How To Cook Turkey Breast In The Instant Pot / Electric Pressure Cooker
This Instant Pot Turkey Breast recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Mealthy MultiPot. Pressure cookers are the perfect moist environment for cooking turkey.
If youve never made turkey in your pressure cooker before, be sure to give yourself plenty of time so youre not stressed about getting dinner on the table.
Before preparing the turkey breast, check to make sure it fits inside your pressure cooking pot.
Instant Pot Turkey Breast Roast Recipe Extremely Moist & Delicious
Making an Instant Pot Frozen Turkey Breast Roast will change your life forever!
No more chewy and dried slices of turkey breast for dinner. And if you forgot to pull it out of the freezer to thaw it, no worries you cook it directly from frozen!
Moist and delicious turkey breast roast made from frozen in the Instant Pot and served with cranberry sauce.
Several people have asked me to provided a recipe for cooking a turkey breast roast in the Instant Pot.
Not only for Thanksgiving dinner, but for an easy-to-prepare main dish recipe for any night of the week.
My first thought went to a typical oven-baked Thanksgiving turkey. The thighs are moist and juicy, but the turkey breasts always come out dry and chewy.
So I knew that if I was only going to cook only the turkey breasts, I could adjust the cooking time specifically tailored for the white meat.
Have You Tried A Pressure Cooker Turkey Yet In Your Instant Pot Its Easier Than You Think And Frees Up Your Oven On Thanksgiving Day Take A Look
Time to cook a pressure cooker turkey! I am serious, it is possible to cook a turkey in Instant Pot and it comes out so moist and full of flavor in less than an hour! 101+ easy Instant Pot recipes here on The Typical Mom blog you can enjoy too.
No more bags to use to keep in the moisture when cooking a turkey in the oven.
Just pop it in for a 45 minute cook time with some broth and vegetables and you can walk away. It will come out perfect every time.
Lets start with a few basic tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We add new ones each week!
For reference, this is the pressure cooker I have and use for all recipe creations.
If you follow my blog at all you know I am all about easy Instant Pot recipes, especially during the holidays when you have multiple dishes to cook.
I started by cooking this Instant Pot ham and was amazed at how easy it was and just how juicy it came out!
Recommended Reading: How To Cook Chicken Tenders In Instant Pot
Step By Step: How To Cook The Perfect Turkey
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
How Long To Cook A Turkey Breast In Pressure Cooker
As a rule of thumb, pressure cook a turkey breast for about 6 minutes per pound.; This applies to both bone-in and boneless.; To be sure it’s cooked through, use a meat thermometer and place it in the thickest part of the breast, close to, but not touching, the center bone.; It should read at least 160° F.; The temperature of the turkey will rise to 165° 170° F as it rests.
Note:; If you are cooking a boneless turkey with the netting on, pressure cook it for 7 minutes per pound.
A 6 quart pressure cooker will typically hold up to a 6.5 pound turkey breast and an 8 quart pot will hold up to 8.5 pounds.
Use at least a 10 minute natural release after the turkey is done pressure cooking to make sure the juices have time to redistribute into the meat.; If you have time, I actually prefer a full natural pressure release to ensure the meat stays moist and tender.
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Tips Storing And Leftovers
- Roast and Instant Pot size: I fit 5 lbs roast into my 6 quart Instant Pot Lux and could fit in up to 7 lbs. 8 quart can hold even 8-9 lbs turkey breast or a whole mini turkey.
- Dont do quick release meat wont be fully cooked.
- Always sear after I tried to sear turkey breast before cooking on Saute mode and prefer broiling after. Turkey skin comes out more roasted instead of poached.
- Storing and reheating: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pot covered with a splash of broth and drippings by simmering on low, kind of steaming. Do not bake as it will dry out meat more.
- Freezing: Cooked turkey leftovers freeze very well. Freeze cubed turkey meat in measured out portions in glass containers for casseroles and salad. I freeze carcass in a giant Ziploc bag for soups.
- Leftover meat and bones: Make Instant Pot bone broth with carcass and turkey tetrazzini with leftover meat.
How To Cook A Turkey Breast In An Instant Pot
First, get out a small bowl. Add the butter , garlic, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper and combine well.
Second, put the trivet that came with the Instant Pot in the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. Once the trivet is in place, put the turkey breast on top of the trivet in the instant pot. Make sure it is breast side up.
Next, pour the butter mixture all over the top of the turkey. Use a basting brush to spread the ingredients all over the turkey. This makes the turkey delicious so you dont want to miss a spot.
Finally, put the lid on the pressure cooker and set the valve to the sealing position on the lid. Let this cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
Once the cooking time has finished, let the pressure release naturally for 10-15 minutes. Next, do a quick release to release all the pressure from the instant pot.
Now, remove the turkey breast from the instant pot. Let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing. This will help to keep all the delicious juices inside that make the turkey so moist and flavor packed. So dont skip this step!
Read Also: How To Cook Frozen Tamales In Instant Pot
How Do You Cook Frozen Ground Pork In The Instant Pot
Add in trivet and place frozen or fresh ground meat directly on trivet. Put the lid on the Pressure Cooker and turn valve to seal. Set to High Pressure for 20 minutes if frozen, 6 minutes if fresh. Once finished cooking, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick release of any remaining pressure.
How To Make Turkey Gravy In Instant Pot
To make the gravy, drain the pan drippings through a sieve to catch the onions and garlic. You can also press them through it to get all the flavor into the gravy. Measure out two cups of the liquid and place back in the Instant Pot insert. Add a mixture of 2 tablespoons or cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water and whisk well. Saute until thickens. You can use the rest of the liquid from cooking the turkey for soups later. I simply place it in ziploc bag once it completely cools. Its a very flavorful broth and perfect for making soups during winter.
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Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast
Just the two of you? Tired or busy? Make Instant Pot turkey breast.;This recipe is very easy and yields the same result delicious turkey dinner in fraction of time.
All you have to do is season the breast, cook it in Instant Pot, broil in the oven and make gravy with drippings right in Instant Pot.
I have to say dont skip the gravy. No matter what and how you cook turkey, breast is lean and more dry meat than any other bird part.
Can I Cook The Turkey Or Turkey Breast Ahead Of Time
Yes of course! Cook the turkey ahead of time, refrigerate up to 3 days and then just reheat the day you want to serve it. The best way to reheat it, is to slice it, place it in a baking dish, add about 1/4 c. gravy. Cover with foil and reheat at 325° until hot. To keep it moist, add a shallow pan of water to the bottom rack.
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How To Cook A Turkey Breast In The Instant Pot
Once your turkey has spend it’s time hanging out with the dry brine. It’s cooking time.
I start by placing onions and garlic in the bottom of the Instant Pot. I put the trivet on top off them, then add just 1 cup of turkey stock. You don’t need anymore than that, we aren’t trying to boil our turkey.
Turkey goes in and Instant Pot gets set to 35 minutes. Seal her up and let it go. My turkey breast weighed around 7 pounds. You may need to adjust for a larger or smaller one. I honestly think I could have gotten away with doing mine for a little less but I feel safe that 35 minutes will get you to a safe temperature.
The turkey breast needs to be cooked until the internal temperature registers at least 165 degrees.
I allowed the Instant Pot to natural release, which didn’t take too long since I didn’t have a ton of liquid to start with. I think it was about 15-18 minutes.
How To Cook A Frozen Turkey In The Instant Pot:
Place trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Cut the netting and packaging off of the turkey.
Remove the gravy packet .
If you are struggling to get the gravy packet out of the turkey because its frozen, you can run it under hot water to loosen it enough to pull it out. However, keep in mind that you will need to disinfect your sink after.
Place the frozen turkey in the Instant Pot.
Rub melted butter on all sides of the turkey.
Seasoning the turkey with all the seasonings, trying to cover as much of the surface of the turkey as possible.
Pour chicken broth in the bottom of the Instant Pot, being sure to not pour the chicken broth directly on top of the turkey and wash the seasonings off.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, push the MANUAL button, and set the timer depending on how big your turkey is.
Here is a breakdown of how long to cook a frozen turkey in the Instant Pot:
- 3-4 lbs: 65 mins
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Can You Freeze Whole Roasted Turkey
You can definitely store this turkey in the freezer, but I dont recommend freezing the entire bird. You should first remove the bones and slice up your turkey. Place your turkey slices in an airtight, freezer-safe container or storage bag and enjoy within 3 months. Be sure to thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More turkey recipes youll love:
Calcium4%Iron11%
Instant Pot Turkey Breast Recipe
Instant Pot Turkey Breast Recipe juicy turkey breast cooked in pressure cooker in just 35 minutes! The best way to save time preparing Thanksgiving dinner.
I serve this turkey breast with my Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Corn Casserole and use the leftovers to make Turkey Tetrazzini.
When I said, that the Instant Pot digital pressure cooker can change your life, I meant it. Its been saving me time in the kitchen since I got it. But this Instant Pot Turkey Breast is a game-changer on a whole new level. I can cook a whole bone-in skin-on turkey breast in my pressure cooker in 1/3 of the time I would take me to roast it in the oven. I can bake side dishes in the oven in the meantime.
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The Making Of Instant Pot Frozen Turkey Breast Roast
Off to the grocery store I went to find the perfect turkey breast to make in the Instant Pot.
This recipe was tested with my 6 quart Instant Pot and a Butterball frozen 3 1/2 lb. turkey breast.
We always bought whole turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner. And I always buy them frozen solid. After a cool water bath for a couple of days they are thawed out just in time for the big day.
I found a frozen, boneless turkey breast roast in the case next to the whole turkeys. They were frozen solid.
Having no time to thaw it out, I knew that I had to make it from its frozen state.
The first step was to remove the plastic wrap off the turkey.; That is where the obstacles arose.
How To Make Instant Pot Turkey Breast Roast
Not familiar with Instant Pot? Check out my Instant Pot guide and which Instant Pot I own and recommend to buy.
- Prep: Add 1 cup water and trivet to 6 quart or 8 quart Instant Pot. Mesh roast could fit into 3 quart. Trim fat, rub turkey breast with oil and sprinkle with spices.
- Cooking: Cook on High pressure, fresh 6 mins/lb, frozen 10 mins/lb. After let pressure come down on its own until pin drops.
- Broil: Remove turkey onto baking sheet and broil until brown and crispy skin.
- Make gravy: Press Saute, whisk in cold water and cornstarch right into Instant Pot with drippings and cook until thickened.
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Can I Make This Turkey Breast In The Slow Cooker
Absolutely! Check out the recipe notes for instructions on how to make this in the slow cooker, keep in mind that the instant pot also has a slow cooker method.
Some of you have said in the past the slow cooking is still the best, well that option is available to you, you can definitely cook this on low for about 6 hours and youll still end up with a super juicy turkey breast.
How To Make Instant Pot Whole Turkey
Cooking a whole turkey in the Instant Pot couldnt be easier. You just have to stuff and season your turkey, toss it in the Instant Pot with your veggies and broil it in the oven for 5 minutes to get that beautiful golden-brown glow.
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How To Store Leftover Turkey
Lauren Habermehl for Taste of Home
In our humble opinion, if you make a turkey and dont have any leftovers, youre missing out. Save any leftover Instant Pot turkey in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also store it in an airtight container or freezer storage bag in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.
Have other leftovers? Heres how long Thanksgiving leftovers last in the fridge.
Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin
After one bite, you are going to agree this Instant Pot turkey tenderloin comes out tasting phenomenal! Its amazing how easy it is to cook turkey tenderloin in the Instant Pot, and it comes out perfect every single time.
This Instapot turkey breast tenderloin recipe tastes delicious whether you use frozen turkey tenderloin or fresh one.
If you arent into turkey, you can make other meats in the Instant Pot too.
This Instant Pot beef brisket tastes even better than the roasted version.
In the mood for seafood? Make some Instant Pot shrimp fajitas! They are so quick and easy that you can even make them on really busy weeknights.
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How To Cook Turkey In A Pressure Cooker
Im the girl that ALWAYS buys a turkey. In years past, we have tried turkeys here and there and they always ended up being more trouble than they were worth.
We would cook them too long and accidentally make them dry. Or we wouldnt cook them long enough and I was so paranoid about poisoning my loved ones.
The time and effort was just overwhelming, and we would opt to head down to our local Honey Baked Ham instead.
Well now I have a new easy recipe for Turkey Day thanks to this pressure cooker turkey breast recipe. I dont have to stress out over how long to cook a turkey breast, because its super simple now.
This Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe is virtually fool proof and in about an hour we had super tender, juicy, AMAZING turkey. You can choose to add stuffing or not, buy bone in or notthe options are all up to you. This recipe will be our go-to from now on!