Instant Pot pork chops and potatoes
Tender pork chops and potatoes cooked together under pressure, then finished with a quick onion gravy, all in one pot.
- 45 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $2.41 a serving
- 490 calories
- Good the next day
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 4 boneless pork chops, boneless, about 1 inch thick
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1½ lb russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 1¼ tsp salt, divided
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1⅛ cups water, divided
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Each serving has about 490 calories, 40 g protein, 40 g carbs and 19 g fat, and costs about $2.41 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No yellow onions? White onions or red onions work.
- No russet potatoes? Yukon Gold potatoes work.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the chops dry and both sides with 1 tsp of the salt, the pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Season. Seasoning means adding salt, pepper or spices to bring out a food’s flavor. A little at a few stages tastes better than a lot all at the end.
How you’ll know: When you taste it, it tastes bright and like itself, not flat and not salty.
Set the Instant Pot to sauté, add the oil, and the chops 2 minutes a side, in two batches. Move them to a plate.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Timer: 4 min
Dolly’s tip: They’re only getting color now. They cook through under pressure.Add the onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring, then pour in 1 cup of the water, crumble in the bouillon cube and thyme, and .
Scrape up the browned bits. It means loosening the brown bits stuck to the pan with a wooden spoon, usually right after adding liquid. Those bits are concentrated flavor, and they melt into the sauce.
How you’ll know: The bottom of the pan looks clean again, and the liquid turns darker and richer.
Timer: 3 min
Dolly’s tip: Scrape well. Stuck bits on the bottom can trigger the burn warning.Set the chops in the broth, pile the potatoes on top, and sprinkle them with the rest of the salt.
Lock the lid and cook on high pressure 8 minutes. Let the pressure come down on its own for 5 minutes, then release the rest.
Timer: 8 min
Dolly’s tip: Keep your face and hands away from the valve when you turn it.Check that a chop reads 145°F in the middle and a potato is tender, then lift them onto a platter.
Food safety: Steak, pork chops and other whole cuts are safe at 145°F in the middle, then let them rest for 3 minutes before cutting.
the cornstarch with the last 2 tbsp of water until smooth, set the pot to sauté, stir it in, and bubble 1 to 2 minutes, until into gravy.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Thicken. Thickening means cooking a sauce or soup until it’s less runny, by simmering it down or adding something like cornstarch. A thicker sauce clings to food instead of pooling on the plate.
How you’ll know: It coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Pour the onion gravy over the chops and potatoes and scatter the parsley on top.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
