Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Apples

Name: Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Apples
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each); 3 apples, cored and cut into wedges; 1/2 cup apple cider; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon dried sage; 2 tablespoons butter

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

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Pork and apples have been getting along for centuries, presumably because pork has the richness and apples have the good sense to bring acid and sweetness. Here, two pork tenderloins get seasoned with sage, salt, and pepper, browned on Sauté mode, then pressure cooked over apple wedges with a sauce of cider, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar.

The pressure time is only three minutes. That sounds absurdly short until you remember tenderloin is a lean, relatively small cut and the pot continues cooking during the 10-minute natural release. This is not pork shoulder; giving it an hour would produce something with the moisture content of office furniture. Searing first builds the browned exterior, while the cider deglazes those flavorful bits before pressure cooking begins. After the pork rests for five minutes, butter gets stirred into the apples and cooking liquid to soften the edges of the mustard-cider sauce. Slice the tenderloin and spoon the apples over the top. The fruit becomes tender without vanishing, the sauce lands sweet-tart rather than sugary, and sage keeps the whole plate firmly in savory territory.

Prep20 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total45 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
3 apples, cored and cut into wedges
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1Season tenderloins with salt, pepper, and sage.
2Set Instant Pot to sauté. Heat olive oil and sear tenderloins 2 minutes per side until browned. Remove.
3Whisk apple cider, Dijon, and brown sugar together. Pour into the pot and deglaze.
4Add apple wedges and place tenderloins on top.
5Lock lid, high pressure for 3 minutes. Natural release 10 minutes, then quick release.
6Remove pork and let rest 5 minutes. Stir butter into the apples and sauce.
7Slice pork and serve with apples and pan sauce spooned over top.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

640Calories

62 gProtein

28 gCarbohydrates

32 gTotal Fat

12 gSaturated Fat

4 gFiber

22 gTotal Sugars

800 mgSodium

175 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Don't overcook pork tenderloin — 145°F internal temp with a 3-minute rest is perfect. It should still have a blush of pink.
The natural release is important. It lets the pork finish cooking gently without going past done.
Searing first creates a crust and adds flavor to the sauce through fond.

Substitutions

pork tenderloin → boneless pork chops (reduce cook time to 1 minute) Chops are faster but less impressive for presentation.

apple cider → apple juice or chicken broth Apple juice is sweeter; broth is savory.

Dijon mustard → whole grain mustard for more texture Visible mustard seeds add rustic character.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate sliced pork in sauce for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the sauce.

Make Ahead

Season the pork and prep the sauce the night before. The actual cook time is under 20 minutes.

Freezing

Yes. Freeze the cooked pork with some of the cider-Dijon sauce, but expect the apples to soften further. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat gently so the tenderloin does not dry out.

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