Welcome back to our next post in the Cooking Meat for the Freezer in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker! If you happened to miss last week’s post you can catch up by clicking on this link: How to Cook Beef for the Freezer in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
This week we’ll be sharing some tips and recipes focusing on turkey. And just in case you didn’t know, turkey is great every month of the year, not just in November.
One of the beautiful things about turkey is that you can easily use it in place of chicken in so many recipes. It allows for a slight change of pace and it’s really easy to cook up lots of it to freeze ahead and add to recipes in a flash.
You will want to consider using a smaller turkey, or cutting it up before cooking because they are so much larger than chicken and typically will not fit in an instant pot whole.
Pressure cooking a frozen turkey is a fast and convenient way to cook a delicious and juicy turkey dinner. With an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot, you can cook a turkey straight from the freezer in a fraction of the time it would take to roast in the oven. But nailing down the right cook time is key to ensuring your turkey turns out perfectly and safely cooked through.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about pressure cooking frozen turkey, including recommended cook times, tips for success, and a step-by-step guide. Let’s get started!
Factors That Affect Frozen Turkey Cook Time
There are a few key factors that determine how long you’ll need to pressure cook a frozen turkey:
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Size of the turkey – A smaller 3-5 lb turkey breast or turkey parts will cook faster than a larger 15 lb whole turkey, Cook time increases as the weight goes up, Plan for about 10 extra minutes per pound
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Bone-in vs boneless – A boneless turkey breast cooks faster than a bone-in breast since the bones insulate the meat
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Electric vs stovetop pressure cooker – Cook times may need to be adjusted based on using an electric model like Instant Pot vs a stove-top pressure cooker
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Altitude – At higher altitudes above 3000 feet, cook times need to be increased due to lower air pressure.
Recommended Cook Times
Based on the above factors, here are general guidelines for how long to pressure cook frozen turkey:
- Boneless turkey breast (3-5 lbs): 50-60 minutes
- Bone-in turkey breast (5-7 lbs): 60-75 minutes
- Boneless turkey roast (3-4 lbs): 60-70 minutes
- Whole turkey (10-15 lbs): 90-120 minutes
The cook times increase as the weight goes up to account for the 10 minutes per pound guideline. These times are for an electric pressure cooker like Instant Pot at sea level. For stovetop pressure cookers or high altitude, you’ll want to increase cook times by 5-15 minutes.
Always check the internal temperature after pressure cooking, and cook longer if needed until the thighs and breasts reach 165°F. The turkey should not have any pink color.
Step-by-Step Guide for Pressure Cooking Frozen Turkey
Follow these simple steps for foolproof pressure cooked frozen turkey:
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Remove packaging – Take the frozen turkey out of the packaging and remove giblet packets if present. Rinse if needed and pat dry.
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Season the turkey – Generously season all over with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and your favorite poultry seasoning.
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Add liquid to pot – Add 1 cup broth or water to the pressure cooker pot. This will create steam.
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Insert turkey – Place turkey breast side up on a trivet or steam basket if you have one.
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Pressure cook – Lock the lid, select high pressure, and input the [cook time based on turkey size]. Allow 10-15 minutes natural pressure release.
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Check doneness – Use a meat thermometer to verify 165°F. If under, pressure cook for 5-10 minutes more.
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Let rest and serve – Let rest 10 minutes then slice and serve. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
Here are some additional tips to ensure pressure cooker perfection:
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Use a trivet or steamer basket to elevate the turkey above the liquids. This allows for even cooking.
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Quick releasing pressure can lead to overcooking. Let pressure release naturally for 10-15 minutes before quick releasing.
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Thawing or brining is not required but can help keep the turkey extra moist.
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For crispier skin, broil the cooked turkey for a few minutes after pressure cooking.
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Save the turkey juices in the pot for making insanely delicious gravy!
FAQs
How long does frozen meat take to pressure cook?
The frozen turkey will make the pot take 10-40 minutes longer to initially come up to pressure. Add at least 10 extra minutes to cook time for frozen meats.
Can you pressure cook turkey straight from frozen?
Yes, you absolutely can pressure cook turkey directly frozen! It may take a bit longer to come to pressure, but cooking time remains about the same.
What size turkey breast can you pressure cook?
You can cook turkey breasts ranging from 2-7 pounds frozen. Cook time will range from 50-75 minutes depending on bone-in vs boneless.
Is pressure cooked turkey safe?
Yes, pressure cooked turkey is fully safe when cooked to the proper internal temperature of 165°F. The moist heat kills any potential bacteria.
The Takeaway
Pressure cooking makes cooking frozen turkey simple and fast without thawing. Following the size-based cook time guidelines and tips above will ensure your turkey turns out perfectly cooked from frozen – juicy, delicious and safe to eat. Get ready to enjoy hassle-free turkey dinner straight from the freezer!
How to Cook Turkey for the Freezer in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker is a great way to cook a turkey breast. Be warned though – a whole turkey won’t fit inside a pressure cooker, unless it’s very small. You’ll want to use a turkey breast or boneless turkey roast instead.
Add at least 2 cups of water or more. You can also add onions, celery, salt, pepper and other seasonings as you like.
Turkey cook times:
- Boneless turkey roast: 15-20 minutes thawed or 30-35 minutes frozen
- Turkey breast with bones: 25-30 minutes thawed or 40-50 minutes frozen
Here’s a quick video for you with tips for cooking a turkey breast in your pressure cooker.
Substitute the chicken in any of these for Turkey cooked in the instant pot.
Easy Turkey and Tortellini Kale Soup – substitute turkey for the chicken in this recipe.
- Zip top freezer bags, freezer tape and a sharpie or two are your best friends here. Since cooked turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months, you’ll want to label each bag and include the date it was cooked.
- A good rule of thumb is about 3 cups of cooked turkey per bag. If you have a specific recipe in mind for your turkey, you’ll find some good ones listed in the next section, then include further prep instructions and sides that you may want to add.
- Be sure to cool your cooked turkey before sealing it in the zip top bags to prevent ice build up and freezer burn.
- For more extensive tips on everything you ever wanted to know about storing meats in the freezer, check out this post about Freezer Cooking. And then there’s this post with all sorts of Tips and a Recipe Roundup of Freezer Meals
- If you are new to pressure cooking and the instant pot, check out my honest review of two brands I own, the Instant Pot vs. Cuisinart