Recipe Index

BEEF & PORK

Instant Pot Ground Beef from Frozen

A solid block of frozen ground beef goes in as is and comes out ready to crumble, brown, and season. No thawing, no planning ahead.

About 35 min 4 servings Easy
Jump to Recipe
Instant Pot Ground Beef from Frozen

Dinner was supposed to thaw

Forgot to take the beef out of the freezer. Again. Most recipes treat that as the end of dinner, but the pot does not care. A frozen block cooks through under pressure, no thawing and no planning ahead.

The beef steams on the trivet over a cup of water, so it cooks through without sitting in its own fat. What comes out is a plain cooked block. The flavour part happens after, on Sauté.

It crumbles once it browns

Back in the bare pot, the block breaks up with the back of a spoon as it browns. It looks stubborn for the first minute, then it gives up and crumbles like it was never frozen at all.

Season it once it is crumbling, not before. Taco seasoning is my usual move, but plain salt and pepper work if the beef is headed for a sauce. Cook it until no pink is left and dinner is back on.

THE RECIPE

Instant Pot Ground Beef from Frozen

Serves 4 · Total time 35 min · Easy

Prep
5 min
Pressure
20 min
Release
Quick

Amounts are written for a 6-quart cooker. Total time includes estimated pressurization and release.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Pour the water into the inner pot and set the trivet in place.
  2. Put the frozen block of beef on the trivet, still frozen solid. Do not try to break it up first.
  3. Lock the lid and pressure cook for 20 minutes.
  4. Vent the steam right away and open the lid once the float valve drops. Lift the beef out and pour the water and fat out of the pot.
  5. Put the beef back in the bare pot and switch to Sauté. Break it up with a spoon as it browns. It crumbles on its own once the heat gets in.
  6. Stir in the taco seasoning and salt to taste. Cook, stirring now and then, until no pink is left.

PER SERVING

Nutrition breakdown

ESTIMATED

280 calories per serving.

Protein26 g · 37% of macro calories
Carbs1 g · 2% of macro calories
Fat19 g · 61% of macro calories
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g
Sodium
320 mg
Saturated fat
7 g

Approximate values based on the listed ingredients and 4 servings. Brands and substitutions can change the totals.

Make Next

All Recipes