Question re Instapot "Keep Warm" function

[intrepidity]

How long is it safe to leave food in there, or is there a limit?

Also, has anyone ever cooked a frozen turkey in one? Or rather frozen turkey parts?

[getagrip_already]

1. Ive cooked frozen chicken....

My guess is frozen turkey would be fine as well. You might need to give it a little more time, depending on the parts.

For chicken, 15 minutes is fine for solidly frozen (raw) legs/thighs. Breasts get 13 minutes.

Just don't bunch them too closely together, then you need more time.

For a turkey thigh or leg, I'd guess 20 minutes. But check the interwebs.

The keep warm is pretty safe. It won't burn or scorch food.

[intrepidity]

4. Thanks

I ended up doing 22mins plus natural release (was overnight, so 10+ hours) for the legs, thighs, wings and back, and boy did that meat just fall off the bone! Never had such an easy time cleaning a carcass. Will do again, for sure!

[hlthe2b]

2. Food safety requires reaching an internal temp of 165 and then a short term holding temp of about 145F.

The temperature of the Keep Warm setting claims to range between 140-172 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Instant Pot manual. But in reality, it doesn't even kick in until the food temp drops to 140-145F and keeps it there. That is okay short term for no more than about 2-4 hours, depending on what you are trying to keep warm. But longer than that (rice for instance), you face increasing risk.

[intrepidity]

3. Thanks for those details

But if the setting was for high pressure, shouldn't that almost sterilize the food? Like, say, 20 minutes?

I've read that rice can have some pretty resistant spores, but that survive heat plus pressure?