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Moist and flavorful Asian-style pork loin cooked in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. It’s so convenient and delicious for any weeknight or weekend meal.
I got a big slab of pork loin from Costco the other day because it was on sale. I portion the meat out into 2 1/2 – 3 lbs portions, wrap them up and freeze. Pork loin is a rather lean meat and so I usually like to roast it whole so the meat won’t dry out. Occasionally may slice it into thin strips for a quick stir-fry.
You may ask, can I cook this on the stove?
Of course you can, but I haven’t gone that route, to be honest. I’m too lazy to do that on the stove because it’s going to take a long time for a big roast like this. So I can’t give you the details on that as I’ve only cooked it with an Instant Pot pressure cooker.
Easy Instant Pot Ginger Honey Pork Loin
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless pork loin roast
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 10 g fresh ginger grated
To add last:
- 1 tsp sesame oil
To thicken the gravy:
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Remove the pork from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to cook so it has time to come to a room temperature. Pat the pork loin dry with an absorbent paper towel. Combine garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika in a small bowl and stir to combine. Rub this mixture all over the pork
Sear the meat:
- Press saute button on Instant Pot. Add the cooking oil. When it says "hot", add the pork.
- Let it brown for about 1 minute each side.
- Turn off the saute and remove the pork from the inner pot
Pressure cook the meat:
- The bottom of the pot that has all the brown bits from searing the meat earlier.
- Pour the chicken broth into the inner pot and use a wooden spatula to scrape all those brown bits. Those add flavors to the gravy later.
- Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, honey, and ginger. Stir to combine with the broth
- Add the seared pork loin back into the inner pot. Close the lid. Turn the steam release valve to "sealing". Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on "high pressure". Set the timer to 18 minutes and then do natural release, meaning to wait until the pressure release valve collapse on its own before you unlock the lid to open
- The internal temperature of the meat should reach at least 145 F (63 C). If it's not, turn the saute function back on and let it come to a simmer again. Turn it off and then close the lid and let it sit for 5 minutes and then check the temperature again to make sure it reaches at least 145 F
- Remove the meat from the pot to a serving platter. Cover loosely with an aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing so the meat remains juicy
Thicken the gravy:
- Have a taste on the gravy from cooking the meat. Adjust the seasonings to your preference. It should be savory with some hint of sweetness
- Combine cornstarch and water. Pour this mixture into the inner pot while whisking at the same time to prevent any lumps from forming. Turn on the saute mode again and let it come to a simmer while whisking. The sauce starts to thicken, add the sesame oil and continue to whisk.Once it has thickened nicely, turn off saute mode and carefully remove the inner pot from the heat source
To serve:
- Use a sharp knife to slice the pork into serving slices and drizzle with some gravy and/or serve with some gravy on the side
Store:
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. Simply reheat with the gravy until it's warm in the microwave so the meat won't dry out
- I like to use moist heat and usually like to steam them over medium heat until they are warm to eat, about 3-5 minutes or so. You can also reheat on the stove with the gravy
RECOMMEDED TOOLS
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
Important tips
1. Let the meat come to room temperature before cooking, especially for a big cut of meat like this. The meat cooks evenly which in result gives you a juicier result. The flavor also gets better because of the browning process, which doesn’t happen effectively in cold meat
2. Sear the meat
Searing the meat provides lots of flavor. the browning process (Maillard reaction) is responsible for the rich and complex flavor. It also adds “crust” to the meat, which I like when contrasted with the juicy meat on the inside. The crust also helps to seal in juice, which in result, a tender meat
3. Let the cooked meat rest before slicing
Once the meat is done cooking, let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. DO NOT slice into it immediately. You are risking losing all the juice before it has a chance to redistribute throughout the meat. You end up with dry slices of meat
Did you make this easy Instant Pot ginger honey pork loin recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag it to show me what you’ve made. Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
