Sweet Balsamic Glazed Pork {Slow Cooker + Instant Pot}
Tender and so delicious, this simple recipe for sweet balsamic glazed pork contains easy directions for the slow cooker OR Instant Pot!
Gosh, we’re full of good things today.
Exclusive recipe coming your way + this amazing sweet balsamic glazed pork I’ve lovingly pulled from the deep, dark recesses of my archives (posted way back in 2011) in order to make many of you who haven’t noticed it very, very happy.
It was sorely in need of a facelift and a huge shoutout.
This is one of our family’s favorite meals ever. Ever, ever.
If you’ve made it, you’ll probably understand why.
It’s crazy simple. Get yourself a pork roast, season it with sage + salt + pepper + garlic. Throw it in the slow cooker with a bit of water and let it cook.
How’s that for a hands-off, easy dinner night?
The sweet and savory balsamic glaze simmers on the stove for, oh, five-ish minutes, so when that tender, delectable pork comes out of the slow cooker, you’re good to go.
Drizzle away…and then devour.
Because the world is going crazy with everything Instant Pot (including myself, I heart my Instant Pot big time), I’ve updated this recipe with easy instructions for the Instant Pot.
I haven’t done a side-by-side, same day comparison between this balsamic pork in the slow cooker and this balsamic pork in the Instant Pot, but my taste buds tell me that it’s a little more tender and a little more delicious made in the lean, mean Instant Pot machine.
Pressure cooking will do that, you know.
And since I get asked a lot, this is the slow cooker I have: Hamilton Beach 8-quart. Endearing due to it’s lack of bells and whistles, it cooks a lot more evenly than other slow cookers I’ve tried.
I will sometimes use the slow cooker function in my Instant Pot, but it seems to cook at a lower temperature than I’m used to in a slow cooker, and I haven’t found the magic adjustment to make it all-the-time reliable instead of trial-and-error yet.
Either way you make it, this sweet balsamic glazed pork is a keeper.
It is often one of my go-to selections when serving company. You honestly can’t beat the seemingly unfair tradeoff:
how can something this delicious be so dang simple?
A quick note about pork roasts, I have the best luck using a pork sirloin roast (I usually get them in a 4-pack at Costco but have seen them in other grocery stores); it cooks up so tender and juicy.
Many people have commented below over the years with their experience about this recipe – some have used pork chops, others pork tenderloin, and many have made it per the recipe (so feel free to read through the comments for additional feedback and ideas).
Some of you have even served it on buns, like pulled pork, and if I remember right, I believe you’ve reported the end result was so tasty, you cried. Or died. Or took a bath in the glaze. The details are a bit fuzzy.
So, if you haven’t made this sweet balsamic glazed pork loin, what are you waiting for?
FAQs for Sweet Balsamic Glazed Pork
Refrigerate it, and make sure to keep some of the cooking liquid with the pork as it is stored. Also, store the pork and balsamic sauce separately until reheating.
No, I cook the meat without the trivet.
You can add or subtract a few minutes from the cooking time to adjust for your size, but it shouldn’t be that different from the 55-60 minutes on high pressure.
Yes, it freezes great!
What to Serve With This
Sweet Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin {Slow Cooker + Instant Pot}
Ingredients
Pork:
- 2 to 3 pounds boneless pork loin or pork sirloin roast, trimmed of large fat pockets
- 1 teaspoon ground sage or poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or crushed
- ½ cup water or chicken broth
Glaze:
- ½ cup brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub the spices all over the roast.
- For the slow cooker: place the pork roast in the slow cooker and add the 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- For the Instant Pot/Pressure cooker: place the pork roast in the insert of the Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Increase the water or broth to 1 cup and add to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes (hit manual –> dial up or down to 60 minutes –> Instant Pot will start automatically and count down the time). Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before quickly releasing the rest of the pressure.
- Near the end of cooking time (for either slow cooker or pressure cooker), whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the glaze thickens, 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper, if needed/desired. Keep warm until ready to use.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Shred the meat into pieces and place on a platter or plate. Drizzle the glaze over the pork and serve immediately.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from C&C Marriage Factory (bookmarked via Pinterest)
Recipe originally posted September 23, 2011; updated with new pictures + recipe notes.
Could you do this with chicken instead of pork?
You could definitely experiment – the cooking time will be much shorter for chicken, so keep an eye on that!
I have made this before and it’s a hit.
I want to make and freeze it for a friend.
Would I freeze it with the glaze drizzled over?
Or some glaze on and some frozen separately?
I always freeze with the glaze drizzled over, but you could freeze some of the glaze separately.
Thank you!
If you were going to make a flatbread out of this for day 2 with the leftovers… what else would you put on the flatbread??
I think this pork with some of the sauce and a sprinkle of monterey jack cheese would be delicious.
I add a tbsp of picking spices which adds a nice tang.
Yummy! We ate it without buns. My teenage daughter liked it too!
I’m sure I’ve left a previous comment for this recipe but it is so good! I made it last night for our family and also took some to a friend’s family who was in need. My updated version is to cook pork tenderloins in the sous vide, sear them til golden, and slice them up. It’s so tender and juicy and the glaze with the mashed potatoes…delicious!
This was a 6-6 win with my family tonight. Everyone ate it and my husband said that was probably the best pork he has ever had!!!! So thank you bunches for another winning recipe for easy to make and delicious.
Oh my gosh, this is absolutely delicious. Only thing I did different with the sauce was add hot Hungarian paprika. Otherwise this is the best pulled pork ever and I did the pork in the instant pot.
This was a huge hit at our house yesterday for Sunday Dinner! I used a pork butt from Costco and cut as much fat off as I could. Cooked in IP for 1 hr and served with Mel’s “no knead sourdough bread” and baked potatoes. So easy, tender, and DELICIOUS!
I made this with two pork tenderloins (about three total pounds from Costco) in one crockpot on low for 8 hours and it tasted amazing! I am feeding a large crowd in a few weeks and I wondered how many pounds I could safely put in each crockpot and how long to cook it for?
Also, my crockpot is the large size!
You should be able to fill the slow cooker up about halfway with meat and still have it work out – maybe add another 30 minutes to an hour of cooking time.
I made this twice this week. Both times I made it with pork loin and both times it was super dry. The first time I was able to shred it but it was so dry it reminded my family of the turkey in the movie Christmas Vacation. The second time I cooked it for 4 hours and it was still so dry. I was hoping to serve this for a big party next week but it was terrible. When I put a thermometer in the temperature of the pork the second time I cooked it the meat was 195 degrees, well over the 145 that’s recommended for pork. Any suggestions why it would be so dry?
Hi Andrea, I think it’s due to the pork loin. Pork loin varies quite a bit in tenderness. If you can find a sirloin pork roast, that will likely work out better (or even try using a pork shoulder).
We love this recipe! I have extra sauce that I’m not sure what to do with, though. Any suggestions on how you repurpose its scrumptiousness?
You can try freezing it. Or you can drizzle it over roasted veggies, potatoes, or pasta!
This is honestly amazing. One of the best recipes I have ever tried and my kids agree. If my picky kids like it then everyone will.
I love this (cook the IP version). Seriously the easiest dinner but company thinks you spent a great deal of time making it! Used close to 3lb pork tenderloins (2 pack), cut each in half so they nestle in without over lapping. Found the time perfect and it was falling apart before I could even pull it apart.
Thank you for another great dinner!
I’m back here to rate again because I tried it in my IP and it definitely didn’t work. I read others’ comments saying the same but thought I’d try anyway. It was so undercooked I had to put it in the oven and bake for another hour. Maybe this recipe needs some amending for the IP Mel? It’s one of my favorite recipes on your site for sure – but I’ve only had success in my slow cooker. Thank you!
Hi Jessica, sorry the instant pot didn’t work well for this recipe! What type of pork roast did you use? How thick was it? I’ve had really good success cooking chunks of pork sirloin roast in the instant pot for 60 minutes like the recipe suggests, but it’s very likely that depending on the cut of pork or the thickness that the time might need to be amended.
This is one of my favorite recipes on the site. The glaze is so dang good. Only ever tried in the slow cooker. We love it!
One hour for 2-3 lb pork loin is WAY too long – my roast was actually 3.5 lbs and I set the instantpot (name brand about 1 yr old used about 1-2 X’s month) to 60 min.
This came out so dry it was inedible – the sauce was good but it can only do so much for cardboard –
If we try this again it will be via crockpot
The first time I made this I made cheesy smashed potatoes with it, the second time with sticky rice (the glaze was awesome over rice) and steamed broc/cauli – both ways were fantastic!
I made this tonight in the slow cooker for my husband and kids. It was a huge hit. The pork came out so tender, the sauce is amazing. Will definitely be making this again and again.
What did you mean by “place the pork in the insert in the instapot” Are you saying to use the rack?
No, I just mean to put the pork in the pot part of the Instant Pot (it sounds crazy but believe it or not, some people have put the food directly in the Instant Pot right on the burner without using the pot).
One of my fave recipes from your site! Always a hit, even with picky eaters!
This recipe is a keeper – the sauce is AMAZING! Pork was very tender <3
Just made this and oh my gosh! Delicious! Cooked in slow cooker for 6 hours and it fell off the bone it was so tender. The glaze was amazing!
I made this and it turned out very dry…My husband hated it. .I will do a pork shoulder in the instant pot, but I will never do a pork loin again.
Can I do this with a frozen pork loin?
I think others have commented they’ve used a frozen pork roast in the comment thread.
Excellent – Will definitely put on my make again recipe list..
Has anyone tried subbing the brown sugar for another sweetener such as honey or maple syrup? Maybe that’s a really unpalatable flavor idea, but I was curious about other options.
I made it as described and it was quite popular with my guests.
Have you cooked the roast from frozen in your insta-pot? How long did it take?
I haven’t, but someone mentioned you can use the same cook time; it’ll just take longer for the IP to come to pressure which compensates for the frozen roast. Worth a try?
Do you think a boneless center cut pork roast would work well in this recipe?
It might…I’ve used a roast that sounds similar to that a time or two and it didn’t have a lot of dark meat so it was pretty lean and on the dry side.
I made this in my slow cooker and cooked it for a good 8 hours. It was fall off the bone delicious and shredded itself. The glaze was amazing! My family ate it up.
I tried it in the insta pot and it was horrible!!! Cooked on high for 60 minutes, then warm for 10 minutes. Opened it up and it was not done!!! Tried cooking it for 20 more minutes, still not shredding and did not look appetizing. We ended up running to In n Out for our dinner guests, because it just wasn’t working. So disappointed!!! Still love the recipe, but I’ll stick to the slow cooker!!
I love this recipe. I want to make it again using 2 three pound sirloin roasts from Costco. Do I need to add extra time or cook it the same as just 1 roast?
You should be able to cook it about the same – the only reason you’d need to add time is if the roast is packed into the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker without much room between and around the meat.
The smallest pork loin that I could get was a 6 lb. How should I adjust the cooking time for the instant pot? Thanks.
Sorry I forgot to add that I have a pork boneless loin roast that is 6.5 lbs. You mentioned changing the broth to 1 cup for the IP. Should I double that to 2 cups as well as doubling the other ingredients? Thanks!
No, you don’t need to add more than the 1 cup of broth.
Thank you so much for your help! I’ve made it several times for my family with a smaller loin and it’s to die for! With this 6 qt loin, I doubled all ingredients including doing 2 cups of broth (Sorry, I didn’t see your message in time) and cooked it for 66 min. The pork fell apart with a fork but seemed a little dry. Not sure if it was because of doing too much broth or the cook time.
Maybe you could have gotten away with more like 55 minutes? Sometimes it’s because of the meat, too…I’ve found pork loin is sometimes less tender than pork sirloin or pork tenderloin and sometimes it just depends on that particular roast I buy.
Ok, thanks. I’m not going to let it bother me. This recipe is too good to give up after one failed attempt. When I’ve used smaller ones I’ve never had problems.
I think adding 5-7 minutes should be a good starting place.
Okay, thanks. Should I double all ingredients and double the broth to 2 cups for the instant pot?
Made this tonight in my 8 quart instant pot. My pork sirloin roast was 2.5 lbs and mostly frozen. I added 20 minutes (so 80 minutes total) to the cooking time (and then it did sit on the warm setting for a little over an hour before we ate). It was perfect. Just fell apart. Very moist and tender. I followed your notes to use 1/2 tsp sage and did use broth not water as the liquid. We served the meat and it’s delicios sauce with roasted broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. We will make this again! Thank you!
I am the only omnivore in a family of vegetarians. I do not make meat very frequently because of aforementioned fact. I decided to try this recipe for the first time when we had guests over last month. Like many of you, I was a little perplexed over the Instant Pot cook time, but I trusted Mel and went for it. I think my particular cut of pork would have done better for a slightly shorter time (half of it was perfectly cooked and the other half was just a little overcooked for my liking).
That glaze. I could write odes to that glaze.
I have since made the glaze to top chicken.
We had a tenderloin roast that was supposed to feed guests last week who had to cancel. I was too impatient to wait for their reschedule date to remake this amazing recipe. I popped everything in my Instant Pot (except for the sage–I subbed Italian seasoning) and waited impatiently for it to cook.
This time, I turned it into a salad. Kale and lettuce, sliced apples, pork, croutons, and the glaze as a dressing. I feel like I ordered it at a nice restaurant with my wallet $20 lighter.
I have trusted Mel’s recipes for several years now, ever since my sister introduced me to your creations with your tortellini sausage soup. I need to thank her for that more frequently
This is one of our favorite Sunday meals! I’ve been making it for years in the crock pot. Today I tried it in the Instant Pot, and I was disappointed! It wasn’t as tender, and “fall-apart” as it is when I make it in the crock pot. This was my first time making a roast in my Instant Pot. I think that we’ll stick with the crock pot. Also, we always use the leftovers warmed up on top of home made mac n’ cheese, and it’s to-die-for!
I think I like anything with balsamic and this recipe was no exception! I made the cheesy bacon and garlic smashed potatoes and they were awesome with the pork. Definitely making both again!
Made this recipe tonight in my instant pot and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The only substitution I made was using red wine vinegar for the balsamic, as I didn’t have any.
Will definitely make this again.
We just had this tonight 12/9/2018, and it was AMAZING! My whole family loved it so much; we didn’t even have leftovers.
I first made this about a month and a half ago and couldn’t believe how delicious it was! A few weeks later, I helped my friend who has a pressure cooker, but isn’t very comfortable with it yet, make it and she and her son wanted to bathe in the glaze! I’m making it again tonight and my stomach is already growling for it!
Any time a newbie in the ip group I’m in asks about a good recipe, I always give them this one! I also agree it would be equally fantastic on chicken!
Thinking of doing this for a Christmas party for many people. If I use a 5 lb roast do I need to change the cook time, etc?
No probably not.
I know this may probably sound ridiculus to many (or all) of you, buut i was wondering whether anybody had tried to substitute pork for a different Kind of meat (preferably Chicken) with this recipe. It Sounds so good, but i just can’t stand the taste of pork.
I’ve used chicken before and it was great! It cooks a lot faster so some nights I do that instead.
This was delicious! I used sirloin pork roast, and followed the recipe exactly. It was a hit with my family. I will definitely recommend.
If only this glaze counted towards my water intake for the day! It’s incredible. Sweet but not too sweet with just a little savory from the soy sauce. Yum!
I used a 2lb sirloin that was tied together, so I should have added a little more time since it was thicker in the middle. It was cooked but not as tender in the middle. Still delicious and I will definitely make it again!
We loved this meal! Easy to make and delicious – I made it in the instant using pork tenderloin – the only thing I changed was that I browned the outside of the loin using the saute function prior to pouring in the liquid and pressure cooking.
Hi Mel. This is one of my very favorite recipes!! I have made it a bunch of times in the slow cooker and it is perfect.
I’ve tried it twice in my instant pot and it was pretty tough / dry. Still delicious with the sauce though!
Do you have any guesses what I could be doing wrong? I think I’m following the recipe exactly (sort of new to instant pot). I usually use a smaller roast – closer to 2lbs.
Thanks so much.
Hey Caroline – what type of roast are you using? Sirloin pork roast? Pork shoulder? Pork loin? Pork loin is definitely much leaner and will need more cooking time (and may not every cook up quite as tender as a sirloin or shoulder cut). If the pork is still really dry, increase the time (try 10 minutes to start) and see if that helps!
Just finished making this recipe, I’m shocked by how good it is. I followed everything as written, except I doubled the garlic just because of personal preference. It practically shredded itself as I pulled it out of the Instant Pot. Absolutely delicious pulled pork sandwiches, I’ve already downed two in a sitting and am looking forward to leftovers later.
Absolutely will be making this again. And for everyone who was as unsure as me, 60min is the amount of time for real and it came out juicy and tender for me. The glaze really seals the deal.
Yay! Glad you loved it.
This was incredible! I cooked it for 55 minutes in the instant pot and it was perfect.
Loved this!!
If you want to serve this as shredded pork go with a darker pork loin. I used just a regular pork loin so it had a bit of dark meat and that shredded nicely but the lighter meat did not shred so great. I doubled the glaze for my 2 lb roast but ended up not using it all so I won’t double next time. I did mine in my Instant Pot for 35 min. (because it was a smaller roast) and I think it could have gone for more time as I needed to put it in the microwave for a couple minutes to make it easier to shred, so maybe 45-50 minutes would have been better? Hope this helps the next person that wants to try this!
You definitely needed more cooking time if it was that hard to shred. That’s how you can tell your meat is undercooked in an instant pot. Make sure you also let it naturally release pressure for at least 10 minutes prettier it’ll make the meat seize and become tough.
I am cooking a pork sirloin tomorrow and cannot wait. This does look sooo yummy. I am surprised by the amount of people who do not realize that pork loin in your recipe is not the same as pork tenderloin . They are two different cuts and loin is best cooked longer. Same as sirloin. Tenderloin is lean and needs to be cooked High to get a good brown and shorter time. This recipes looks to me like a hit.