delicious. I used very old Gala apples instead of Grannies, and they stayed mostly intact through all my mistakes. Instead of apple cider, I used HARD apple cider. I didn’t have enough balsamic, but instead I added more hard cider and more brown sugar.
I’m almost positive that if I don’t hit the “CANCEL” button next time, it will be PERFECT. What an intensly flavored reduction!
So here’s my experience. This is a DELICIOUS recipe. The marinade is divine. I had to wing some of it, but still turned out great. My issue was in cooking. I followed your directions to a T, and set the cooker at low pressure at 0 minutes. When the beeper went off, I pushed “CANCEL” and waited 5 minutes. I think the “CANCEL” button may have been my mistake. As I had pushed it and waited 5 minutes, I came back to it with barely any pressure left, and a VERY underdone loin (story of my life, amirite??). Anyhow, I put it back on HIGH pressure for 0 minutes and left it without pushing “CANCEL” for 5 minutes, then vented it. The pork is thoroughly done, but without the pink I love.
I’m a novice Instant Pot user, but if I have identified the problem as pushing “CANCEL” after the low pressure cycle, maybe you could put a warning in there saying something like “DON’T PUSH CANCEL”? If that’s not the issue, then I’m not sure what I did wrong.
Wow. Amazing. The only change I made was to use pearl instead of apples, they were sweet and rich
By far the best pork tenderloin recipe I have.
0 minutes cook time
Adjust to Low pressure
It works great
Hallelujah! I made this last night. All the other recipes have cook time at 20-30 minutes which I just could not see how that would turn out tender pink tenderloins. I cooked only one tenderloin because there are only two of us. I cut the marinade and reduction ingredients in half. I was amazed when I opened the lid to find applesauce! But I continued, mixed it all up and served the most delicious pork tenderloin I have ever tasted. Tender and pink with the delicious apple and balsamic marinade. My husband raved and the two of us consumed the entire piece. Kodos to you for an original and SUPER recipe. *****
Hi Pat. I am so glad you enjoyed the Pork. 🙂 Tender and pink, is perfect! Jill
Hi! I made this mesl tonight, following your instructions in all, except using apple juice instead of cider. When I opened the lid of IP 5 min after bero (0 min on Low pressure, as instructed), the Apples were a mash. I stirred them inte the reduction, but wonder what went wrong… Do you have any idea? I used Granny Smith apples.
Hi Tanja. I’m sorry the apples were mushy. Wish I was there, so I could see what happened. Jill
If we can’t do butter (dairy allergy) should we omit or substitute?
i have a dairy allergy as well, and i’m planning on using smart balance original as a substitute just for the flavor. as far as i know it won’t thicken a sauce, so i’m going to have to play that part by ear.
There are only 2 of us, so 3-5 lbs. would be too much…can I just cook 1 lb. using the same time and other ingredients?
Hi Sharon, just cut the recipe in half. Jill
When you say to add apple cider to deglaze the pot, are you saying to use the marinade or fresh apple cider? Thanks!
Hi Alison. Fresh apple cider. Jill
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! For those asking, yes, the 0 minutes at low pressure is correct. The pork turned out juicy and tender and could almost be cut with a fork! I used apple juice instead of cider and added some cinnamon to the sauce to compensate. I served this with some baby purple and gold potatoes that I steamed in the IP and then sauteed in butter and it made a restaurant-quality meal. This one is going into our meal rotation!
Hi Andrea. Thank you so much for your comments. 🙂 Your meal sounds delicious. Jill
Can’t wait to try the Balsamic Spiced Apple Pork Tenderloin recipe, but is the cooking time really 0 minutes?
Do you really cook the pork for 0 minutes?
Cook at high pressure for “0” minutes? Just want to confirm that you basically bring up to pressure and then let NPR for 10 minutes. Thanks
This looks delicious! I love making tenderloin when I have guests over, so I’ll have to try this recipe! How long do you cook on high pressure? The recipe currently says “0 minutes.” I know the IP is fast…but probably not that fast!
I love this spiced pork tenderloin w/balsamic reduction recipe but I have an 8 at. Instant Pot. How should I adjust the recipe?
Cook at high pressure for “0” minutes. Idon’t understand this. Please explain.
Thanks
The way I read the recipe is low pressure for 0 minutes.