Instant Pot Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin | Slimming Eats Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why is my pork tenderloin tough in Instant Pot? ›

While you can cook meat from frozen in the Instant Pot, I don't recommend making this Instant Pot pork tenderloin frozen, as it would hinder your ability to sear the pork and add the spice rub. Why is My Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin Tough? If your pork tenderloin is tough, it's likely been overcooked.

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.

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.

Does pork tenderloin get more tender the longer you cook it? Quite the opposite, actually! Pork tenderloin should be cooked quickly and then left to rest to ensure it stays tender.

To tenderize pork before cooking it, try breaking up the tough muscle by hitting it with a meat mallet evenly across the surface of the meat. Then, if you want your pork to be extra tender, you can marinate it in a tenderizing marinade made with acids, like citrus juices, vinegar, or wine.

Sear pork, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 6–8 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven (if you don't have an oven-safe skillet, transfer pork to a baking dish) and roast, flipping pork halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140°, 14–18 minutes.

Once the pork loin roast reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, remove it from the oven, and let it rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes. This gives the meat time to reabsorb all its juices. You can also brine the pork before you cook it, which ensures the meat stays tender, juicy, and well-seasoned.

Slow cooking the meat means it never has the chance to toughen up and will be extra silky and tender. Pressure cooking is faster, though you may lose a little bit of the tenderness. If you're going for the pressure cook method, be sure to get a pork shoulder or pork butt, as opposed to a pork loin.

Washing beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination. Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe.

Oven: Heat oven to 425°F. Place pork on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast 25 to 30 minutes per pound.

Do you sear pork tenderloin before or after baking? ›

Sear the pork on the stove until golden brown on all sides. Finish by baking them in the oven.

No matter which cut of pork you use, DO NOT release the pressure right away. The slow release will keep the meat tender. An immediate release can be why your Instant Pot pulled pork is tough. It will cause the meat to seize and toughen.

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.

The amount of time your pork will need to cook, depends on how many pounds you purchase. The general rule of thumb is 20 minutes per pound. So, if you have 3 pounds of meat, you will cook for 60 minutes.

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.

If it's still tough, you will need to cook it longer. The pressure cooking process breaks down tough meat, making it tender. Put the lid back on, seal the pressure cooker, and cook at high pressure for another 10 to 20 minutes.

However, when it comes to making a juicy and flavorful loin roast, there are a few general guidelines you can follow: Brine the pork to maintain moisture by soaking it in a mixture of salt and water, baking soda, vinegar or even milk.

And since overcooking shrinks meat fibers and squeezes our juices, overcooked pork is tough and dry. It's well worth investing in a meat thermometer or slender multi-use digital thermometer, to take away the guesswork .