You know how fall turns from warm sunny days with crunchy leaves into fall with a vengeance…cold, drizzly, windy, and grey? That’s exactly when this Instant Pot Pork Chop One Pot Meal belongs on the table. And you’re gonna want to make this recipe all through Winter until Spring rolls around.

The pork chops are cooked beautifully

This recipe is pure Midwestern comfort made weeknight-friendly, thanks to the Instant Pot. The beauty of the Instant Pot is that it takes a meal that normally requires lots of time and multiple pots, and delivers tender pork chops, mashed potatoes, carrots, and a rich gravy in one streamlined process. Minimal clean up, and maximum comfort.

About Instant Pot Pork Chop One Pot Meal:

This is a classic comfort meal with all the fixings.

• Thick, juicy pork chops
• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Tender carrots that soak up all the flavor
• And a luscious gravy that steals the show

I made this for my folks, my fave octogenarians. Pat, my stepmom, was a fabulous cook but is a picky eater. Dad will eat almost anything without complaint, but you can tell if he’s unhappy. Both, like many elders, have some challenges eating. They’re a tough audience.

The compliments rolled in, all through dinner. There was hardly a scrap left, and I felt like a superhero. If I could get that kind of praise under those circumstances, I  promise it will do the same for you. Get out your superhero tights, the stretchy ones. You’ll need the extra room after this meal

Speaking of fall, here’s my pup (five months old), Chance, discovering leaves for the first time. He was so excited, and if that isn’t a happy grin, I don’t know what is.

Chance, he is just such mischief!

Chance has discovered leaves

Helpful Hints for Cooking the Instant Pot Pork Chop One Pot Meal:

Everyone who knows me knows I love my Instant Pot, and meals like this Instant Pot Pork Chop One Pot Meal are exactly why. When time and energy are running short, the IP takes away that dinner hour dread.

Instant Pot Pork Chop One Pot Meal is easy, but the details matter.

• There’s little room for error when cooking pork chops in the IP.
• If you change one thing in the recipe, you change everything.
• Follow the recommended sizes closely so everything is cooked right when the time is up.
• Note: the potatoes will come out soft, ready to be mashed. The carrots are going to be super tender, too, so use the largest you can find so they don’t fall apart.

Buy a large bag and pick the biggest carrots for this meal.

For either Bone-in or Boneless Pork Chops:

Fun Fact: The county where I grew up in Northwest Iowa is #21 in the Nation for pork production. It’s safe to say I know pork! Chops are often labeled thick-cut when they aren’t. Look for ones 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick.

• If you can’t find thick cut, the store butcher will cut for free, but avoid busy peak weekend hours.
• That fat on the outside edges keeps the chop moist. Don’t cut off, but do put cuts at right angles through the fat, every inch and a half, so the edges won’t curl.
• If time allows, brine. 20 minutes will help; overnight is better. Try My Favorite Pork Chop Brine.
• The chops should cook to medium well in a 6-quart IP if directions are followed; you are welcome to play around with the timing, but I can’t say how it will work out. If you do, let me know.

This is what you’re looking for: 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

Choosing the Best Pork Chops for This Recipe:

Bone-In Chops are always my preference. The bone adds flavor and keeps the chop moister. These are center-cut rib chops, sometimes called rib or rib-cut chops. If you can’t find, boneless chops can be substituted. The Kitchn has a Guide to Pork Chops if you wish to explore more.

Bone-In Chops:

The recipe was developed for bone-in chops; these are often called #2 Rib Chops:

• Look for large chops. The chops will get slightly larger going from the shoulder towards the loin.
• In some areas of the country, they might be harder to find. These might be easier to find at a “better” grocery store or a buyer’s club.
• When on sale, stores often put out family packs, usually thin chops; ask the butcher to cut to your specifications; they’ll usually honor the sale price.

Boneless Chops:

So many used boneless chops and commented! Thank you! These are pork loin chops, pork loin filets, or America’s cut, also known as #4 boneless chops:

• Even with no bone, good thick chops might be hard to find. Ask the butcher or cut your own.
• Sale-priced loin is always less than sale-priced pork chops. Buy a loin or half loin, cut, package, and freeze the rest according to your family’s size and your favorite recipes.
• Be especially careful not to brown for too long; just get a quick sear for color.
• Drop the timing; My sister (and Angie in the comments) said theirs were a little dry at 9 minutes.

Brown the bone in chops well! Be careful if using boneless.

Choosing the Vegetables:

The vegetables are intentionally cooked to a soft texture, so everything comes out done at the same time, and the potatoes are soft enough to mash. Remove the vegetables carefully with a slotted spoon.

Carrots:

• Choose large carrots so they don’t overcook.
• Two-pound or larger bags often contain bigger, irregular carrots – and bonus, they are usually cheaper.
• They absorb so much flavor, they nearly steal the spotlight.

Potatoes:

• Look for medium-sized, about 5 inches long.
• Your store may have bins or smaller bags with potatoes about this size.
• Money Saving tip: Buy larger bags and sort into sizes for recipes where size matters.

The potatoes are so soft, they’re easy to mash and can be done by hand.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have. It’s become a dinner-time staple, but always feels special with the thick chops, mashed potatoes, and cream gravy. Be sure to check out my Instant Pot Menu for more recipe inspiration. 

Mollie

That gravy is luscious and so full of flavor.

Instant Pot Pork Chop One Pot Meal

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A down-home comfort one pot meal of pork chops, mashed potatoes & gravy & carrots. The seasoning is very slightly Cajun leaning; just for taste, not for heat.

• Author: mollie kirby
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 25
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Pork Main Dish
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Seasoning Rub for pork chops (see note):

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you’re not a fan of heat, cut back on the cayenne.)

The rest of the team:

• 4 bone-in thick cut pork chops, about 1 1/4″ to 1 1/2″ thick
• 2 to 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup stock, either beef or chicken
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 to 5 medium-sized russet potatoes, peeled if desired
• 4 to 5 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3 or 4-inch chunks
• 4 tablespoons butter, for the mashed potatoes
• 3–4 tablespoons cream or milk, or as much as needed for desired consistency, for the mashed potatoes
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup cream; whipping cream works well but heavy is fine, too
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to Saute, High, and add two tablespoons oil. Mix together the rub ingredients and season the pork chops liberally on both sides; reserve remaining rub to add to pot later.

When the Instant Pot is hot, add pork chops to the bottom (depending on the size of the Instant Pot and shape of the pork chops, this might have to be done in two batches) and brown on both sides. Use additional oil if needed.

Remove the pork chops and set them on a plate, and add the stock to the Instant Pot, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add onion and potatoes to the Instant Pot. Add the rack (that comes with the Instant Pot) on top of the potatoes and lay the carrots across the rack. Set pork chops directly on top of carrots. Add any juices that might have accumulated on the plate the pork chops were sitting on as well as any of the remaining seasoning rub.

Add ring to Instant Pot lid, seal, and set Instant Pot to Pressure, High for 12 minutes. See notes if using boneless chops. When time is up, allow the pot go to the Keep Warm function, let it sit for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.

Remove the pork chops and carrots to a platter, tent to keep warm and let them rest as you prepare the potatoes & gravy.

Make the Mashed Potatoes:

• Remove potatoes from the Instant Pot (a slotted spoon works well as they’re very soft) and put them in a bowl, leaving the liquid behind in the Instant Pot.
• Roughly mash potatoes with 4 tablespoons of butter and the 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk, to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make Gravy:

• Make a slurry by placing the two tablespoons flour in a small bowl or cup. Add the 1/2 cup cream, slowly, stirring constantly with a fork until mixture is smooth.
• Set the Instant Pot back to Saute, High. When the liquid in the Instant Pot boils (will happen almost immediately) add the slurry, stirring with a whisk until the mixture thickens. (Again, will happen almost immediately.) If the gravy appears too thick, add a touch of water, milk or a little more cream.
• Remove the whole instant pot liner from the Instant Pot right away so the gravy doesn’t continue to cook, and pour gravy into a bowl for serving. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt or pepper if needed.

Serve as desired, on a platter or plated.

Notes

Boneless Chops: If using boneless chops, cut the time; suggest 8 to 9 minutes based on feedback.

Seasoning: If you’d rather not make your own seasoning rub, try one of your favorite spice blends – about 1 1/2 tablespoons should do it if it doesn’t include salt and pepper (add your own) but use about 2 tablespoons if it does have s & p.

Total time reflects the time needed for Instant Pot to come up to pressure and to release.

There were several questions about the “juices” from the pork chops and the “slurry” in this recipe. The recipe has been updated to reflect those answers.