This Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast is an incredibly easy and stress-free way to make some of the best-tasting pot roast you’ll ever try!
Looking for a new recipe that is simple, delicious, and pretty much fool-proof? This Mississippi Pot Roast recipe might be just what you’re looking for.
This recipe requires almost no measuring or cutting. All you have to do is (optionally) sear a chuck roast, throw it and the rest of your ingredients into a crockpot, and press start. You’ll end up with a roast that is incredibly rich and tangy with just a hint of spice that everyone will love.
What is Mississippi Pot Roast?
You might have seen Mississippi Pot Roast pop up in your Reddit or Pinterest feed and wondered what it was and where it came from. Mississippi Pot Roast has been credited to Mississippi resident Robin Chapman, who created this recipe one day in the 90s or early 2000s while trying to adapt one of her aunt’s recipes to make it less spicy for her kids.
Her family ended up loving the new recipe, making it often enough that it was discovered by lifelong friend Karen Farese who added it to her church’s cookbook. From there, this recipe began spreading across the internet, from blogger to blogger, until it finally became the sensation it is now.
Ingredient Notes
Mississippi Pot Roast is usually made with 5 main ingredients: chuck roast, butter, pepperoncini, ranch dressing mix, and au jus gravy mix. Does this seem like a slightly odd list of ingredients? Absolutely.
But trust me, make the recipe as written, packet mixes and all, and you won’t regret it.
- Beef Chuck Roast: This recipe calls for a 3-4 pound roast. If you are having trouble finding a roast this size, you might have to ask at the butcher counter. If all else fails, you can use two 2-pound roasts instead.
- Pepperoncini: The pepperoncini add some acidity to the dish without making the roast too spicy. Pepperoncini are usually sold in 16-ounce jars (at least here in SoCal), and you’ll be using about half the juice and the peppers in this recipe. You can usually find them near the olives and pickles at the grocery store.
- Butter: The original recipe calls for a full stick of butter, but I’ve cut that amount in half without missing any richness or flavor.
- Ranch Dressing Mix: This comes in 1-ounce packets that you can find in the dressing aisle.
- Au Jus Gravy Mix: You can usually find gravy mix packets near the canned and boxed broths. If you are having trouble finding au jus mix, you can replace it with the same size packet of French onion soup mix.
How to Make Mississippi Pot Roast
1. Sear the roast. This step is optional. If you’re short on time, you can skip it, but It adds a great depth of flavor, so I almost always recommend searing beef before putting it in the slow cooker.
2. Add all the rest of your ingredients to the slow cooker. No need to stir! Press start, and allow your slow cooker to do its thing until the meat is fall-apart tender.
3. Using 2 forks, shred your roast and remove any large pieces of fat from the meat.
4. Serve the meat and gravy spooned over mashed potatoes and enjoy!
FAQ
What to serve with Mississippi pot roast?
Mississippi Pot Roast is best served over mashed potatoes. Pair it with something simple like a green salad or roasted vegetable to offset the richness of the dish.
How do you make a Mississippi roast less greasy?
Between the butter and the fat released from the chuck roast, some people might find Mississippi Pot Roast a little greasy. If this is bothering you, you can remove the cooked roast from the slow cooker and spoon the excess fat off the top of the cooking liquid before shredding and returning the meat to the gravy.
Alternatively, if making the roast in advance, the fat will solidify in the fridge and you can easily use a spoon to scrape it off before reheating.
Can I cook a roast from frozen?
You probably shouldn’t. I know a lot of us grew up cooking frozen food in the slow cooker, but current USDA best practices for slow cooking recommend against starting with frozen meat because the food will spend too long in the “danger zone” while thawing.
Is Mississippi Pot Roast Spicy?
Not particularly. There is a little heat from the pepperoncini juice, but it’s not very strong. If you are worried about the spice level though, you can omit the juice.
How to Store Mississippi Pot Roast
Pot roast is a *great* make ahead meal. It reheats well and is just as good on day 2 or 3 as it is fresh out of the slow cooker. Store the roast in the refrigerator tightly covered for up to 3 days.
To freeze, transfer the meat and gravy to an airtight container or freezer zip top bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Use within 3 months for best results.
More Show-stopping Sunday Dinners
- The Best Beef Stroganoff
- Easy Chicken Francaise
- Hungarian Goulash
- Thick and Creamy Sausage Potato Soup
Mississippi Pot Roast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil optional, for browning
- 3-4 pound chuck roast
- ¼ cup water optional, for browning
- 8-10 pepperoncini and ½ cup of the pepperoncini juice approximately ½ the contents of a 16-oz jar
- ¼ cup butter salted or unsalted is fine
- 1 ounce packet of ranch dressing mix about 2 heaping tablespoons
- 1 ounce packet of au jus gravy mix about 2 heaping tablespoons
Instructions
- *Add oil to a large dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the roast and cook until deeply browned, 3-5 minutes. Repeat on the other side.
- Remove from heat and transfer roast to your slow cooker. Return the dutch oven to medium-high heat and add the water. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the cooked brown bits from the bottom of the pot before pouring everything over the top of the roast in the slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker, add the pepperoncini, pepperoncini juice, butter, ranch dressing mix, and au jus gravy mix. Cover and cook until meat is fall-apart tender, 6-8 hours on low*.
- Transfer roast to a cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat. Pick out any large pieces of fat before returning the shredded meat to the gravy.* Serve over mashed potatoes or alongside your favorite vegetable sides, and enjoy!
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
L says
What if you can’t get the gravy mix?
Tracy says
You can substitute a packet of French onion soup mix for the gravy if you can’t find it.
Gilda says
Could you use pork loin instead of beef?
Tracy says
You can, but you’ll probably need to adjust the cooking time. Since loin is less fatty, it’s much easier to overcook.
Tammi says
I’m making it tonight! I’ll let you know how it goes. My bestie made it and she loves it!
Martha Jewett says
I’ve made this many times and my family always loves it. I do what I can to eliminate or lessen the grease. i would prefer to make it a day ahead of time refrigerate the ‘gravy’ and take off the entire layer of fat., but it smells so good cooking that this just never happens! So perfect with mashed potatoes and vegetables.