How To Cook Frozen Hamburger In Instant Pot

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How Do You Defrost Meat In An Instant Pot

Instant Pot Cooking Frozen Ground Beef

How To Thaw Ground Meat in Your Instant Pot Place 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and put the silver trivet that comes with the Instant Pot inside. Place frozen ground meat on top of the trivet. Place the lid on the pot and make sure the vent valve is in the sealing position.

How To Cook Frozen Ground Beef In The Pressure Cooker

Step 1 Place your trivet in the bottom of your pressure cooker. Your instant pot should have came with a trivet but if not or you need a new one, I suggest this trivet with silicone handles. You can also use a steam basket here as well.

Step 2 Place your water in the bottom of the instant pot.

Step 3 Close the lid and set the release to SEALING. Press the pressure cook button and set it for 22 minutes for 1 pound of frozen ground beef. If you are cooking 2 pounds, set it for 27 minutes.

Step 4 Once the pressure cooker is done cooking, allow it to come to natural pressure. This should take about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and make sure the internal temperature of the meat has reached 160 degrees.

Step 5 Remove the trivet and use a spatula to crumble the ground beef. You can add your spices at this point and continue cooking your meal!

Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef

Lets face it, most of the time the hardest part of dinner is when you realize that you forgot to thaw the meat. It happened to me so many times when I had great plans and ideas of how delicious dinner would be only to realize that I have a frozen block of ground beef still in the freezer.

But the night can be saved with these easy tips on how to cook frozen ground beef in the instant pot or other pressure cookers with only 2 ingredients, one of which is just water! This is a great recipe for busy days and its a convenient way to cook quickly cook frozen meat.

Also, once it has been cooked using the saute function to brown the beef with some taco seasoning for an instant pot taco meat recipe! Feel free to use the cooked meat to make other delicious meals like sloppy joes, tacos, quesadillas, or a quick chili.

To make weeknights stress-free and dinner a breeze, check how to cook frozen chicken breasts or chicken wings, how to cook a whole frozen chicken, and also how to cook frozen pork tenderloin in the instant pot.

Also Check: What Does Auto Mean On Instant Pot

Can You Cook A Roast That Is Frozen

When you leave a roast in its frozen form, you negatively impact several steps of the cooking process. The first is your overall cooking time. Placing the frozen roast in any cooking device increases the overall time needed for the meat to cook, as the meat must first thaw before it can properly cook through.

How To Cook 5 Pounds Of Frozen Hamburger Meat In An Instant Pot In 30 Minutes

How to Cook Ground Beef from Frozen in the Instant Pot ...

August 24, 2017 by Laura

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This is, hands down, my favorite Instant Pot trick so far! I will forevermore cook frozen hamburger meat an Instant Pot as it saves loads of time and I dont have to thaw, babysit, or stir my meat to get it ready to add to dishes. Wait till you see how easy this is!

Also Check: How To Reheat Tamales In Instant Pot

How To Make Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef:

  • The size/shape of your frozen ground beef blocks will change the time needed to cook it in the Instant Pot. Blocks that are 1-1.5 inches thick will take about 20 minutes. If theyre 2-3 inches thick, add 3-5 minutes to the cook time.
  • This recipe will have your ground beef almost, but not quite, cooked through. Finish cooking it with the saute function while you break up the block of beef, before continuing with your recipe.
  • Make sure not to discard the Instant Pot liquid down the drain as the beef fat will be part of it after pressure cooking. If you refrigerate it for a few hours, the fat will solidify and can be easily scooped off and discarded.

Can You Cook Frozen Meat Under Pressure

Smaller pieces of frozen meat and frozen poultry can be cooked under pressure. You can also easily pressurize cook frozen vegetables. Pressure Cook Cook thick chunks of frozen meat such as beef or pork, it takes up to a third longer than normal cooking time and the result doesnt taste very good.

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How To Pressure Cook Frozen Ground Beef

  • Pour cold tap water into the bottom of the inner pot. Use 1 cup for a 3 or 6 quart instant pot and 1.5 cups for an 8-quart model. Then place in a metal trivet or rack inside the inner pot.
  • Place the frozen ground beef on your trivet, and seal the instant pot closed with vent closed. Be sure all plastic, styrofoam, or any other packaging is completely removed from the frozen meat. If not, run undercold water until you can remove the packaging.
  • Place the lid on the inner pot and seal. Set to high pressure and cook for 20 minutes for a 1-inch thick slab of frozen meat.
  • Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Check the temperature with a meat thermometer–it should be at least 160 degrees. If it is not, seal again and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. *See my notes at end of the post to troubleshoot why your meat would need longer to cook.
  • Carefully remove the meat from the instant pot and place in a large mixing bowl.
  • Discard the cooking liquid and fat that drained off beef.
  • Use a spatula to break up the ground meat and use just as you would for any recipe calling for browned or cooked ground beef.

Why Cook Ground Beef In An Instant Pot

How to Cook Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot

There are several reasons to cook ground beef in a pressure cooker. But my number one reason is that the hamburger becomes so tender and is extra juicy. That flavor is hard to beat and makes all my recipes taste awesome!

Another reason I like to make it in the pressure cooker is that I can make really large batches and freeze them for later use. Then I just grab a bag of frozen ground beef out of the freezer, defrost it a little and toss it in the dish I am making. SO EASY!!!!

When I cook the ground beef from frozen, it is so fast and straightforward to do. Once in a while, I am not great at planning ahead and decide at the last second what to make. This causes problems when the hamburger is frozen solid! Putting it in the fridge takes overnight to defrost it, microwaving the meat sometimes ends up half thawed and half-cooked, and its really not safe to just leave it on the counter.

So, my best bet is to quickly brown it right in the Instant Pot.

Recommended Reading: Reheat Frozen Tamales In Pressure Cooker

Tips For Thawing Your Ground Beef In The Instant Pot

Do not attempt to brown the frozen ground beef using the saute function on the instant pot. This will not cook the beef all the way through and you will end up with rubbery meat.

Once the meat is thawed you can crumble it and brown is using the saute function, if desired. This will give your beef a nice crust for soups, stews or even tacos.

You need at least 1 cup of water in the instant pot to thaw the ground beef. If you don not have enough water the dreaded food burn will appear on your instant pot menu.

Add your spices AFTER the meat has thawed. This will ensure thoroughly cooked beef that is flavorful.

How To Cook Frozen Ground Beef In Instant Pot

  • Add water to the Instant Pot. Place the trivet in the bottom and put the ground meat directly on the trivet.
  • Season with salt, pepper, and any other desired spices. Cook at high pressure according to instructions in recipe card below.
  • When time is up, check the middle part for doneness. Then transfer the beef to a plate and break up for recipe.
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    How To Cook Frozen Hamburger Meat In An Instant Pot

    Step One: Get hamburger meat out of the freezer.

    Step Two: Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pot under the trivet.

    Step Three: Put chunks of frozen meat onto the metal trivet inside the pot. Stand them up like soldiers so theyll cook more evenly.

    Step Four: Put the lid on your Instant Pot. Close the venting valve so it will seal.

    Step Five: Set the Instant Pot to 30 minutes on high pressure on Manual Mode.

    Step Six: Come back when the machine beeps as if to say, Your hard work is done. I hope you enjoyed your nap.

    Step Seven: Carefully release the pressure and use a meat thermometer to be sure the internal temp is at least 160 degrees.

    Step Eight: Transfer the cooked meat to a big bowl and use a sturdy utensil to break it apart.

    Now youve got five pounds of cooked hamburger to use any way you need! See my big list below of great options!

    Note: What to do with the water and grease at the bottom of your Instant Pot?

    If I had one complaint about this meat-cooking method, it would be that all the grease drips to the bottom, leaving the meat a bit dry. What can I say? I may be the only one on the planet who wants to keep a little fat in my meat! So I use a ladle to drizzle some of the water/grease back into the meat after Ive broken it apart.

    Perfect Ground Beef In The Instant Pot

    How to cook Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot. Fast ...

    One of the most common questions is how to cook ground beef in the Instant Pot.

    Cooking ground beef from fresh is easy peasy! Just hit the sauté button

    on the Instant Pot and brown your ground meat as you would usually on the stovetop.

    But when it comes to making ground beef from frozen, it requires an additional step. One has to first cook the beef to then sauté it with seasoning in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Does it work well? You bet it truly does!

    Read Also: How To Cook Frozen Meat In Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef Can Be Thawed And Cooked In No Time At All If Youre Forgetful Like Me Thawing Frozen Ground Beef Has Never Been Easier

    If youre like me and need to know how to make Instant Pot frozen ground beef so its defrosted in under 25 minutes, Im going to show you how. Added to our list of 101+ easy Instant Pot recipes and pressure cooker tips its something I use on a semi weekly basis and now am sharing it with all of you.

    We cook a lot of frozen meat in Instant Potbecause I tend to be forgetful.

    If you need easy Ninja Foodi recipes, you can use that pot instead.

    Lets start with a few basic tips:

    For reference, this is the pressure cooker I have and use for all recipe creations.

    I love thawing frozen ground beef in my pressure cooker because its keeps its juiciness, drains out all the fat.

    • Since I am forgetful I no longer have to worry if Ive forgotten to take it out of the freezer the day before!

    How Can I Defrost Ground Beef Quickly

    For days when what to make for dinner is the last thing on your mind, you can use the microwave to quickly defrost ground beef. Remove all packaging, then place the meat on a plate and microwave it at 50% power for 2 to 3 minutes, rotating and flipping the beef every 45 seconds, until it is fully thawed.

    Also Check: How Long To Cook Pre Cooked Ribs In Instant Pot

    Using Frozen Ground Beef

    If you forgot to thaw your ground beef, the good news is that you can cook your beef straight from frozen! The cooking instructions from frozen are fairly simple. To cook the frozen ground beef, skip the saute step in the cooking instructions and simply pressure cook for 12 minutes. Once the pressure cook has completed, do a natural pressure release and youre done!

    How To Cook Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce With Fresh Ground Beef

    LIFE HACK: Cooking Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot | 2 flavors, 20 minutes

    Start by sautéing the chopped onions,grated carrots and chopped celery in hot olive oil until onions is soft andtranslucent.

    Add the ground beef and pork,salt and pepper and cook with the aromatic until browned. Pour the passata overthe browned beef then add parsley, red pepper flakes, basil, Worcestershire sauce,garlic granules, tomato paste, bay leaf, beef stock and mix to combine.

    Cook on high pressure for 10minutes, then do 5 minutes NPR and quick release the remaining pressure.

    Serve over pasta, spaghetti or useas desired.

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    Tips For Cooking Beef In Instant Pot

  • Remove all the packaging from your frozen meat. That includes that absorbent pad that often sits between the bottom of your meat and the tray.
  • Consider substituting a broth that compliments your meat instead of water. This will create a richer flavor. Adjust seasonings accordingly.
  • Check your meats temperature. The FDA says beef, veal, and lamb are safe at 160°F. So if youre unsure of doneness, you can definitely check with a thermometer.
  • Check for dampness. Frozen foods can let off a lot of water. If your meat seems too damp, blot with paper towels.
  • Dont forgot to taste and adjust seasonings after cooking. This will depend on how youll use the thawed frozen ground beef in a recipe.
  • Brown Sugar And Butter Frozen Ham In The Instant Pot

    Perhaps instead of turkey, your family prefers ham for a big holiday dinner! Youll be pleased to discover that you can cook a ham from frozen conveniently in the Instant Pot too!

    Remember to search for a ham that fits comfortably in your pot. Aside from the ham, youll need water, brown sugar, butter and a glaze that often comes with the ham. Cook the ham for about 30-35 minutes and youll have a delicious entree made quickly!

    Read Also: How To Cook Frozen Tamales In Instant Pot

    Troubleshooting And Timing For Instant Pot Ground Beef

    • I have tested this recipe out with 1 and 2 pounds of ground beef that was frozen in a ¾ to 1-inch block . If you want to cook meat from a frozen tube, you will need to increase cooking time. I would start with increasing the time to 25 minutes.
    • I would not recommend cooking more than 3-4 pounds of frozen meat at a time. Doing so, would overcrowd your Instant Pot and therefore would cause it to take forever to reach pressure. Not only is this time-consuming, it potentially could be dangerous if you have frozen meat hanging out long waiting to cook.
    • To cook 3-4 pounds of meat, increase the time by 5 minutes per pound for frozen meat.
    • Be sure to completely remove packaging from frozen meat BEFORE cooking–you don’t want any wax, paper, or lining left on the meat before cooking.
    • In all my tests, it has never taken longer than 11 minutes to reach pressure for this recipe for frozen ground beef in the instant pot. The average time was 7 minutes.
    • Pro-Tip: Freeze your meat in 1 inch thick slabs so that the meat will cook evenly in the instant pot.

    I Cannot Tell You How Many Times I Have Gone To Cook Dinner And Realized I Forgot To Set Out My Meat It Is The Worst Feeling In The World Weve All Done It Once Or Twiceor If You Are Like Me I Am Probably Past The Triple Digits By Now You Are Not Alone In The Frozen Meat Struggle We Are All Right There With You

    How To Cook Frozen Ground Beef In Instant Pot

    When I first got my Instant Pot, I was reading about all the things that it could do and it was amazed that it can thaw meat. Its so simple too. All you need to do is get the meat out and put it in the Instant Pot. How easy is that? After that, there are so many different recipes you could make with the ground beef.

    Read Also: How To Defrost Ground Beef In Instant Pot

    How To Thaw Ground Beef In The Pressure Cooker:

    In order to defrost your ground beef in the Instant Pot, you will have to actually cook it. There is no function to thaw or defrost it without cooking it!

    To do so, add water to the pot , position the trivet or rack, and then place your frozen ground beef on top of the trivet. Pierce the frozen ground beef with a knife as far it can go to help vent so the inside meat cooks better.

    If the frozen ground beef has a flat form, it will take around 20 minutes. But it has a tube or cylinder form like mine, it will take about 25 minutes to reach a safe cooking temp which is 165 degrees F .

    After that, you may season and saute your ground beef to add flavor and use it in whatever dish you want to.

    Of course, you can make a ground turkey in the Instant Pot instead! In fact, you can cook any type of ground meat such as ground chicken, pork, etc. not only beef.

    How long to cook ground beef in the Instant Pot?

    It depends on whether the meat is fresh or frozen and also its form/shape.

    If the meat is fresh, it takes around 6 minutes to 8 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot.

    But if the beef is frozen, the cooking time will be longer about 20 to 25 minutes .

    In any case, always check the cooked ground beef internal temperature to safely consume it. The meat thermometer must register 165 F .

    For more Instant Pot recipes and their cooking times, get the charts and see how to use a pressure cooker.

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