How to cook meat in the Instant Pot. Since the day I brought the Instant Pot in my house it became my favorite kitchen tool. Not only is it fast, it infuses flavor into everything it cooks! My favorite thing to cook in my Instant Pot is meat; I’ve never been disappointed with my meats being pressured cooked. I’ve included a printable cheat sheet so you when you need to cook meat in the Instant Pot it can be right on your fridge for reference (see link at the bottom of this post).
If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet, I highly recommend one. But you should be able to use these cooking meat tips with most electric pressure cookers. I cook so much more than meat in mine and I’ll be sure to write up more references in the near future. I make the best cooked carrots, mashed potatoes and beans of all sorts in my Instant Pot. I’ve yet to be disappointed with anything, well except the first time I made rice in it; but that rice failure was more of user error than anything.
Right now, we are in the middle of another hot summer in Phoenix. I love that I can make a great pressure cooked dinner without heating the house up too.
Be sure to check out the recipes I’ve included under each meat section.
How to Cook Meat in the Instant Pot
The cook times listed here are based on fresh, not frozen, meats. I have listed frozen times where applicable. Remember, when considering cook times, you need to add time for the Instant Pot to get pressurized and when done cooking some will need a slow release (versus opening the valve) which will also add time.
Beef
I recommend when cooking beef that you allow for a natural, slow, release of pressure. I find that when you open the valve for a quick release the meat tends to be tougher.
- Pot Roasts – 30 – 40 minutes
(that will cook it but I do add more time to my roast for that falling apart goodness) - Stew Meat – 15 – 20 minutes
- Ribs – 25 – 30 minutes
- Ground Beef, frozen – 25 minutes
(see tips here)
Check out Instant Pot Beef Stew and Instant Pot Roast Beef
Chicken 
- Whole – 6 minutes per pound
- Boneless – 8 minutes
- Boneless, frozen – 12 minutes
- Bone-In – 10 – 15 minutes
Check out Instant Pot Orange Chicken and Salsa Chicken Tacos
Turkey
- Boneless Breast – 15 – 20 minutes
- Bone-In Breast – 25 – 30 minutes
- Legs – 15 – 20 minutes
Check out Turkey Breast in Gravy and State Fair Turkey Drumsticks
Pork
- Ham, re-heat boneless fully cooked – 6 – 7 minutes
- Ham, shoulder – 25 minutes
- Roast, butt – 45 – 50 minutes
- Roast, loin – 55 – 60 minutes
- Ribs – 20 – 25 minutes
- Chops – 5 – 6 minutes
Check out Honey Glazed Ham and Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Rabbit
- Whole 25 – 30 minutes
(will fall off the bone)
Check out Instant Pot Rabbit Soup
Fish
- Whole – 5 – 6 minutes
- Whole, frozen – 7 – 10 minutes
- Fillets – 2 – 3 minutes
- Fillet, frozen – 3 – 4 minutes
Check out 10 Minute Salmon and Instant Pot Fish Chowder
Duck
- Whole – 25- 30 minutes
- Cuts, bone in – 12 – 15 minutes
Check out Braised Duck with Potato and Duck Confit
