Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Apple Sauce
Use your electric pressure cooker to make Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Apple Sauce for a quick and easy weeknight meal your family will really enjoy.
The slightly-sweet sauce perfectly compliments the juicy pork tenderloin medallions.
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin Recipe
My favorite cut of pork on the ENTIRE pig is pork tenderloin.
If you look in the freezer at my house, you’d see that I’ve got at least 2-3 packages of pork tenderloin in there and that’s the case at all times.
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Pork tenderloin is absolutely essential for great, easy meals in a flash.
I also make this Cranberry Pork Tenderloin recipe in a skillet.
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes Skillet and this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe are delicious easy meals.
And speaking of bacon, how about Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloins with Peach Glaze? Talk about a fantastic flavor combination for the ole taste buds!
If it’s a pork tenderloin recipe that needs to be a little on the fancy side that you need, please try my Cherry-Pecan Pork Tenderloin Medallions.
WHAT TO LOVE
- Pork tenderloin is super economical. Because pork tenderloin has no bones, you can eat the entire piece of meat.
- Pork tenderloin is a cut of meat that gets little use on the pig so its very, very tender.
- Because pork tenderloin is a long and slender cut of meat, it cooks incredibly quickly, especially under pressure in the Instant Pot….just two minutes of pressurized cooking with an eight minute rest and it’s DONE!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Pork tenderloins: There are typically 2 in one package, each weighing about 1 pound.
- Your favorite steak seasoning: I like Montreal Steak Seasoning
- Olive oil, for searing the pork
- Flour
- Apple juice
- Apples, I used Honey Crisp
- Dried cranberries
- Brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Butter
TIPS FOR MAKING PORK TENDERLOIN IN THE INSTANT POT
- Be sure to sear the each pork tenderloin in the hot oil as the recipe directs. This is important because it gives LOTS of added flavor to the pork.
- Remember that when you are searing the pork tenderloins, you aren’t fully cooking them at this point – you’re just getting the exterior of the pork nice and brown. The pork will cook fully at the center during the pressurization process, so don’t worry!
Using the sauté setting on the Instant Pot, add 1 Tbs. oil.
When the oil is hot and sizzling, add a pork tenderloin, quickly browning it on all sides.
Transfer the tenderloin to a plate and reserve; repeat with the second pork tenderloin.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the flour to the Instant Pot.
Using the sauté setting, cook for 1 minute, stirring the flour occasionally.
Whisk in the apple juice, cranberries, brown sugar, and salt, stirring to bring up any browned particles from the bottom of the pot.
Add the sliced apples to the pot, then add both of the pork tenderloins, placing them right on top of everything.
Lock the Instant Pot lid into place. Choose the High Pressure setting for two minutes, bringing the Instant Pot up to full pressure.
When the timer sounds, perform a natural release for 8 minutes. If any pressure remains in the Instant Pot after the 8 minutes, perform a quick release at that point to remove any pressure.
The internal temperature of the pork tenderloins at this point will range from about 135-140 degrees F. Remove both pork tenderloins to a cutting board and tent with foil.
Meanwhile, using the sauté setting on the Instant Pot, stir in the butter to the apple mixture contents to make the sauce.
If you peeled the apples, everything will pretty much fall apart as you stir in the butter. Sauce will not be completely smooth due to the cranberries, FYI.
Or, if you’d like the sauce to be smooth, use an immersion blender to process for a few seconds.
Slice the pork tenderloins into medallions; serve on a bed of the apple sauce, or drizzle the sauce over the top of the pork tenderloin medallions, whichever you prefer. Enjoy!
WHAT IS THE PERFECT INTERNAL TEMPERATURE FOR PORK? IS IT STILL 160 DEGREES F. AT THE CENTER LIKE IT USED TO BE?
NOOOO!! The USDA says we can now safely cook all pork just until it’s 140-145 degrees F. at the center as a finished temperature.
Pork cooked to this temperature will have a slight pink tinge to the meat and that is perfect! No more gray, overcooked, funky pork – hallelujah!
IS PORK TENDERLOIN THE SAME THING AS PORK LOIN? IF NOT, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Pork tenderloin is a smaller cut of loin with exceptionally tender meat. Pork loin is a large cut of pork where you get your pork chops, roasts, and other meat.
And to learn all the pertinent details and the differences between the two, please read this post. There is a big difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin.
MORE FAVORITE RECIPES TO ENJOY
- CHEESE AND BACON SKILLET POTATOES
- HAM AND SMOKED GOUDA SLIDERS
- ROAST BEEF WELLINGTON PACKETS WITH CREAM HORSERADISH SAUCE
- OLD FASHIONED HAM SALAD
- AIR FRYER BRATS WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Apple Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins approx. 1 pound each
- 1 teaspoon your favorite steak seasoning, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup apple or cranberry juice
- 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 8 slices (may leave the peeling on the apples, if preferred)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Remove the pork tenderloin from refrigeration and unpackage; let the pork rest for 30 minutes on the counter to remove some of the chill from the meat. Season each pork tenderloin with the steak seasoning on all sides.2 pork tenderloins, 1 teaspoon your favorite steak seasoning, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning
- Using the sauté setting on the Instant Pot, add 1 Tbs. oil; when the oil is hot and sizzling, add a pork tenderloin, quickly browning it on all sides. Transfer the tenderloin to a plate and reserve; repeat with the second pork tenderloin2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the flour to the Instant Pot. Using the sauté setting, cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Whisk in apple juice, cranberries, brown sugar, and salt, stirring to bring up any browned particles from the bottom of the pot. Add the sliced apples to the pot, then add both of the pork tenderloins, placing them right on top of everything.1 cup apple or cranberry juice, 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 8 slices, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Lock the Instant Pot lid into place; choose the High Pressure setting for two minutes (yes, TWO minutes, that's it), bringing the Instant Pot up to full pressure.
- When the timer sounds at the end of the cooking time, perform a natural release for 8 minutes. (Just walk away and let the pressure come down on it's own for this 8 minute period of time.) If any pressure remains in the Instant Pot after the 8 minutes, perform a quick release at that point to remove any pressure.
- Remove both pork tenderloins to a cutting board and tent with foil.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Meanwhile, using the sauté setting on the Instant Pot, stir in the butter to the apple mixture contents to make the sauce. **If you peeled the apples, everything will pretty much fall apart as you stir in the butter; sauce will not be completely smooth due to the cranberries, fyi. Or, if you'd like the sauce to be super smooth, use an immersion blender to process for a few seconds.
- Slice the pork tenderloins into 1/2-inch thick medallions; serve on a bed of the apple cranberry sauce, or drizzle the sauce over the top of the pork tenderloin medallions, whichever you prefer. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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