Instant Pot Pork Stew [Video]

Instant Pot Pork Stew is the perfect comfort food to make on a busy weeknight in a fraction of the time! Tender pieces of pork cooked in a flavorful broth with red wine and veggies. This recipe is great to add to meal plans and also freeze for later to have on hand.

Instant Pot Pork Stew recipe is a tasty dish with amazing flavor and the easiest way to cook a hearty stew in a fraction of the time. While the traditional method of cooking this dish is equally delicious, it involves more steps and the cooking time is longer. Therefore, I tweaked the recipe for this one-pot meal to make it in less time, but still, keep all the great flavors as in the original recipe.

This stew is a quick version of a traditional comfort food full of juicy chunks of pork loin, tender carrots, red potatoes, peas, mushrooms, and celery cooked under high pressure until it is blasting with flavors. The tomato and wine broth-based soup is seasoned with fresh garlic, onion, and bay leaves to infuse every piece of meat and vegetable in the pot. It is fast and easy to make in just 30 minutes with a few simple steps.

Instant pot recipes are a time saver. They also reduce the cooking process, so you can rest or concentrate on other things. Cooking meat in the instant pot is like slow-cooking it for hours.

Why you will love this recipe

• It is cheap: You can feed everyone for under $20.
• No special skills: Using an instant pot is easy. Just press the button and let it cook.
• Fast food: You get a full, comforting meal for the whole family in 30 minutes.
• Easy cleanup: One pot to clean. That’s all!

What you’ll need to make instant pot pork stew

Special items:

• Instant pot – I use a six-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus.
• Wooden spoon – To stir and scrape the bottom of the pot.

Ingredients:

• Meat: For this recipe, we use a piece of pork loin, however, pork tenderloin, pork butt, or pork shoulder would work great.
• Seasoning: A mixture of salt and ground black pepper. In addition, you can add some smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder.
• Flour: Also, we use a bit of all-purpose flour to coat the meat pieces into, this helps absorb the moisture and therefore they are easier to saute.
• Oil: You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil.
• Vegetables: A combination of yellow onion, garlic, carrots, celery, baby Bella mushrooms, mini red potatoes, and frozen peas.
• Liquid: Everything is cooked in a mixture of chicken stock and red wine. However, you can also use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or beef broth.
• Thickener: To extra flavor, but not extra liquid to this easy recipe we use tomato paste, and a cornstarch mixture.
• Herbs: We don’t use many herbs in this recipe except bay leaves, but feel free to use more.

How do you make Instant Pot Pork Stew?

1. Sauté mode: First, start by tossing the pork cubes in flour, salt, and black pepper, in a large bowl. Click on the saute button and add the oil to the bottom of the pot. Brown the pieces of meat in a single layer and after that set it aside.
2. Brown the veggies: Still using the sauté function, cook the onion and garlic.
3. Deglaze: After that, add the wine and scrape the browned bits that stuck to the bottom of the inner pot.
4. Cancel saute: Next, press cancel to turn off the saute mode, and add back the meat, followed by tomato paste, carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, and beef broth. Season and stir well, and add the bay leaf.
5. Pressure cook: Close the lid and seal the valve, and pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
6. Natural pressure release: After that, when the pressure cooker beeps, do a 10-minute natural release.
7. Quick pressure release: Then, using the quick release method release pressure by carefully opening the valve.
8. Sauté function: After releasing the remaining pressure, carefully open the electric pressure cooker and select saute again.
9. Thickener: Now, if the sauce is too thin, mix the cornstarch mixture and add it to the pot. Cook for a few minutes, also adjust for salt and pepper.
10. Serve: When the delicious pork stew recipe is ready to be enjoyed, sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley on top and serve it.

Expert tip

Type of pork for instant pot pork stew

The great thing about stewing meat, especially in the instant pot, is that it tenderizes it. So, you can use an inexpensive cut of pork that you would not usually buy, and it will eventually be tender after cooking it in the pot under high pressure. You could use a more expensive cut, but it would not taste as good because the lower-priced pork cuts have more flavor. That is because they have more fat, which means more flavor.

Pork shoulder, also known as Boston butt or pork butt, is a traditional pork stew meat because it is inexpensive, it tastes great, and it has a lot of marbleized fat. Pork loin is what I use because it is tender and also has a lot of fat to make it tender and juicy. But I can cut off the fat I do not want because it mainly runs along the top. It is a lot easier to cut into smaller pieces than the others.

Pork tenderloin is a cut that is better for cooking fast because it is leaner and does not have a lot of fat for flavor. You have to be careful not to overcook it because it can become dry and tough easily. It is also more expensive. Pork chops would also be okay for this recipe. Pork steaks would be even better because they have a lot of extra fat and are inexpensive.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Different meat: Instead of pork, use chicken, beef, or turkey for a different taste.
• Add pineapple: My kids love it when I add pineapple pieces to the stew.
• Mexican pork stew: Add taco seasoning, Rotel, black beans, poblano peppers, corn, and red pepper flakes for Mexican-style stew.
• Add seasonings: You can add your favorite herbs and spices, such as paprika, thyme, oregano, basil, and rosemary.
• Crockpot version: In addition, if you don’t have an instant pot, make this slow cooker pork stew.
• Veggies: Add some sweet potatoes, bell peppers, red onion, whole garlic cloves, and some fresh tomatoes for extra acidity and sweetness.
• Beans: This easy recipe can be made vegetarian, or just make it heartier by using pinto beans, black beans, or chickpeas.
• Spicier: If you prefer your food on the spicier side, use some cayenne pepper, chili peppers, peppers in adobo sauce, or a can of diced green chiles.

Serving suggestions:

Instant pot pork stew can be served in many ways. Here are some ideas I like.

• You have to have some bread to dip in. I have lots of bread and roll recipes. Try my easy 30-minute dinner rolls while the stew is cooking.
• Or I like to serve it in homemade bread bowls.
• This stew would also be delicious with a bowl of tortilla chips topped with guacamole and sour cream.
• For a heartier meal, serve with some white or brown rice on the side.
• Another type of bread you can dip in this tasty stew is this buttery southern cornbread made with honey, brown sugar, and buttermilk.
• Stew also pairs well with a salad. I like something light and refreshing, like this grilled asparagus salad.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my pork stew meat so tough?

If you do not let your pork stew enjoy a natural release for 10 minutes after cooking for at least 20 minutes, you will end up with chewy or tough meat because it will be undercooked. Then again, if you cook it for over 20 minutes and let it sit for a 30+ natural release, it may be overcooked. Check the temperature of the meat. If it is 145 degrees F, that is enough cooking time. Anything under that is in the danger zone. But over that, it will likely give you tough meat because it keeps cooking as it rests.

Why isn’t my stew thick?

You may have added too much wine or stock. Or it could have come from the frozen vegetables. If you add other veggies, such as zucchini, broccoli, corn, carrots, cucumber, and tomato, remember that they have a high water content and will add liquid to your stew. This is not a problem, though. You can make cornstarch slurry and make it as thick as you like. If you do not have any cornstarch, you can use flour, potato starch, arrowroot, or xanthan gum.

Does the STEW function on the instant pot work for making pork stew?

I do not use it in this recipe because the chunks of meat are small, but you can use it for stews with larger chunks of meat. Although different brands have various ways of doing things, they all cook stew the same way. When you press the STEW button, it automatically goes to the high setting for 35 minutes, which allows it to simmer to let the meat tenderize and soak up the flavors. I prefer to sauté mine first and then set it to high for 20 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

Do I have to brown my meat first?

Although you do not have to, browning your pork will make a big difference in the flavor and texture of your meat. Also known as searing or caramelizing, it is an easy step that only takes you a few minutes. The Maillard reaction is how heating brings out the natural sugar and amino acids in it to add flavor, aroma, and crispy texture. It also locks the juices inside the meat without locking out the additional flavorings and seasonings you add. I would not skip this step if you want flavorful stew.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: First, cool it down and transfer the leftover stew to an airtight container, then refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze: To freeze the pressure cooker pork stew, put it in freeze-proof containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: Transfer it from the freezer for the fridge section and thaw it overnight. In addition, make sure to reheat it well to kill any bacteria.
• Reheat: Either reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. Also, make sure to adjust the seasoning if needed.

More pork recipes:

Recipe tips:

• Pork loin or sirloin is the best for this recipe. I use two pounds of pork loin.
• Instead of using the STEW function, I cook mine on high for 20 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
• Ensure the meat is not undercooked or overcooked, so it is not tough.
• Add cornstarch slurry or some other type of thickener if your juice is not thick enough.
• Do not skip browning your pork. This will lock all the flavors and juices inside the meat.
• The right temperature for pork is 145 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer.
• Always deglaze the pot after sautéing. Otherwise, you are likely to end up with a BURN notice.