Emilie Meyer
Cooking a turkey in an Instapot is a quick and easy way to prepare a delicious, juicy, and tender bird. It's perfect for busy holidays or last-minute gatherings, as it cooks in under two hours, and you can make a simple gravy with the drippings and stock left in the pot. You can also make the turkey ahead of time and reheat it on the day you want to serve it. The Instapot method is versatile, allowing you to use your favourite herbs and spices to customise the flavours and get that beautiful golden-brown glow.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cook time | 20 minutes to 2 hours |
| Ease | No-fuss, easy, simple |
| Taste | Moist, juicy, tender, delicious |
| Texture | Crispy skin |
| Ingredients | Turkey, butter, garlic, fresh herbs, salt, pepper, chicken stock, vegetables |
| Equipment | Instant Pot, oven |
| Benefits | Less time and oven space, saves effort, retains juices |
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What You'll Learn
How to cook a moist turkey in an Insta Pot
Using an Insta Pot to cook a turkey is a great way to ensure it stays moist and tender. The Insta Pot seals in moisture and flavour with steam pressure, so your turkey stays juicy. It also saves time and effort without sacrificing quality or flavour.
Firstly, choose a turkey that will fit in your Insta Pot. A 6-pound turkey or turkey breast should fit into a 6-quart Insta Pot. For a 7-pound turkey or breasts, use an 8-quart pot.
Brining:
Brining is not essential, but it makes the turkey taste even better. It's a simple process: just add garlic, salt, and water to a large container (you can also add spices). Then, add the turkey and brine it in the refrigerator overnight or for at least five hours.
Seasoning:
You can season the turkey with your favourite herbs and spices. Try a rub of butter, salt, black pepper, paprika, and fresh chopped herbs like rosemary, oregano, thyme, and sage. You can also stuff the turkey with onion and garlic.
Cooking:
Place the turkey on a trivet, breast side up. Lock the Insta Pot lid and set it to "Pressure Cook" on high. The cooking time will depend on the weight of your turkey—a good rule of thumb is six minutes per pound of boneless turkey breast. For example, a 4.5-pound turkey should cook in 25 minutes, while a 7-pound turkey should cook in no more than 42 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure.
Broiling:
Carefully remove the turkey from the Insta Pot and place it on a baking sheet. Baste the skin with oil or drippings and top with more dried herbs if desired. Broil the turkey in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
Gravy:
You can make gravy using the drippings and stock left in the Insta Pot. Simply melt some butter, stir in flour to make a roux, and then slowly stream in the liquid while stirring. Bring to a simmer, reduce, and season to taste.
Enjoy your moist and delicious Insta Pot turkey!
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How to get crispy skin on an Insta Pot turkey
To get crispy skin on an Insta Pot turkey, you'll first need to cook the turkey in your Insta Pot. For a whole turkey, this will take around 46 minutes, or about 6 minutes per pound of turkey. For a turkey breast, 20 minutes or 6 minutes per pound should be enough.
Once your turkey is cooked, you can get crispy skin by using one of the following methods:
Broiling
Place the turkey in an oven and broil on high for 5–15 minutes, or until the skin reaches your desired level of crispiness. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
Air fryer lid
If you have an air fryer lid for your Insta Pot, switch to this after cooking. Broil for 10 minutes or until the skin is crispy.
Pan-frying
If you don't have an air fryer lid, you can achieve a similar effect by pan-frying the turkey in a little oil for 5 minutes. The skin won't be as crispy, but it will still get some browning and taste very good.
Basting
Before broiling, you can also try basting the skin with oil or drippings from the Insta Pot and topping with dried herbs.
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How to prepare Insta Pot turkey gravy
Preparing Insta Pot turkey gravy is a straightforward process. You can use the drippings and stock left in the Insta Pot after cooking the turkey to make a simple gravy. Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Prepare the aromatics
Place sliced aromatics such as onion, garlic, lemon, and thyme sprigs into the bottom of the Insta Pot. These ingredients add flavour and aroma to the turkey and the resulting broth.
Step 2: Season the turkey
Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Season the inside and outside generously with salt and pepper or other seasonings of your choice, such as dried sage, dried rosemary, and dried thyme. You can also rub the turkey with a paste made from butter, garlic, herbs, and seasonings.
Step 3: Cook the turkey
Place the turkey on the trivet or a steam wire rack, breast side up. Add chicken stock or water to the Insta Pot, following the ratio of 6 minutes of cooking time per pound of boneless turkey breast. Lock the lid and cook on high pressure. The cooking time will depend on the size of your turkey and Insta Pot. For example, a 4.5-pound turkey breast will take about 25 minutes, while a larger 8-9 pound turkey may take up to 60 minutes. Allow for natural pressure release, which can take about 10-to-40 minutes.
Step 4: Crisp the skin
If desired, you can crisp the skin of the turkey. If using an air fryer lid or an oven, broil the turkey for about 5-to-15 minutes or until the skin reaches your desired level of crispiness. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
Step 5: Make the gravy
After removing the turkey from the Insta Pot, you will have about 1/2 cup of stock or drippings. Measure out the drippings and top them off with chicken stock or water to make 2 cups of liquid. In a separate pan, melt some butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour to make a roux and cook until it is lightly golden. Slowly stream in the stock/drippings mixture while stirring. Bring the gravy to a simmer and let it reduce and thicken. Taste and season with salt and pepper, or other seasonings, to your preference.
Tips:
- You can also sauté onions and garlic in the Insta Pot before adding the turkey to create a base for your gravy.
- Brining the turkey before cooking is optional but can add flavour and moisture. Simply add garlic, salt, and water to a large container, along with any desired spices, and brine the turkey overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- If you prefer a darker gravy, you can boost the colour by deglazing the pan used for broiling with hot water and adding it to the gravy.
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How to season an Insta Pot turkey
Cooking a turkey in an Insta Pot is a quick and easy way to prepare a delicious, juicy, and tender bird. The pressure cooker seals in moisture and flavour, so your turkey stays juicy.
Brining:
Brining your turkey is an optional step, but it makes the meat even more tender and juicy. To brine, simply add garlic, salt, and water to a large container. You can also add spices if you wish. Submerge your turkey and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Seasoning:
There are many ways to season an Insta Pot turkey, and you can adjust the seasonings to your taste. Here is one suggested method for seasoning a whole turkey:
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Season the inside and outside of the turkey generously with salt and pepper.
- For extra flavour, rub the outside skin of the turkey with butter and your preferred spices or dried herbs. Suggested herbs include dried sage, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and paprika.
- You can also stuff the cavity of the turkey with aromatics like onion, garlic, and herbs. This will infuse the meat with flavour.
Cooking:
Once your turkey is seasoned, it's time to cook it in the Insta Pot. Place the turkey on the trivet, breast side up, and lock the lid. Set the Insta Pot to "Pressure Cook" on high for about 6 minutes per pound of turkey. For example, a 7-pound turkey should be cooked for no more than 42 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
Finally, you can broil the turkey in the oven for about 5 minutes to get a beautiful golden-brown colour. Keep a close eye on it to ensure the skin doesn't burn.
And that's it! You now have a delicious Insta Pot turkey that's juicy, tender, and full of flavour.
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How to save time cooking turkey with an Insta Pot
Cooking a turkey in an Instapot is a great way to save time and effort without sacrificing quality or flavour. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you cook a delicious turkey in no time.
Preparation
Firstly, ensure your turkey is defrosted and the giblets removed. If you wish to brine your turkey, prepare a mixture of salt, water and garlic and leave the turkey to soak for at least 5 hours or overnight. You can then pat the turkey dry with a paper towel and generously season with salt and pepper, or your choice of herbs and spices.
Cooking
Place your turkey on the trivet or steam rack, breast side up, and lock the Instapot lid. Set the Instapot to 'Pressure Cook' on high for around 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of your turkey. Aim for around 6 minutes per pound of turkey. Once cooked, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure.
Broiling
Carefully open the Instapot lid and transfer the turkey to an oven tray. Baste the skin with oil or drippings and top with herbs if desired. Broil the turkey for around 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
Sides and Gravy
While the turkey is cooking, you can prepare your sides and gravy. You can use the drippings and stock from the Instapot to make a simple gravy by melting butter and stirring in flour to make a roux. You can also cook vegetables in the Instapot, such as onions, celery, carrots and garlic cloves.
Make-Ahead Option
If you want to save time on the day of serving, you can cook the turkey up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate it. When ready to serve, slice the turkey, place it in a baking dish with some gravy, cover with foil and reheat in the oven until hot.
Using an Instapot to cook your turkey will not only save you time but will also result in a juicy and tender meal that your family and friends will love!
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Frequently asked questions
Cooking time depends on the size of the turkey and the size of the Insta Pot. A 4.5-pound turkey breast will take 25 minutes in a 6-quart Insta Pot. A 6-pound turkey will take 42 minutes in an 8-quart Insta Pot.
The Insta Pot is a great way to cook a turkey, as it seals in moisture and flavour. You can season the turkey with salt, pepper, and herbs, and cook it on a high-pressure setting for around 40-60 minutes.
You can make gravy with the drippings and stock left in the Insta Pot. Pour the drippings into a measuring cup and top it off with chicken stock or water until you have 2 cups of liquid. Melt butter and stir in flour to make a roux, then add the liquid and simmer until it thickens.
The size of the turkey you can cook in your Insta Pot will depend on the size of your Insta Pot. A 6-quart Insta Pot can fit a 4.5-pound turkey breast, while an 8-quart Insta Pot can fit a 6-pound turkey.
No, you should always defrost your turkey thoroughly and remove the giblets before cooking in the Insta Pot.
