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Have a pound of ground beef sitting in your fridge or freezer and need it to cook fast for dinner? This Instant Pot Ground Beef method is the easiest, most hands-off way to get fully cooked ground meat on the table, whether it's fresh or frozen solid.
Just like the Instant Pot can safely cook frozen chicken breast, and frozen pot roast, it can be used to safely cook frozen ground meat. Perfect for those nights you are craving tacos but forgot to pull the meat out from the freezer!
Kristen's Keys for Instant Pot Ground Beef
A few things to know before you start help to ensure you get the most bang for your buck when it comes to this method for Instant Pot Ground Beef.
- Use a trivet. This keeps the meat from sitting in liquid, allows fat to drain away, and prevents a burn notice from occurring.
- Remove ALL packaging. Be sure all plastic, styrofoam, or any other packaging is completely removed from the frozen meat. If not, run under cold water just long enough to peel it off.
- Thickness matters. These times are tested for ground beef frozen in a ¾-1 inch thick slab (the most standard package sizes for ground beef sold at grocery stores). If you have a thicker slab of beef, you will need to increase the cook time.
- Think beyond ground beef. Yes, this recipe is for Instant Pot Ground Beef, but it works for ground chicken, ground turkey or ground pork.
- Season after cooking. You'll get better flavor and more even seasoning once the meat is broken up.
How to Cook Ground Beef in the Instant Pot
Whether you are just learning to use the Instant Pot or a seasoned user, this next section will walk you through the process.
- Prepare Inner Pot. Add 1 cup of cold tap water to the Instant Pot for a 3- or 6-quart model or 1½ cups for an 8-quart model. Then place in a metal trivet or rack inside the inner pot.
- Add Meat. Place the frozen ground beef (or meat of choice) on the trivet, ensuring all packaging is removed from the meat.
- Set Cook Time. Place the lid on the inner pot and ensure the vent knob is sealed. Using the pressure cook or manual button, set to cook on high pressure for 20 minutes for frozen beef OR 6 minutes if thawed/fresh.
- Let Pressure Release. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. This ensure the meat finishes cooking and keeps it from becoming tough.
- Check the Internal Temperature. Using a digital meat thermometer, check to ensure the beef has reached at least 160°F (chicken, turkey, and pork should reach 165°F). If not, pop the lid back on the Instant Pot and set to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Remove Meat. Carefully remove the meat from the instant pot and place it in a large mixing bowl and discard the cooking liquid and fat that drained off the beef.
- Break it Up and Use as Desired. Use a spatula to break up the ground meat and use it just as you would for any recipe calling for browned or cooked ground beef. Hello, Sloppy Joes or taco night.
How to Sauté Ground Beef in the Instant Pot
If your ground meat is fresh or thawed, you can opt to sauté the meat using the sauté function. It is nearly the same as browning the meat on the stove, but saves dishes if you're finishing the recipe in the Instant Pot--think Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff, Instant Pot Chili, or Instant Pot Hamburger Helper.
- Heat Oil. Hit the sauté function on the Instant Pot and then hit Adjust to change the heat to normal heat. Add in a bit of oil and let heat 1-2 minutes.
- Sauté Beef. Add the ground meat, and allow to cook, breaking the meat up into small pieces as it browns.
- Drain Grease. Once the ground beef is cooked thoroughly, which takes about 6-7 minutes, turn the Instant Pot OFF by hitting cancel, drain excess grease, and continue with your recipe.
Troubleshooting and Timing Notes
If your ground meat didn't cook exactly as expected, these tips may help.
- This method is tested with standard packages of ground beef sold from the grocery store meat section. Not bulk packages or tubes of ground meat. Tubes are thicker and need about 25 minutes.
- Buying meat in bulk? Portion into 1 pound amounts and shape into 1-inch thick slabs so it cooks evenly every time.
- Cooking more than 2 pounds of meat? Increase the cook time by 5 minutes.
- Don't cook more than 3-4 pounds at once. Overcrowding slows pressure buildup and affects safety.
Recipes That Love This Method
Instant Pot ground beef works perfectly in the following recipes:
Instant Pot Ground Beef
Video
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds ground meat, beef, turkey, chicken, or pork
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup cold tap water into a 3 or 6-quart instant pot or 1½ cups of cold water for an 8-quart instant pot. Add a trivet and place frozen or fresh ground meat directly on trivet, ensuring all packaging has been removed. If desired, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the vent knob is locked into place or pointing to the sealed position. Using the manual or pressure cook button, set to cook on HIGH pressure for 20 minutes if frozen, 6 minutes if fresh.
- Once the cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you can release the remaining pressure by using a long spoon to knock the vent knob from sealed/locked to venting, using caution to stand back from the steam. Check the temperature of the meat with a digital thermometer. If not at 160℉ (for beef) or 165℉ (for turkey, chicken, or pork). place the lid back on the Instant Pot and set to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Once cooked fully, carefully remove the meat from the inner pot, placing it into a large bowl. Discard the cooking liquid from the inner pot. For the meat, break it up into bite-sized pieces and season as desired. Use in any recipe calling for cooked ground beef.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
hi - i'm a little scared to try your ground beef spaghetti sauce/chili etc type recipe. i recently had a bad experience. i tried to cook frozen cabbage rolls with copious tomatoe sause. shortly into the cycle, the pot said 'burn'. i stopped it immediately and took everything out of the pot, put a trivet in, piled on the cabbage rolls and again poured on the tomatoe sauce - same result.
don't understand why it did this - there was plenty of moisture in the instant pot.
if i can only cook with food off the bottom and water providing the steam for the pressure, the instant pot is not very attractive to me as i cook a lot of combination dishes.
what is your advice please
Hi Cheryl! I explain some reasons that Instant Pot get burn warnings in this video. However, I will say that tomato sauce alone will cause a burn notice in some models. I always start with water or stock then add tomato sauce on top of that. For cabbage rolls I would place at least 1/2 cup beef or chicken stock (1 cup for 8 quart) in Instant Pot and then add in cabbage rolls. Top with 1/2 cup to 1 cup tomato sauce and then cook. That should help 🙂
This is perfect! Such an easy way to prep ground beef for tacos or nachos! Ill try this one with my IP and see how it will work, hopefully it works well. Just in time for my 4th day military diet (feeding window), Ill eat a lot of tacos!
Good luck with your diet and I hope you enjoy your tacos 🙂
Worked perfectly! I always portion and flatten my ground beef as much as I can to save space in my freezer which probably helped with it cooking as quick as it did. I used my immersion blender to break it apart 🙂
YAY!! And I LOVE the tip about the immersion blender--I am going to try that! 🙂
Thank you! I’ve had my Instant Pot for a year and a half and felt so intimidated. I finally decided to just go for it and your recipe and directions for ground beef are my second time using the Instant Pot (first was replicating Starbucks’ sous vide egg bites). It came out wonderfully! Next time I’ll cook the meat a bit longer - probably 10 minutes for 1 lb rather than 6 but otherwise this was perfect!
YAY Kelly! I am so glad you had success. And if you need any more IP help, reach out anytime. Here is a beginner post too: https://amindfullmom.com/instant-pot-101/ 🙂
I just defrosted a 20oz PKG of ground turkey using this method. It was totally cooked. Thanks for the great idea. I now have turkey chili in my IP. I set it to saute and broke up the meat, added chopped onion and carrots and cooked for a while. Then I added the sauce and spices and have it set for 25 minutes. Hope it tastes good!!
Oh yay!!! Dinner saved! I hope you enjoy the chili <3
I'm super new to the IP world and was going to attempt to make some "boiled" ground beef and rice for my sick pup. The IP process completely blows my mind and I understand nada!! Is it possible to make this in the IP without having to saute the fresh meat first? Like, plop some rice and water in there with the meat? It sounds like this is a no-no. I have the trivet thing it came with, but won't the fresh ground beef fall though??? I know I'm overthinking this... ha!!
Thank you!
Hey there! The Instant Pot can be so overwhelming, so you are not alone. If you want to cook rice with the meat, you have a few options.
You can place meat right on rice and cook.
You can place meat on tivet above rice and cook.
Remember that the grease will drain into the rice...which is tasty I am sure, but not sure you want that for yourself.
Also, if cooking frozen meat, be sure to cook brown rice as, frozen meat will not cook to safe temperature in time it takes to cook white rice.
Hope that helps.
Oh gosh!! I didn't even think of the grease.... geesh. I may need to rethink this. You're absolutely right, For the pup, that might be doable... not so much for me.... I've been wanting to do chicken and veggies for me, but that's a whole 'nother feat of opening/closing the IP I'm not sure I am qualified for.... Thank you so much for your super quick response!!
I have faith in you! Here check out my IP 101 (https://amindfullmom.com/instant-pot-101/) and Pot in Pot Cooking Methods (https://amindfullmom.com/pot-in-pot/) to help you feel more confident.
Recipe was simple and easy. I'm using this to defrost some beef for an instant pot spaghetti recipe. Thanks for your help!
YAY!!! I hope you enjoy the spaghetti pie--sounds delicious!
WOW, I find the questions some of the people ask literally, offensive. I DO NOT understand how some people cant figure out: 1. calories (and why you should have to) 2. Amounts of ingredients if you posted wrong amount?? 3. Double or Tripling recipe 4. High altitude ???? Why cant people figure this out on their own??? Its called google! I'm sorry but this is so annoying!
Angela, I try really hard to put myself in people's shoes--and then answer all the questions I can on my post so I can be a one stop shop. The more questions people ask, the better I can write recipes that answer those questions 🙂