We love pork and fresh mushrooms, so we wanted to create a recipe to make pork chops in the Instant Pot with a fresh and flavorful gravy. These Instant Pot Pork Chops with Mushroom and Onion Gravy make a great supper!
This post is sponsored by Indiana Pork, but all opinions are my own!
Pork Chops in an Electric Pressure Cooker
As farmers, we enjoy eating the food that we work so hard to produce. Pork chops are certainly on that list! Grilling pork chops is our favorite way to eat them. We don’t particularly enjoy grilling in the snow or rain so we needed to create an Instant Pot pork chop recipe that would be good every day of the year!
We love simple, fresh ingredients so we worked to perfect this mushroom and onion gravy! This recipe calls for 1-inch thick pork chops, sliced mushrooms, an onion, a packet of onion soup mix, chicken broth, and balsamic vinegar adds the perfect finishing touch!
As I was testing pork chops in my electric pressure cooker I found that having a layer of vegetables on the bottom is important. This prevents the pork chops from sticking which can send the pressure cooker into burn mode. The layer or mushrooms and sliced onions gives space for the liquid to circulate and allows the unit to pressurize.
Using thicker pork chops made for a more tender eating experience. Cooking meat in the Instant Pot requires a natural release to allow the meat to remain tender. The natural release period allows for resting which is very important when cooking pork. Using the natural release means that you can’t quickly do an internal temperature check though.
As a fairly new Instant Pot user, I had to do multiple rounds of testing to learn how to cook pork chops in the Instant Pot. If the pork chops are tough I learned to cook them a little less and increase the natural release time. I’ve also learned that center cut boneless chops are the most difficult to cook and keep moist.
We love this gravy so much we will continue testing other cuts of meat like country style ribs and sirloin chops. Testing and eating is the name of the Instant Pot game to find meals that your family will love like we did with this recipe.
Testing Farming Practices
Just like I had to make pork chops multiple times with different flavorings and different cook and release times to find a recipe that worked for me, modern pork farmers are continually doing tests to become better farmers.
Farms do research and testing in a variety of ways. One barn of pigs may be fed a particular recipe or ration of feed, and another barn may feed a slightly different ration. The farmer might compare the rate of gain (how many pounds the pigs gained over a set period of time), feed conversion (how much feed was eaten relative to how much weight was gained) or other variables.
America’s farmers have their sights set on continual improvement. One of the ways they do that is through the We Care Program. Research and testing are continually being done to improve animal care, food safety, public health, safeguarding the environment, employee care, and community contributions.
All aspects of food production and preparation take research and testing to get it right!
Tips for Making Pork Chops in the Instant Pot
- Choose thick pork chops that are 1″ thick
- Test cooking pork chops in your electric pressure cooker
- If the pork chops are dry decrease cook time and increase natural release time in the future
- Always use natural release when making pork chops
- Cornstarch is not required, but it does help the gravy thicken up more quickly
Here are a few other pork recipes that our family makes in the Instant Pot:
- Old-Fashioned Green Beans, Potatoes & Sausage in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cranberry Sauce
- Instant Pot Pork Chops with Sauerkraut, Apples & Bacon
- Best Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Easy Instant Pot Sausage, Potatoes and Green Beans
We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Printable Recipe for Instant Pot Pork Chops with Mushroom and Onion Gravy
Instant Pot Pork Chops with Mushroom and Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops 1" thick
- salt
- pepper
- 2 - 4 tablespoons oil for browning chops
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Slurry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
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Using the sauté setting on a 6-quart Instant Pot, add a bit of the vegetable oil to the pot. When the oil is sizzling, add the seasoned chops, browning them on each side, working in two batches. Remove the browned chops to a plate and reserve. Add additional oil if needed to complete the browning process.
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Add the mushrooms, onions, dry onion soup mix, and vinegar to the drippings in the IP, cooking for a minute or so. Add the broth, then place the browned chops on top.
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Lock the IP lid into place. Using the manual button, choose the High-Pressure setting for 8 - 10 minutes, bringing the IP to full pressure. When the timer sounds, use a natural release for 15-20 minutes. Unlock and remove the IP lid, removing the cooked chops to a plate.
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Whisk the prepared cornstarch slurry into the liquids that remain in the IP. Using the sauté setting once again to bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook the sauce just until nicely thickened, 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
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Serve the pork chops smothered with the prepared mushroom and onion gravy at once.
Recipe Notes
- Choose thick pork chops that are 1" thick
- Test cooking pork chops in your electric pressure cooker
- If the pork chops are dry decrease cook time and increase natural release time
- Always use natural release when making pork chops
- Cornstarch is not required, but it does help the gravy thicken up more quickly
Shared on Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday
Comfort food dinner for the win! And so easy to make using the instant pot!
This will surely be a hit at my house!