Transform rock-hard, frozen pork chops into perfectly tender, juicy delights with your Instant Pot. This incredible method allows you to whip up a healthy dinner, complete with vegetables, in a fraction of the time, even if you forgot to defrost the meat! Whether you’re using an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi pressure cooker, or Crockpot Express, this recipe is a game-changer for busy weeknights.
We’ve extensively experimented with cooking frozen pork chops in the Instant Pot until we perfected the method. Now, we’re thrilled to share this easy Instant Pot recipe, ensuring that even on your most forgetful days, a delicious and wholesome dinner is always within reach. No one will ever guess you started with frozen meat!
Mastering Instant Pot Frozen Pork Chops
Cooking frozen meat in the Instant Pot is a skill that saves countless dinners. We’ve dedicated an entire guide to cooking various frozen meats in your Instant Pot, because the results are consistently impressive. From a hearty frozen pork shoulder to quick chicken dinners and more, you’ll be amazed at how well your pressure cooker handles ingredients straight from the freezer.
For those who own a Ninja Foodi, these instructions are equally applicable. Simply use the pressure cooking lid and the designated pressure cook button. The cooking times and preparation steps remain the same, making this recipe versatile across different brands of electric pressure cookers.
If you’re new to the world of pressure cooking, rest assured, we have plenty of easy one-pot meal recipes to get you started. Here are a few essential tips to help you succeed:
- Make sure to Bookmark our Instant Pot recipes page. We add fresh, exciting recipes every week!
- Print this invaluable Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet. It’s your quick reference guide for understanding how long various meats, vegetables, and beans need to cook under pressure.
- For optimal cooking and easier cleanup, we highly recommend investing in a non-stick inner pot. While it’s always good to know how to deglaze your pressure cooker after sautéing, a non-stick liner significantly reduces sticking issues.
The Instant Pot model we use for all our recipe creations is a 6-quart capacity, a versatile size perfect for most family meals.
Here are a few common questions you might have before diving into this delicious recipe:
Can You Cook Frozen Pork in an Instant Pot? Absolutely!
The answer is a resounding yes! The Instant Pot is specifically designed to handle frozen meats, making it an invaluable tool for busy cooks. We’ve successfully prepared Instant Pot frozen pork loin, yielding fantastic results. Building on that success, we adapted the method for pork chops, which we’re sharing with you today. Expect incredibly tender and juicy pork chops in a remarkably short amount of time.
Beyond chops and loins, a frozen pork roast in the Instant Pot also turns out beautifully. While cooking from a defrosted state is always ideal for browning and texture, life happens, and sometimes we simply forget. In those moments, having this reliable Instant Pot method means you can still enjoy a wholesome meal without the stress of last-minute thawing.
Yes, most cooking methods work well with frozen pork chops, except for slow cooking. Pressure cooking, which essentially steams them, is our favorite and highly recommended approach for achieving maximum tenderness. Follow our detailed steps to experience this convenient cooking method.
Cooking frozen pork chops typically requires about 50% more time than cooking defrosted ones. While an oven might take around 50 minutes, the Instant Pot remarkably cooks them in just 12 minutes under high pressure, followed by a natural pressure release. This significantly cuts down your dinner preparation time compared to traditional methods for pork chops.
Essential Ingredient Notes for Your Instant Pot Pork Chops
Selecting the right ingredients is key to a flavorful and successful meal. Here’s what you’ll need and some tips for choosing them:
- Frozen Pork Chops: For the most tender results and ease of eating, we generally prefer boneless pork chops when possible. However, bone-in chops work perfectly too. The most important factor is to choose medium-sized chops that are not excessively thick, ideally around 3/4 inch. If you have particularly thin pork chops, you might consider reducing the cooking time by just 1 minute to prevent overcooking.
- Carrots: To add a healthy dose of vegetables to your meal, we recommend including baby carrots or larger carrots chopped into substantial bite-sized pieces. These will hold up well under pressure and absorb the delicious flavors of the broth and rub.
- Celery: Another excellent and budget-friendly vegetable choice is celery. Like carrots, it retains its texture nicely during high-pressure cooking and adds a subtle freshness to the dish.
- Broth (or Water): A liquid base is essential for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and steam the meat, ensuring it becomes wonderfully tender. Chicken broth is preferred for its added flavor, but water can be used in a pinch. You will also need a trivet with handles to keep the meat and vegetables elevated above the liquid.
- Onion: A small amount of sliced onion adds an aromatic depth to the dish, enhancing the overall savory profile.
Crafting the Perfect Pork Dry Rub
Our go-to dry rub works wonders on almost any meat, regardless of how it’s cooked. This blend creates a delicious crust and infuses the pork chops with incredible flavor:
- Brown Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness that caramelizes beautifully and balances the savory spices.
- Garlic Salt: Provides a robust garlic flavor with the added convenience of salt.
- Salt and Pepper: Essential seasonings to enhance the natural taste of the pork.
- Smoked Paprika: Delivers a rich, smoky aroma and a lovely reddish hue, elevating the overall sensory experience.
Bone-In vs. Boneless: Cooking Frozen Pork Chops
A common question revolves around whether bone-in pork chops can be cooked from frozen, and the good news is, absolutely! Whether you have bone-in or boneless chops, the pressure cooking time remains consistent. For this recipe, we focused on boneless chops, but the method applies equally to both. While you won’t be able to brown them before pressure cooking, you can certainly sear them for 1-2 minutes per side after they’re done if you prefer a crispy exterior. Personally, we prioritize maximum tenderness, so we often skip this step.
If your pork chops are on the smaller side, perhaps thinner than 3/4 inch, you might consider reducing the cooking time to 10 minutes. However, for average medium-sized and medium-thickness chops, 12 minutes on high pressure is typically just right for achieving that perfect tender texture.
A crucial step for achieving incredibly tender pork chops is allowing the pressure to release naturally. Do NOT perform a quick release. Natural pressure release allows the cooking process to gently complete as the pressure slowly dissipates, resulting in exceptionally soft and juicy meat. To help the dry rub adhere better to the frozen chops, you can lightly brush them with a bit of olive oil before applying the seasoning. If you’re also interested in other cooking methods, we have a fantastic recipe for air fryer frozen pork chops as well.
Time needed: 12 minutes (Pressure Cook Time)
A simple recipe for perfectly cooked frozen Instant Pot pork chops.
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Prepare Ingredients
Chop your carrots, celery, and onion into large, uniform chunks. In a small bowl, combine all the dry rub ingredients. Generously coat both sides of the frozen pork chops with this flavorful rub. Place the trivet into the Instant Pot, then arrange the chopped vegetables on top. Pour the chicken broth over the vegetables, then carefully place the seasoned frozen pork chops on top of the vegetables.
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Pressure Cook
Securely close the Instant Pot lid and ensure the pressure release valve is set to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting and set the cooking time for 12 minutes on high pressure. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally. This typically takes about 15 minutes. After natural release, carefully turn the valve to “Venting” to release any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
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Serve and Enjoy
Carefully remove the tender pork chops and flavorful steamed vegetables from the Instant Pot. Serve them immediately, perhaps alongside some fluffy white rice for a complete and satisfying meal.
Adjusting Cook Times for Thick-Cut Frozen Pork Chops in the Instant Pot
When dealing with thicker cuts, precise timing adjustments ensure your pork chops are cooked through without becoming dry. If your frozen pork chops are notably thicker than 1 inch (e.g., 2-inch thick pork chops), you will want to slightly increase the cooking time. A good rule of thumb is to add just 1 minute to the high-pressure cooking time for every additional half-inch of thickness beyond the standard 3/4 to 1 inch. For example, a 1.5-inch thick chop might need 13 minutes, while a 2-inch chop could require 14 minutes. Remember that thicker cuts generally need a fraction of extra time, regardless of the cooking method, to achieve internal doneness.
Instant Pot Frozen Pork Chops Recipe
Equipment
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1 pressure cooker
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1 Trivet with handles
Ingredients
- 4 medium pork chops, frozen
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 stalks celery, cut into large chunks
- 2 large carrots, cut into large chunks
- 1/2 small onion, sliced
Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
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Instructions
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Chop vegetables into large chunks.
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In a small bowl, mix dry rub ingredients together. Rub generously on both sides of the frozen chops.
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Place the trivet into the Instant Pot. Add vegetables on top, then pour broth over them. Place the seasoned pork chops on top of everything.
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Close the lid and ensure the pressure valve is sealed. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
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When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release.
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Remove the meat and veggies from the pot, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Video
A video guide for this recipe is available to walk you through each step.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only.
Additional Info
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Explore More Instant Pot Culinary Adventures
Are you looking for even more delightful Instant Pot recipes? We offer a collection of over a hundred different creations! Don’t limit yourself to just pork; expand your culinary horizons with diverse options including chicken, seafood, and beef for your other weeknight dinners. A few of our top picks include:
- Instant Pot casseroles are incredibly convenient, especially for using up any delicious leftovers.
- Need to know how to cook a frozen roast in your Instant Pot? We have comprehensive instructions ready for you.
- We’ve mastered cooking both thawed and frozen Instant Pot shrimp. Enjoy them plain, or incorporate them into a creamy fettuccine alfredo.
If your pork chops are already defrosted, you can easily adapt them to create fantastic pressure cooker pork chops with gravy. For a comforting and hearty meal, our pork stew Instant Pot recipe is truly amazing and a must-try.
