Instant Pot Pork Chops with Apple Gravy
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These fall-off-the bone pork chops in a sweet and savory gravy will have everyone at the table smacking their lips and asking for more! The little bit of apple butter in my Instant Pot Pork Chops gives the gravy a creamy texture and infuses the whole dish with cinnamon spice. This tasty recipe is easy enough to make for dinner any night of the week!
Brown pork chops on both sides (using the sauté setting), then pressure cook them for 15 minutes with onions, garlic, and chicken broth until they are moist and tender. Although the chops themselves have plenty of flavor, the apple onion gravy on top makes them extra special.
Looking for more pork chop inspiration? My pan-fried balsamic pork chops and orange mustard glazed pork chops are delicious recipes using boneless chops. Or, if you’re itching to fire up the grill my easy pork chop marinade is a must!
Why you’re going to love it!
- Simple ingredients. You probably already have everything you need.
- Bursting with flavor. A blend of sweet and savory.
- A family favorite. Enjoyed by even the pickiest eaters!
Key ingredients and substitutions
- Pork chops — Naturally, bone-in chops add much more flavor, but either bone-in or boneless pork loin chops, 3/4 to 1-inch thick, work for this recipe. I have not tried this recipe with frozen pork chops.
- Chicken broth — For any electric pressure cooker recipe you must add liquid (like water or broth) so that the cooker can build up enough steam to cook the food properly. Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth or stock may be substituted here.
- Apple butter — Baste the chops with thick apple butter to infuse them with apple cinnamon flavor. If you don’t have apple butter on hand, you may add a couple of diced apples and a teaspoon of cinnamon to the pot along with the onions and garlic. Then, as you prepare the gravy whisk until the apples break up and thicken the sauce.
- Onion and garlic — These aromatics add the savory component to the dish. A teaspoon of jarred minced garlic may be used in place of fresh garlic.
Special equipment needed
- Instant Pot — I held out on getting one for a long time before I finally landed on an Instant Pot. It’s so easy to use, and gives you delicious results! This recipe will work in any kind of electric pressure cooker, so feel free to use your preferred brand.
How to cook instant pot pork chops
STEP 1 | Brown the pork chops
- When you’re ready to get started, set the pressure cooker to SAUTE and brown the pork chops in a little bit of oil. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size and how many pork chops you plan to cook.
- Transfer the pork chops to a plate once browned, then stir in the onion and garlic and cook a couple of minutes until softened.
STEP 2 | Deglaze the pot
- Add a cup of chicken broth to the instant pot and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom.
- Return the pork chops to the instant pot and spread a spoonful of apple butter on top of each one.
STEP 3 | Cook until tender
- Seal the lid and steam vent. Set the cooking time for 15 minutes on HIGH and do a 10 minute natural pressure release (NPR) when done.
- Release any remaining pressure after the NPR, then carefully transfer the pork chops to a serving platter, leaving the liquid in the pot.
STEP 5 | Make the gravy
- The gravy-like sauce in this dish is achieved by stirring a cornstarch mixture into the hot cooking liquid.
- Make a slurry of equal parts cold chicken broth and cornstarch and slowly add it to the pot and whisk until the gravy thickens.
- Ladle the gravy on top of the pork chops in the serving platter.
tip
- Cornstarch works as a good thickening agent in soups and stews. As a general rule, make a slurry of equal parts cold water and cornstarch and slowly add it to simmering soup or stew to thicken the broth.
Serving suggestions
Serve juicy pork chops and gravy over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice and add a tossed green salad to complete the meal. Other side dish options include my honey carrots or browned butter asparagus — both are easy sheet pan recipes!
Frequently asked questions
If you try cooking thinner pork chops, they may end up a bit tasteless. Since the chops release some of their juices as they cook, use a thicker 3/4 to 1-inch chop to preserve as much flavor inside as possible.
You only need enough liquid to allow the pressure cooker to build up steam (in this recipe just 1 cup). More than that and your gravy will be thin and not as flavorful.
Pay attention to the instructions with your pressure cooker and adhere to guidelines related to the fill line.
Instant Pot Pork Chops: behind the recipe
As I’ve admitted before, I was late to the instant pot craze and have just recently started experimenting with new instant pot recipes.
Truthfully, I wasn’t sure I needed another kitchen appliance, but I’m finding there are some dishes that are just better in a pressure cooker — and a lot quicker, too! I’ll never cook fresh green beans on the stove again!
If you’re like me and have been a little apprehensive about pressure cooking, let me encourage you to try today’s simple pork chops recipe. I’ll walk you through step-by-step and I guarantee after cooking this dish, you’ll be hooked!
Instant Pot Pork Chops with Apple Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce bone-in pork loin chops about 3/4-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth divided
- ¼ cup apple butter
- ¼ cup cornstarch
Instructions
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set the Instant Pot to the SAUTE function. Warm the oil and add the pork chops. Brown on each side, about 2 minutes. Remove the pork chops to a plate.
- Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook a couple of minutes, until softened.
- Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth to the Instant Pot and deglaze the pan, scraping away any brown bits from the bottom.
- Return the pork chops to the pot and spread a spoonful of apple butter on top of each one.
- Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. It will take 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. Naturally release for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the remaining ½ cup of chicken broth. Remove the pork chops to a platter and set the Instant Pot to SAUTE. Once the mixture comes to a boil, slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until the gravy reaches the desired thickness.
- Serve the pork chops with the apple gravy.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
Loved this recipe! I had not found a recipe with pork chops that I enjoyed until now.
Thanks, it’s just perfect as is, tender chops and so good!