As a busy home cook, I love being able to just toss frozen stew beef straight from the freezer into my Instant Pot. With the press of a button, I can have a hearty, comforting beef stew on the table in no time. But nailing the cook time is crucial to ending up with meat that’s fall-apart tender and full of flavor. So how long should you cook frozen stew beef in an Instant Pot? Let’s find out.
The Magic Number is 20-30 Minutes
Through plenty of trial and error, I’ve found that 20-30 minutes is ideal for cooking frozen stew beef cubes or chunks in the Instant Pot This gives the meat enough time to become perfectly fork-tender without turning mushy.
- For small 1-inch pieces, start with 20 minutes.
- For larger 2-inch chunks, go with 25-30 minutes.
Adjust as needed based on the actual size and thickness of your frozen beef. And remember, you can always cook longer if the beef isn’t as tender as you like after releasing the pressure.
Tips for Success with Frozen Stew Meat
Follow these simple tips and you’ll get amazing results every time you cook frozen stew beef in your Instant Pot
- Cut beef into uniform pieces before freezing for even cooking.
- Add 1 cup broth or water to pot to create steam.
- Don’t overfill pot – leave at least 1/2 cup headspace.
- Let pressure release naturally 10-15 minutes for tender meat.
- Check doneness and cook longer if needed.
- Add veggies on top to steam while beef cooks.
How to Tell When the Beef is Done
With Instant Pot pressure cooking, you can’t visually check the doneness of stew meat. Here are some ways to test when it’s ready:
- Insert a fork – meat should be very tender and fall apart easily.
- Take a piece out and slice it open – should be moist with no red or pink inside.
- Shred a piece between two forks – it should pull apart with little resistance.
- Internal temperature should reach at least 195°F-200°F.
If your beef passes these tests, it’s safe to say it’s cooked through and tender.
To Thicken Stew or Not?
I like to thicken my Instant Pot beef stew slightly at the end for a rich, luxurious gravy. Here are a couple easy ways to do this:
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Mix 1-2 tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. Stir into stew after pressure cooking until desired consistency is reached.
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Remove stew meat and vegetables, then simmer liquid on sauté mode for 5-10 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened.
Skipping this step also works if you prefer a thinner, more brothy stew.
Customize with Different Cuts of Beef
While classic stew beef works wonderfully, you can use other cuts of beef in your Instant Pot stew as well:
- Chuck roast – well-marbled for flavor
- Bottom or top round – leaner but more affordable
- Brisket – becomes super tender
- Short ribs – braise on bone for richness
Aim for uniform 1-2 inch pieces. Adjust cook times up or down as needed based on thickness.
Flavor Burst with a Quick Marinade
For beef that’s infused with flavor, let your meat marinate for 15-30 minutes before Instant Pot cooking. A simple marinade of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and herbs adds a flavor punch.
Other tasty marinade options include soy sauce, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and barbecue sauce – mix and match flavors!
Don’t Forget the Crispy Browning Step
Browning frozen stew beef in the Instant Pot before pressure cooking isn’t mandatory, but it adds tons of flavor. Use the sauté function to quickly brown all sides.
Or for easier cleanup, brown the beef in a skillet on the stovetop first. Then transfer the seared beef to the Instant Pot when ready to cook.
Vegetables Only Need Minutes to Steam
Another bonus of using the Instant Pot for beef stew is that you can add vegetables right in the pot. No need for pre-cooking!
Simply place chopped carrots, potatoes, celery and other veggies on top of the beef. They’ll steam to perfection in the remaining 5-10 minutes.
Helpful Tweaks to Adjust Cook Time
If your frozen beef stew meat turns out underdone or too overcooked, try these tweaks next time:
- For quicker cooking, cut meat into 1-inch chunks before freezing.
- Add extra liquid to pot if beef isn’t submerged enough.
- Let pressure release naturally for 10 mins for more tender meat.
- For firmer meat texture, do a quick pressure release instead.
- Add 5-10 mins to cook time if meat is too rare after venting.
Get Creative with Different Stew Recipes
Now that you know how easy it is to cook frozen stew beef in the Instant Pot, get creative with flavorful recipes like:
- Classic Beef Stew with potatoes and carrots
- Beef Bourguignon with red wine and mushrooms
- Mexican Beef Stew with corn, beans and chili seasoning
- Beef Stroganoff Stew with egg noodles
- Simple Tomato Beef Stew with basil and parmesan
The possibilities are endless for turning frozen stew beef into a hearty, satisfying meal using the time-saving Instant Pot. Give this technique a try on your next meatless Monday!
Handy Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew FAQs
Is it safe to cook frozen stew beef in an Instant Pot?
Yes, it is completely safe to cook frozen stew beef in the Instant Pot. The pressurized environment allows the meat to cook through evenly and thoroughly from frozen.
Do I need to defrost beef stew meat before Instant Pot cooking?
No defrosting is necessary! The Instant Pot can handle cooking frozen beef stew meat with no issues.
Should I add liquid to the Instant Pot when cooking frozen meat?
It’s a good idea to add at least 1 cup of broth, water or other liquid when pressure cooking frozen meat. This ensures there is enough moisture for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and steam the meat.
How long should I pressure cook beef stew cubes vs. chunks?
For 1-inch beef cubes, cook for 20 minutes. Larger 2-inch chunks may need 25-30 minutes to become fork-tender. Check doneness and adjust time as needed.
Is it better to do a quick or natural pressure release?
A natural release is recommended to allow the beef to continue cooking gently and absorb flavors. But a quick release works too if you’re pressed for time.
Can I add vegetables on top of frozen beef in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely! Adding veggies is a great way to steam them simultaneously. Place them on top and they’ll cook to perfection.
What Instant Pot function is best for cooking frozen stew meat?
The “Meat/Stew” or “Pressure Cook” settings are ideal as they are programmed for tenderizing meat in moist heat. You can’t go wrong with either!
How to Cook Beef Stew Meat
We have used this cut in many ways. What’s the point? It’s SO cheap that every time I see it in the store, I want to buy it. I have learned a few things about it though.
For our slow cooker beef tips recipe, you can cook it for a long time on low heat. For an easy Ninja Foodi recipe, you can cook it under pressure.
This gets softer as it cooks because it’s submerged in some kind of liquid. Our favorite is onion gravy. You could do it on the stove or in the oven with a Dutch oven, but it would take A LOT longer. You only have to step in once to break up this way, but it would take a lot more time to do the other way.
I love easy one-pot meals, so let’s go with this one. It takes a little over an hour to cook frozen meat this way, even with the “stop in the middle to break it up” time. Since every other way will take four times as long, it’s clear to me which one I would pick every time.
You can freeze it in a freezer bag if you find a sale or get it in paper when you buy meat in bulk from a local farmer, which is what we do. The pieces will be stuck together in a big clump either way. After about 25 minutes, you’ll need to break it up so that the inside pieces cook evenly and get soft.
While the broth is cooking, I put a few gravy packets in it to make things easier. I save one for later to thicken it up. You can use some, all or none of these. What will be most different is how thick the sauce is and how much flavor your meat has with or without it. Here is what you’ll need to get going:
- Frozen stew meat – 1. 5-2 pounds feeds the 5 of us served with sides.
- 2-3 gravy packets—you don’t need these if you just want the meat to be tender and don’t want the gravy to be thick.
- Beef broth: You could use water instead, but the meat will taste COMPLETELY different.
- Spices must be added; leaving them alone won’t make it taste very good. It might be okay to leave this alone if you were just making it for your dog, but this is dinner for people.
I use garlic salt and pepper with a pinch of salt and pepper when serving too. If you have a favorite steak seasoning then by all means use that. There are tons of seasoning options out there when it comes to beef.
My wrapped packages come in about 1 lb. increments so I throw in two of them at a time. Before adding the broth, you should whisk the dry gravy mix into it so that it is well mixed. If not the powder may stick to the bottom and trigger the burn notice.
You could easily slice an onion and throw that in too for texture and flavor. At the time, I didn’t because I was trying to figure out how long frozen stew meat takes to cook.
I already said that you could add the broth and spices and not make the gravy at all if you wanted to. That would of course have less calories but very little flavor so you do the math. We want tasty feel good meals at our house so this is a must. Even my picky husband gave this a resounding thumbs up made as stated below.
You can find packets in the grocery store alongside the canned beans typically. There are tons of varieties to make chili, pot roast, alfredo and this popular sauce during the holidays. It has “all the things” in it, so I always have a few of each on hand. All I have to do is pour it right in. Means EASY dinners for us.
How to cook frozen stew meat Instant Pot style so it turns out tender and juicy simmered in a thick flavorful gravy. Perfect protein packed meal.
Forgotten to thaw the meat for dinner? Me too!! The Instant Pot instructions for frozen stew meat are so easy that you won’t believe how hard it was to begin with. You’ve gotta’ try this in your pressure cooker tonight. One of the easy Instant Pot recipes we have on the blog this week. (affiliate links present).