Most people have a go-to pork chop recipe. But if you’re looking to shake things up, my Instant Pot pork chops with black bean sauce will definitely break you out of your dinner rut. Black bean sauce is a staple in Chinese kitchens and adds a fragrant umami to your dishes. The savory sweet black bean sauce combines with aromatics and brown sugar to turn the pork chops into tender juicy perfection.
Ingredients
You’d be surprised how you can use so few ingredients to make such a flavorful dish. TIP: Try out my homemade black bean sauce recipe. It adds more of a fragrant aroma and flavor, but if you don’t have the time to make it yourself, bottled black bean sauce works just fine.
What type of pork chop to use
It’s the best to pick the thick type of pork chop that’s at least 1” (2.5 cm) thick. You can either use bone-in or boneless. I used boneless pork chops and 4 pork chops fit perfectly in my 6-qt Instant Pot. If you use bone-in pork chops, you might only be able to fit in 2 to 3, depending on the size of the pork chops. It’s OK to overlap the edges or the bone part of the pork chops. But you should avoid stacking the pork chops.
Cooking process
NOTE: 0 Minute cooking When you set the timer to zero, it means that the Instant Pot will add pressure to high. Once the pressure is reached, it will start to release naturally.
How to brown the pork chops properly
While you can most certainly serve the pork chops immediately after your Instant Pot finishes, put them in your broiler afterward to brown it if you want it to look like it came from a restaurant. Many recipes brown the pork chop in the Instant Pot, though I don’t recommend doing it this way. It takes extra time and it doesn’t brown as well. Even worse, it can overcook the pork which ruins that beautiful juicy and tender texture.
How to reduce the sauce
Depending on the type of black bean sauce you use, you might need to reduce the sauce at the end. If you used a thick sauce, such as my homemade black bean sauce, the sauce at the end will have a great texture and might not need extra cooking. If the sauce looks too watery at the end, remove the pork chops and turn on the Instant Pot’s “Saute” function to cook the sauce for another 4 minutes or so, until it thickens. NOTE: the black bean sauce will thicken further once it’s cooled slightly. You don’t need to reduce the sauce too much. Otherwise it will form a thick paste once cooled.
How to serve Instant Pot Chops
I love making my Instant Pot pork chops with black bean sauce on busy nights. It comes together so easily. Before you know it, they’ll be ready to eat. I love serving them sliced atop steamed white rice or noodles. Blanched green veggies of your choice add a stunning contrast for a well-rounded meal that’s simple yet simply delicious. I included extra black bean sauce in this recipe, so you can use it on your veggies or in your noodle bowl.
Side dishes
You can also serve the Instant Pork Chops with these side dishes to complete your meal:
Easy Chinese Cucumber SaladThe Best Chinese Coleslaw4-Ingredient Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry3-Ingredient Egg Fried RiceEasy Hand-Pulled Noodles
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More Instant Pot recipes
Instant Pot Whole ChickenEasy Instant Pot Vegetable SoupInstant Pot Butter ChickenChinese Style Instant Pot Lentil SoupInstant Pot Meatballs (Chinese Style)
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
