Oven-roasted Iberian pork loin is a delicious and very easy recipe. But it takes time to get the perfect point when the recipe is prepared in the oven; an alternative is to roast it in the oven in an ‘instant pot’. How is it done? Will it be as good as it is in the oven?
What is an instant pot pork loin roast?
The ‘instant pot’ is an invention that has revolutionized cooking. As its name suggests, the food is ready in a much shorter time than if you prepare it in an oven or in a traditional pot. The instant pot combines steam and heat so that food is ready in record time, but it is not a new invention, as it is a cooking technique that has already been used in the past, only now, it is done with a specific utensil.
Instant pots, or pressure cookers, include different configurations and work thanks to steam. The heat is distributed evenly over the entire surface of the pot and, depending on the model you choose, you can have different settings and modes of use. Just add the ingredients, lock the lid, choose the setting or program you want to use and sit back and wait for the timer to beep, so you know the recipe is ready. After that, all that's left for you to do is release the pressure in the pot naturally or through a steam valve.
Instant pot pork loin roast, an easy recipe
The pork loin is extracted from the upper part of the animal and is characterized by being very tasty, as long as it is cooked properly. This is due to the fact that the loin is, in itself, a rather dry meat, so it is very important to take care of the marinating time, as well as the temperature and the minutes of cooking.
In the oven, a pork loin roast takes about an hour to cook; but in an instant pot, you will have it ready in a matter of minutes, and the result is perfect! The best thing about an instant pot pork loin roast is that you can marinate it with the herbs you like and the flavor will be exceptional. Pork loin roast is very versatile!
Do not lose sight of the fact that the Iberian pork loin is a very lean cut with little fat. It contains enough protein, but it is difficult to cook.
Ingredients
- Boneless Iberian pork loin, whole.
- Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- One cup of chicken or beef broth.
- Herbs of your choice: rosemary, thyme, oregano. The herbs must be dried.
Preparation
- Remember to take the meat out of the refrigerator well in advance so that it is at room temperature when preparing the recipe.
- Heat the instant pot.
- While the pot is heating, add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the pot.
- Season the pork loin roast with the salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place the pork loin roast in the instant pot and brown the first side for approximately four minutes.
- Turn the pork loin over and brown for another four minutes.
- Use tongs to handle the loin roast and turn it over. When the sides are browned, it is time to brown the ends. To do this, hold the loin roast in a vertical position and sear the ends for two minutes each.
- Remove the loin roast and set aside.
- Pour one cup of chicken broth into the instant pot. You can use a ladle or cube of chicken stock, dissolved in water.
- While the broth is heating and with the help of a special spatula, scrape the browned pieces from the bottom of the pot.
- Place the special trivet included with the instant pot in the broth. This way, it will be upside down.
- Place the loin roast on top and seal the lid. Remember that the instant pot includes a sealing function so you will have to follow the instructions on the pot.
- Once you have made the adjustments, choose the manual cooking mode.
- Let it cook for eight minutes - don't forget the timer!
- When the eight minutes have passed and the cooking cycle has been completed, it is necessary to release the pressure in the pot to be able to remove the tenderloin.
- In this step, it is very important that the cooker is in "keep warm" mode while the pressure is released naturally.
- For natural pressure release (NPR mode), you will need to leave the loin roast inside the pot for 30 minutes.
- When the pressure has been released, then carefully vent the Instant Pot and remove the tenderloin.
- Let the loin roast rest in a special dish and cover it with aluminum foil. You should let the loin roast rest for about ten minutes, remember to always handle the loin roast with special tongs!