Can You Put Frozen Meat In The Instant Pot?

Can you put frozen meat in the Instant Pot? It’s a reasonable question to ask, especially after realizing you forgot to thaw the ground beef you planned to use for dinner! This always seems to happen when I have a lot going on and little time to get dinner on the table.

Fortunately, you can cook frozen meat in the Instant Pot! I’ve broken it down into 10 simple “do’s and don’ts” for you in this post. With the help of these simple tips, you can cook frozen food in your Instant Pot pressure cooker with no worries!

10 Essential Tips For Cooking Frozen Food In An Instant Pot

1. DO Cook It Longer

Cooking frozen food in your Instant Pot will increase the amount of time it takes for the pot to pressurize. But the food will begin cooking during that time, so you only need to increase the cooking time by a few minutes.

If you’re cooking ground meat or veggies, add 1-2 extra minutes. If you’re cooking chicken breasts, add about 3 minutes. (Anything larger than a chicken breast should be thawed before cooking; otherwise, it may not cook all the way through.)

2. DO Use More Liquid

When cooking frozen meat in your Instant Pot, add liquid to cover the meat. This simple step will help ensure the meat cooks through instead of remaining frozen inside.

Instant Pot recipes that cook in a sauce are ideal for frozen food. For instance, my White Chicken Chili and Dump Chicken recipes both work well with frozen chicken!

3. DO Cook To Temperature

When cooking frozen meat, use an instant-read thermometer to make sure your meat reaches the correct internal temperature. (For more on that, check out my printable meat temperatures guide!)

4. DO Brown Your Meat

It’s not absolutely necessary to brown frozen meat before cooking it, but I strongly recommend it. Browning meat before pressure cooking is an easy way to add flavor to your meals.

5. DO Use Natural Release

Allow at least 10 minutes of Natural Release after cooking frozen meat in an Instant Pot. Using Quick Release right away can make meats tough and chewy, so wait at least 10 minutes to depressurize the pot.

6. DO Try These Frozen Foods

A few of my favorite frozen foods to cook in my Instant Pot are chicken breasts, frozen meatballs, soups, and fish filets. Follow these cooking instructions and try them at home:

Boneless Chicken Breasts (Or Thighs): Cook for 10 minutes on high pressure and use Natural Release
Bone-In Chicken Breasts (Or Thighs): Cook for 15 minutes on high pressure and use Natural Release
Meatballs: Cook for 10 minutes on high pressure and use Natural Release
Soup/Stock: Add 1/2 cup of water, cook for 5-10 minutes on high pressure, and use Quick Release
Fish Filets: Add 1 cup of water, place filets on a trivet, cook for 3 minutes on low pressure, and use Quick Release

7. DON’T Fill Your Instant Pot

When cooking frozen food in an Instant Pot, quantity and cooking time go hand in hand. The more food you attempt to cook at once, the longer it’ll take to pressurize and cook. So if you want to double a recipe and save the extras for later, thaw any frozen components beforehand!

8. DON’T Cook Meat That Is Stuck Together

Attempting to cook a brick of frozen meat in an Instant Pot will likely yield poor, undercooked results. If your frozen chicken breasts are stuck together in a clump, allow them to thaw until you can pry them apart before cooking them. (Pro tip: Freeze foods on a baking sheet before putting them in a freezer bag to keep them separate!)

9. DON’T Cook Large Cuts

Cooking frozen chicken breasts in an Instant Pot is one thing, but I would strongly recommend against trying to cook an entire frozen roast. You’ll likely end up with a big piece of meat that is cooked on the outside and frozen on the inside. No one wants that!

10. DON’T Be Afraid To Use Other Liquids

You need a lot of liquid to cook frozen food in your Instant Pot, but that doesn’t mean you should limit yourself to plain water. Don’t be afraid to get creative!

Chicken and veggie stock are great choices, or you could use salsa, pasta sauce, BBQ sauce, etc. If you’re making a curry, coconut milk is a great option! Use herbs, spices, and other seasonings to add flavor as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Cook Frozen Meat In An Instant Pot?

Yes, you can cook frozen meat in an Instant Pot. When cooking frozen meat, increase the cooking time by a few minutes to ensure your food gets cooked thoroughly.

What Is The Best Way To Thaw Frozen Meat Before Cooking?

The safest way to thaw frozen meat is to put it in your refrigerator overnight. This will ensure the meat remains in a safe temperature range as it thaws.

How Long Does It Take To Cook Frozen Meat In A Pressure Cooker?

Cooking times for frozen meat vary, but it typically takes a few minutes longer than if the meat were thawed.

How Can I Shred Cooked Beef Or Chicken Quickly?

To shred cooked meat quickly, you can use two forks to pull the meat or use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed.

Why Does It Take So Long For My Pressure Cooker To Pressurize?

The liquid in the pot has to get hot before it can generate the amount of steam needed for pressure cooking. If any of the ingredients you’re using are frozen, it will take more time to get them hot enough to start generating steam.

Conclusion

Thanks to the versatility of the Instant Pot, you can cook frozen food and still a meal on the table quickly. Follow the dos and don’ts in this post for the best results!

Have you tried cooking frozen food in your Instant Pot?