Yes, you can absolutely pressure cook frozen meat in an Instant Pot! The Instant Pot is a versatile kitchen appliance that can thawed or cook frozen meat and poultry safely and conveniently. With its pressurized environment and adjustable time and temperature settings, the Instant Pot allows you to cook frozen meat thoroughly without overcooking it.
Reasons to Pressure Cook Frozen Meat
Pressure cooking frozen meat in an Instant Pot has several advantages:
Saves Time
Cooking frozen meat in a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot is much faster than thawing and cooking it on the stovetop or oven. The pressurized environment allows the heat to penetrate deep into the meat quickly, so you can go from frozen to fork-tender meat in less than an hour. This saves you a lot of time defrosting and waiting for meat to cook through.
Food Safety
The Instant Pot reaches temperatures above 240°F when pressure cooking, which is hot enough to kill any harmful bacteria that may be present in the meat. Cooking from frozen also limits the time the meat stays in the “danger zone” between 40-140°F, reducing opportunities for bacterial growth.
Convenience
You don’t need to remember to defrost meat in the refrigerator overnight before cooking day-of. Just pop the frozen meat straight into the Instant Pot! It also consolidates cooking steps since you don’t have to defrost before cooking.
Uniformly Cooked
The pressurized steam circulating in the Instant Pot cooks the meat evenly throughout. Meat cooked in the oven or on the stovetop has a tendency to dry out on the outside while undercooking on the inside. With the Instant Pot, the meat comes out perfectly and uniformly cooked.
Juicy and Tender Results
The moist heat environment of the Instant Pot helps keep meat extra juicy and tender. Meats cooked under pressure retain more moisture and natural juices versus high dry heat cooking methods.
Tips for Pressure Cooking Frozen Meat
Follow these tips when pressure cooking frozen meats in your Instant Pot:
Allow for Extra Cooking Time
Frozen meat will take longer to come up to pressure and to become fully cooked than fresh or thawed meat. For rough timings, increase cook times by 50% for frozen meat cuts 1 inch thick. Larger roasts may need double the time.
Cut Into Smaller Pieces
For more even cooking, cut roasts, slabs of meat and poultry into smaller portions before pressure cooking from frozen. Individual chicken breasts, pork chops and steak pieces will cook more evenly than a whole chicken or large roast.
Use Natural Pressure Release
Allow the pressure to come down naturally for 10-15 minutes to allow the meat to continue cooking and make it more tender. Avoid doing a quick release, which can make meat tough.
Use Liquid
Use at least 1 cup of liquid in the Instant Pot when pressure cooking frozen meats. The liquid helps create steam to cook the meat. Broth, water, sauce or juice all work well.
Add Cook Time for Thick Cuts
Very thick cuts of meat over 2 inches thick will need additional cook time. Add 5-10 minutes for roasts and 15-20 minutes for whole chickens and turkeys. Test for doneness before serving.
Sear or Brown Afterwards
Browning frozen meat before pressure cooking is difficult. For better color and flavor, you can sear or broil meats in a skillet or broiler after cooking.
Use a Meat Thermometer
Always check internal temperatures of meats with a food thermometer before serving to ensure they are fully cooked, especially with thicker cuts and whole poultry. Refer to USDA recommended safe temperatures.
Handy Instant Pot Frozen Meat Cooking Times
Use these Instant Pot cook times as a starting point when pressure cooking different cuts of frozen meat:
| Frozen Meat | Cook Time |
|---|---|
| Chicken breasts, 1-inch thick | 18 minutes |
| Boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick | 10 minutes |
| Beef steaks, 1-inch thick | 12 minutes |
| Meatballs | 6 minutes |
| Ground meat | 5 minutes |
| Beef roast, 2-3 lbs | 55-70 minutes |
| Pork tenderloin, 1-2 lbs | 25-35 minutes |
| Frozen chicken, whole 3-4 lbs | 45-55 minutes |
| Turkey breast, bone in | 40-50 minutes per lb |
Always check internal temperatures and adjust pressure cook times as needed to ensure food safety. Frozen meat near the maximum capacity of the Instant Pot will take longer to cook.
Choosing Instant Pot Settings for Frozen Meat
The key Instant Pot settings to select when pressure cooking frozen meat:
Manual/Pressure Cook Mode
Use the Manual or Pressure Cook mode rather than slow cook functions. Only pressure cooking will heat up enough to properly thaw and cook frozen meat.
High Pressure
Cook frozen meats on “High” pressure setting rather than low. High pressure equals around 240°F cooking temperature versus around 229°F on low.
Natural Release
As mentioned earlier, allow the pressure to release naturally to give dense frozen meats extra time to continue cooking as pressure comes down.
Meat/Stew Setting
Choose the preset Meat/Stew program if your Instant Pot has it. It is designed for cooking tougher meats from either fresh or frozen.
Tips for Getting the Best Results
Follow these tips when pressure cooking frozen meats in your Instant Pot:
Defrost Very Large Cuts
With roasts, whole poultry and large slabs of meat over 4 pounds, it’s best to defrost first in the refrigerator. Very large frozen cuts run the risk of undercooking in the center.
Prevent Burn Notices
Make sure liquid is covering the bottom of the Instant Pot inner pot and frozen meat is not stuck to the sides or bottom. Add water if needed.
Layer Meat and Liquid
For pot roasts and stews, place vegetables and aromatics on bottom, then meat and finally liquid for most flavor extraction into the sauce.
Brown Afterwards
Browning meats before pressure cooking from frozen doesn’t work well. For better flavor, quickly broil or pan sear meats after cooking to develop fond.
Use a Meat Thermometer
Always double check temperatures of larger cuts of meat and whole poultry. If undercooked in center, you can place lid back on Instant Pot to continue cooking until done.
Common Questions
What types of meat can you cook frozen in an Instant Pot?
You can cook just about any type of meat from fully frozen in the Instant Pot, including beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, sausages and meatballs. Good cuts to start with are chicken breasts, pork chops, steaks and roasts.
Does frozen meat take longer to pressure cook?
Yes, frozen meat will take approximately 50% longer to pressure cook compared to thawed or fresh meat. The meat has to thaw and come up to temperature before the cooking can begin.
Should you add extra liquid when cooking frozen meat?
It helps to increase the amount of cooking liquid by about 1/4 to 1/2 cup when pressure cooking frozen meats. Some of the liquid will go towards thawing and evaporating before it can help cook the meat.
Can you pressure cook frozen ground meat?
Ground meat like ground beef or turkey cooks very quickly from frozen in the Instant Pot. For 1 pound of ground meat, pressure cook for about 5-8 minutes depending on desired doneness. Make sure to break up the meat and stir before pressure cooking.
Do you need to adjust the pressure release method?
Yes, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10-15 minutes before quick releasing remaining pressure. This allows the meat to continue cooking as the pressure comes down. Avoid quick releasing when cooking frozen meats.
Helpful Advice
– Cut large roasts and slabs of meat into smaller portions before pressure cooking from frozen for more even cooking results.
– Always check internal temperatures of meats using a food thermometer before serving, especially thicker cuts.
– Add about 1 cup extra cooking liquid to create enough steam and prevent burning warnings when cooking meat from frozen.
– Browning meat after pressure cooking improves flavor since searing before cooking is difficult from frozen.
– Allow 10-15 minutes natural pressure release time for denser, thicker frozen meats to finish cooking as pressure comes down.
Conclusion
The Instant Pot is a quick and convenient way to cook frozen meat and poultry while still retaining moisture, flavor and tenderness. With the right timing and settings, you can safely cook beef, pork, chicken and other meats straight from the freezer. Keep portions sized appropriately, ensure sufficient liquid and use a natural pressure release. In under an hour, you can go from frozen meat to a tender and delicious home-cooked meal. The Instant Pot takes the defrosting and lengthy cooking out of preparing frozen meat for dinner.