Easy Instant Pot Pork Loin - Paleo/AIP Friendly - Lakes and Lattes (2024)

FAQs

Why is my pork loin tough in Instant Pot? ›

If you find that your instapot pulled pork is tough after cooking, it's likely because you did a quick pressure release instead of a natural pressure release. Make sure you do a natural pressure release for 2 minutes before opening the vent.

If you're not confident in your cooking skills, there is one foolproof way to guarantee your pork ends up on the tender side, even if you cook it too long: Soak it in a brine or a marinade. According to Hazel, these kinds of preparations always produce the most tender outcomes.

While pork loin offers a larger size, robust flavor, and versatility in cooking methods, pork tenderloin boasts tenderness, lean meat, and a milder taste. By choosing the appropriate cut and applying suitable cooking techniques, you can create mouthwatering dishes that highlight the best qualities of each cut.

Marinating the tenderloin in a mix of apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, onion powder, and salt makes it even juicier—find the full recipe for Honey-Mustard Pork Tenderloin here.

At 400 degrees F, a 1-pound pork tenderloin will cook in 8 to 10 minutes after being seared on the stove. Unlike tough, fatty cuts of meat (like the shoulder used for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork), leaner cuts like pork tenderloin do not become more tender the longer they cook.

Unlike the more lean tenderloin and chops, pork shoulder is an incredibly forgiving cut of meat. It becomes more tender as it cooks and benefits from a lengthy cook time, so even if it stays on the heat a few minutes too long, you won't suddenly end up with something dry or rubbery.

How do you tenderise pork for stir fry? Velveting is a Chinese technique that helps keep meat tender during stir frying. Adding cornstarch and bicarb to your meat during the marinating process helps to coat your meat, giving it a velvety feel that makes the meat feel extra soft.

Apply dry rub and refrigerate the pork for at least 8 hours.

Create your dry rub by combining 2 tsp (6 g) of salt, 1 tsp (2 g) of dried herbs, and ½ tsp (1 g) of black pepper. Blot each side of the pork chops so they're totally dry, and then coat the meat with the seasoning.

Pork tenderloin may be the trimmest of them all, but the loin cuts, including pork chops and roasts, are the next leanest with 147 calories and a smidge over 5 grams of fat per 3-ounce serving.

Is pork loin better for you than steak? ›

Is pork worse than beef? Both pork and beef are high in proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. However, beef tends to have more calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol than pork. Pork may be a better choice, then, if you're trying to manage your blood cholesterol levels.

You can shred pork loin to make a massive batch of pulled pork great for cook-outs, potlucks, parties for a sizable group, or for lunches and dinners — with plenty of extras to freeze and reheat. This dish can be served by itself or "sloppy joe" style on hamburger buns.

The size and structure of a tenderloin make it perfect for cooking quickly on high heat. You want to be able to brown the outside while still keeping it a little pink on the inside.

Acids help tenderize the pork chops by breaking down the protein in the meat. Here are some examples of ingredients that can act as tenderizers: Soy sauce: Acts as a tenderizing brine and adds significant flavor. Apple cider vinegar: Another acidic ingredient that's also amazingly healthy (I love cooking with it).

The thinner your pork chops are, the higher your chances of getting tough meat is going to be. In my recipe, I specify the thickness of the chops as 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick. Like most home cooks, I just eye-ball it when I'm cutting my chops.

Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat. Earlier, I explained how ingredient size affects the cooking time.

Choping it fine and adding sauce should work even with the most overcooked pork. Another idea is to buzz the hell out of it in the food processor, mix with finely chopped green onions, shredded cabbage or bamboo shoots, minced garlic and ginger, add soy sauce and sesame oil, then use it in pot stickers or su mai.