Can You Cook Frozen Ground Turkey? (Yes, Here’s How)

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Imagine getting to the middle of cooking, and you come to discover that you are yet to defrost the ground turkey that is needed to make your meal a success, at this point you may ponder on the possibility of cooking with frozen ground turkey. But can you cook frozen ground turkey?

Yes, it is 100% safe to cook a frozen ground turkey, but expect to cook it far longer that you normally should if it wasn’t frozen. However, it is always best to thaw it before cooking or buy a fresh one.

In this post, we will show you how to cook a frozen ground turkey without mush hassle. Let’s get started!

How To Cook Frozen Ground Turkey

Can You Cook Frozen Ground Turkey

We have established that you can cook your frozen ground turkey straight from the freezer without even defrosting it.

But to do that, your cooking time will rise by over 50%. This implies that if you usually boil your fresh ground turkey for 30 minutes, the frozen one will take you up to 60 minutes.

Then again, slow cooking is the most effective way to cook your frozen ground turkey to a flavorful meat juice with a desirable composition.

You can put your frozen ground turkey into a slow cooker of your choice, with additional components. Your cooking time in this case will go up by 2-3 hours.

1. Cooking frozen ground Turkey in a pan: Step by Step Guide

There are numerous strategies to adopt in cooking your ground turkey. It can be stewed using the stovetop technique or even in the oven, and also in the slow cooker. You can also simmer your ground turkey in a ninja foodi. Yes!!

Now, straightforward cooking without softening is timely, compared to other styles, but it doesn’t produce excellent outcomes after the cooking, unlike the one that has to do with softening the ground turkey first.

To cook your frozen ground turkey in a pan, you can follow these easy steps:

  • First, bring your frozen turkey out of the freezer and unfold it. Of course, right?
  • Next, put the frozen ground turkey in an adequate skillet or cooking pan as it is generally known.
  • Sprinkle some water on the turkey in little quantity, sufficient enough to encircle its bottom. That should do it. The water will prevent the meat from getting scorched and will unfreeze the frozen turkey with its steam.
  • After then, cover the pan and allow the water to boil until it simmers. When that happens, remove the cover from the pan and use a spoon to peel off the exterior covering of the frozen meat.

NOTE! Redo this peeling step every 3-5 minutes until the meat on the outside begins to turn brown.

  • When the whole ground turkey is softened, go ahead to put other ingredients like carrots, onions, peppers, etc., and allow it to cook some more. You can also add condiments and or spices of your preference and wait till it is fully cooked.

These actions are adequate when you wish to hastily thaw your frozen ground turkey and cook it immediately. There are other means that you can attempt before cooking your frozen ground turkey.

2. How to cook frozen ground turkey in a ninja foodi

The coercion the ninja foodi generates, imbues the zest into the meat. And it does this in limited mess, short time while delivering more flavor.

You will require over 40 minutes to cook your frozen ground turkey with a ninja foodi. Let’s quickly discuss the steps.

  • First of all, put the frozen ground turkey to the bottom of the ninja foodi. Pour 1/2 cup of water into it and add any seasonings you’d like to the meat. You’ll use a slightly smaller amount of liquid than normal because the frozen turkey will also generate liquid of its own.
  • Close the lid and twist the pressure valve to the closed position. Then, set the cooking time. You can set the cooking period for 15 minutes if you have 1 pound of meat or 20 minutes if it is 2 pounds of meat and then you cook it under high pressure.
  • When the cooking period has finished, sharply dismiss the pressure and take off the lid. Your ground meat will be softened at this step but not cooked. Be careful though, when thrusting your cooking equipment into the meat, because it will discharge some liquid.
  • Use a spatula to divide your meat into crumbles while it proceeds with cooking. Make sure to stir thoroughly to merge all of the spices, and resume the division of the meat into crumbles until all or majority of the juice has dried up.

3. How to cook frozen ground turkey in an air fryer

Utilizing your air fryer makes cooking your ground turkey even easier because it reduces the amount of time you will normally need to cook it.

The required time for cooking your frozen ground turkey with an air fryer is just 9 minutes. Amazing right? I know! Let us quickly discuss the steps, I know you can’t wait.

  • Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C).
  • Put your frozen ground turkey into the air fryer basket.
  • Allow it to cook for 9 minutes, shaking it often.

You can also use this technique in cooking your frozen meatballs, defrosting isn’t mandatory.

Wriggling the air fryer basket often throughout the cooking will make your frozen turkey cook evenly and it will give it a nice crispy exterior and a soft inside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you cook frozen ground turkey when it’s frozen?

Do you mean to ask if it it safe? If so, then yes! It is absolutely steady to stew your frozen ground turkey with thawing, but it will take a longer time to cook.

How can you defrost frozen ground turkey quickly?

The fastest way to unfreeze ground turkey is using the microwave.

How long can you use frozen ground turkey?

For optimal freshness, usually up to 3-4 months. But then, it is still okay even up to a year in the freezer but may diminish in condition and savor over time.

Why does frozen ground turkey explode?

The explosion has to do with discrepancies in viscosity. There is a distinction in consistency between oil and water, and even in water between its solid, liquid and gas states. When these differences combine in just the proper way, you get a detonation.

Why do turkeys catch fire?

Turkeys don’t cause fires, its the oil that does. When you place the turkey in hot oil, it may pour from the fryer onto the burner, this will cause a fire.

Conclusion: Can You Cook a Frozen Ground Turkey?

Ground turkey is an outstanding alternative for minced beef and chicken. If you are making meat-stuffed peppers or cooking some saucy pasta, salad, or even meatballs, ground turkey is an excellent choice for all.

And it gets better, it is readily available in the market at a reasonable price. Ground turkey is handy in both, fresh and frozen forms. And to answer the question, can you cook a frozen ground turkey?

The answer is yes. You can cook it.

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