Making a pork loin has never been so easy! Add your pork to your Instant Pot, set for 55 minutes, and sit back and wait. The result is this flavorful Instant Pot Apple Cider Pork Loin! And if you are new to the Instant Pot check out my other Instant Pot recipes.
Table of Contents
Why This Instant Pot Apple Cider Pork Loin is Special
Pork loins are an inexpensive cut of pork that can be made into a variety of different meals. The flavors of the pork and apple combine beautifully to make this dish perfect for any night of the week.
This recipe is flavored with onions, garlic, and hard cider. However, if you don’t drink alcohol, you could use either apple juice or apple cider. Both will work just fine.
By using the Instant Pot on the manual setting you can really infuse the meat with the wonderful flavor of apple.
And if you don’t have an Instant Pot, I have also included a slow cooker method below!
What is Pork loin?
Not to be confused with its cousin, the pork tenderloin, the pork loin is a larger cut of meat that comes from the back of the pig. Very much like the tenderloin or a pork chop, this cut of meat is very lean.
The loin is a much bigger cut of meat so it’s often called a “roast” or as the “center-cut pork roast”.
If you pick up a large whole loin, cut it up and make a couple of different roasts out of it. Or you can cut lots of boneless pork chops from just one pork loin.
I like to purchase a pork loin when it is on sale so I can make many meals from it. It’s a great value especially since there is very little waste with such a large cut of pork.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Vegetable oil
- White onion
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic
- Pork loin
- Hard cider or apple cider
How to Cook Pork Loin in an Instant Pot
This pork loin is so flavorful and so easy to make. It’s so tender and moist, and the browning of the sides of the loin before you pressure cook it in the Instant Pot gives it a nice flavor.
Here are the steps:Â
- If you are using hard cider, set it out and allow it to go flat.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté.
- Add oil to the pot and heat it until it’s hot.
- Add sliced onion, garlic, and salt.
- Sauté until the onions are slightly translucent.
- Season the pork loin with salt and pepper.
- Place the pork loin in the pot.
- Sauté the pork all sides until lightly browned on all sides.
- Add the flat hard cider.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot.
- Pressure cook for 55 minutes.
- Perform a quick release at the end of the cooking time.
What if my roast is slightly smaller or bigger, do I need to change the time listed?
No. Leave the time as listed. Pressure cooking requires the dish to be under pressure for the listed time.
Tips for Buying, Cooking, and Serving Pork Loin
- When buying a pork loin, choose one with pinkish-red color with some marbling in the meat. Do not pick up a loin with meat that is pale in color or has dark spots in the fat.
- How much pork loin do I need per person? The rule of thumb is to plan on 1/2 pound per person when serving pork, a roast, steak, or chicken.
- It’s always best to cook the loin right away but it can stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cooking. Make sure you let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pork is ready when it measures 145°F with your meat thermometer.
What to Serve with Instant Pot Apple Cider Pork Loin
There are so many wonderful side dishes to serve with this dish. Try one of these delicious recipes:
- Baked Cauliflower with Cheese
- Buttery Mashed Potatoes
- Creamed Corn Casserole
- Roasted Red Potatoes Recipe
- Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese
Check Out These Great Instant Pot Recipes
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Irish Stew
- Instant Pot Stick of Butter Rice
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Parmesan Risotto
- Spaghetti and Sausage
- Thai Yellow Chicken Curry
Find lots of easy pork recipes and the best Instant Pot recipes here on CopyKat!
Are you ready to make this Instant Pot Apple Cider Pork Loin? Make sure you let me know what you think in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow me on Facebook or Instagram or subscribe to my mailing list for the latest CopyKat recipes!
Instant Pot Apple Cider Pork Loin
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large sliced white onion
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic
- salt and pepper to season pork loin
- 5 pounds pork loin
- 1 1/2 cups hard cider or apple cider
Instructions
For the Instant Pot
- If you are using hard cider, measure out your hard cider, and allow it to go flat while you prepare the remaining part of the recipe.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté.
- Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pot and heat oil until it is hot.
- Add sliced onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt.
- Sauté until the onions are almost translucent.
- Season the pork loin with salt and pepper.
- Place the pork loin in the pot.
- Sauté the pork all sides until it just begins to brown.
- Add flat hard cider.
- Place and secure the lid on the Instant Pot.
- Pressure cook for 55 minutes on the manual setting.
- Once the roast has finished cooking, perform a quick release.
For the Slow Cooker
- If you are using hard cider, measure out your hard cider, and allow it to go flat while you prepare the remaining part of the recipe.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
- When the oil has heated but not smoking, add sliced onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt.
- Sauté until the onions until translucent.
- Transfer the onions and garlic to the slow cooker.
- Season pork loin with salt and pepper.
- Sauté the pork on all sides until brown.
- Transfer the browned pork loin to the slow cooker.
- Add cider to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.
Video
Recipe Tips for the Cook
- When buying a pork loin, choose one with pinkish-red color with some marbling in the meat. Do not pick up a loin with meat that is pale in color or has dark spots in the fat.
- How much pork loin do I need per person? The rule of thumb is to plan on 1/2 pound per person when serving pork, a roast, steak or chicken.
- It’s always best to cook the loin right away but it can stay in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cooking. Make sure you let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pork is ready when it measures 145°F with your meat thermometer.
Brandie
I have a 5 lb pork loin that I want to make into pulled pork in my Instant Pot. Should I add 5 mins to the cook time you listed or is it tender enough after the cook time you listed to shred?
Stephanie
No need to add extra minutes, pressure cooking is different. You want the meat to be at pressure for the specified amount of time. The more the meat, it will take a little longer to get to pressure.
Kristen
If I use a 2.5 – 3 lb roast do I have to adjust time? Thanks and sorry if this has already been asked!!
Stephanie
No, the time does not need to be changed. Pressure cooking requires the whole dish to be under pressure for the recommended amount of time.
Charlene C Derrington
Why are the calories so high? And the Cholesterol & Sodium?
Stephanie
Great question, I had the portion amount wrong, I had the whole pork loin as 1 serving.
Sarah
I’m making a 5 pound Parklane tonight do I use the manual setting or do I use the meat setting and for how long
Stephanie
I wrote the recipe for the manual setting. Please use the manual setting as stated in the recipe.
Sherry bailor
Is there a difference between the instant pot & a pressure cooker or us it just another name for it?
Stephanie
It is a brand name for a pressure cooker.
Jeni Weisgerber
I made this this evening (New Year’s Day) as my first meal in my Christmas-gifted Instant Pot. I used a 2.25 lb pork loin roast, didn’t have hard cider or garlic, but used 1.5 cups of Ikea Apple Cider. Great reviews from family. Thank you.
Stephanie
I am glad it worked out well for you! Happy New Year!
Barbara
Can I add sauerkraut
Ann
I have a pulled pork recipe for the slow cooker that calls for 12 ounces of root beer and a pork tenderloin for 6 hours. Then add your favorite barbeque sauce. Ideas for turning it into an instant pot recipe?
Stephanie
Is it a pork loin or a tenderloin? They would take dramatically different cooking times. If it was a pork loin, I would use the meat setting on the Instant Pot, and if not, I would use cut in cooking time down quite a bit, perhaps a manual setting of about 25 minutes or so.
Karen
I cut the roast in half and that seemed to work out great. What do you do with all that lovely juice?
Stephanie
You could thicken it with a cornstarch slurry and turn it into a sauce.
Deb G.
I’m allergic to alcohol so I’m thinking apple juice would be a good sub. for the cider. Would that work?
Stephanie
Those should work as well.
Rodney
the alcohol would evaporate off with the heat of cooking, so you wont get any alcohol
Stephanie
I take the advice given here. https://www.oasas.ny.gov/admed/fyi/fyi-cooking.cfm
I think there will be alcohol left over.
Sue
Hi Stephanie, I used your recipe this evening for our dinner and it was delicious. I have a couple questions though. First, how do you get a 5 to 6 lb. pork loin in the Instant Pot? I had to cut mine in half and stand the two halves on end to make them fit. Second, when I put it on manual it came up low pressure and I changed it to high pressure for 55 minutes. It was delicious but it was somewhat dry. Would that be because of cutting it in half or changing it from low pressure to high pressure. I’ve never used low pressure before. Thanks so much, I will definitely be returning for more recipes. Thanks again.
Kari
Avoiding manual pressure release and using natural pressure release helps reduce dryness/toughness in instant pot meats
Lee
Is the cook time for a 2.5 lb roast half the time? I’m new to the instant pot.
Stephanie
I would try shaving off about 25% of the time and then check for doneness.
Liz
Do you do the manual setting on the Instant Pot on high or low?
Jacqueline
Has anyone tried this with a smaller roast? Do you adjust cooking time or amount of liquid? Just me and my husband. About to try, looks tasty!
dale geraldson
when you pressure cook the size makes no diff 1lb to 6lbs you cook the same time
Carol Kiser
What is the difference between an instant pot and a slow cooker. I have the latter. Is is possible to convert an instant pot recipe to a cooker.
Stephanie
The Instant Pot can act as a pressure cooker. Here is a post I wrote about Instant Pots.
https://copykat.com/should-you-get-an-instant-pot/, I added the directions to make this a slow cooker recipe.
Carol
What is the difference between and Instant Pot and a slow cooker? I have the latter so how would I convert a recipe for an instant pot to the cooker?
Pat
There’s no recipe here…
Foodiewife
I can see the recipe perfectly! Did you scroll down to the end?
Lnda
Can you do this on anothe container…..I don’t have an INSTANT pot? Slow cooker???