Mississippi Pot Roast

If you’re looking for a comfort food dinner for the whole family to enjoy, this EASY crock pot Mississippi Pot Roast is it! Tender, moist & so delicious, seriously one of the best roasts ever.

 

People generally love or hate pot roast. I would bet money that the people that dislike the probably just had some tough, rubbery, leathery roasts through their childhood that now give them slight symptoms of PTSD when the words are even uttered. You know the ones you had to smother with ketchup just make them edible?

Thank goodness this is NOT that pot roast. In fact, I used to be a classic pot roast hater. It is true. But this easy Mississippi Pot Roast recipe is super tender and has loads of flavor that is a little different from traditional pot roast recipes.

I started making my signature Italian Pot Roast and also Italian Beef Sandwiches. It only made sense that I combine two meals I enjoy and try the now famous, Mississippi pot roast.

Why You’ll Love This Roast

This roast takes the downhome goodness of a classic pot roast recipe and gives it a little spunk.

• Tender & Juicy– Tender chuck roast cooked low and slow with liquids is basically a table top braising method. This helps break down connective tissues so the meat is so tender that you can shred it with the back of a spoon. No dry pot roast here!
• Easy To Make– This is truly a set it and forget it type of recipe. Just throw it all in the slow cooker and magic happens.
• Subtle Heat- If you’ve ever had pepperoncinis, they are a subtle sweet heat, not hot and spicy. They give flavor to the meat and juices, but if you want a little more pizzazz, add a few to your plate.

Why is it called Mississippi pot roast?

Well, because this easy recipe hails from Ripley, Mississippi and is actually fairly new. Southern Living Magazine claims the now famous pot roast was only developed in the mid 1990s.

The original recipe actually calls for dry Italian dressing, but ranch mix gave it a fun variation that has now basically broken the internet. I don’t even like ranch dressing seasoning and yet, somehow in this recipe it totally works. Some folks also like onion soup mix.

It’s one of those popular recipes with simple ingredients. And slow cooker recipes like this are hard to beat. Especially when the kids are back in school for a delicious dinner.

Ingredients

One of the best parts of this recipe is the simplicity. I bet you even have some of these ingredients on hand already.

• Beef chuck roast – Chuck roast is probably the best and most popular beef cuts for any pot roast recipe. Look for chuck roast, shoulder steak, boneless chuck roast, chuck shoulder pot roast, chuck seven-bone pot roast, or beef chuck arm.
• Dry ranch seasoning – Dry ranch mix has pretty common ingredients including garlic, onion, parsley, dill and powdered buttermilk. Buttermilk is where this Mississippi pot roast gets its unique tang.
• White onion – Onion and pot roast seem to go hand in hand. The onion just adds a lot of flavor, and I also like to eat them with the roast when it’s finished.
• Garlic – I think this one is self explanatory, right?? I’m pretty sure there is no such as too much garlic for me. Use fresh garlic opposed to the store bought stuff for real garlicky flavor.
• Unsalted butter – I’ve seen a lot of recipes call for a half a stick of butter, but we don’t need quite that much for this recipe. The natural fat from the beef counts for a lot. I use unsalted so I can control the saltiness.
• Pepperoncini – These little peppers are generally found in glass jars in the sandwich condiment or Italian food aisle. They are sometimes found on the side of a pizza or antipasto platter. Peperoncino is the Italian name.
• Worcestershire Sauce – The hardest thing to pronounce in the culinary world is also one of the most powerful ingredients. Use this to amp up any beefy recipe with bold flavors.
• Beef bouillon cubes or bouillon paste – Some crock pot Mississippi pot roast recipes use a dry packet of au jus gravy mix. I prefer to use about 1/2 cup of water with beef bouillon.

How to Make Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast

Making this pot roast couldn’t be easier. Check out the steps below to see just how easy it is.

1. Add roast to slow cooker. Start by whisking together water, beef bouillon and Worcestershire sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker until it’s smooth. Then add the chuck roast to the middle and surround it with cut onion, garlic and pepperoncini.
2. Top with seasoning. Sprinkle the dry ranch mix and cubed butter on top of the roast. Don’t worry about massaging it in or anything, just put it right on top and the juices of the meat will take care of the rest.
3. Cook. Then just put the lid on and set for 8 hours on low heat or 4 hours on high heat. Depending on your slow cooker, the roast might be done in 6 hours and some might take 8, so be sure to check yours at 6 hours so that it doesn’t overcook. You’ll know it is done when you can easily shred off a piece with your fork. The internal temperature of pot roast should be 185-195°F. Yes, this sounds over done to rare steak lovers, but this cut of beef is better at high temps so the fats melt.
4. Shred. Then shred all of the beef, discarding any large pieces of fat. I like to serve it with the cooked peppers and onions, but this is optional.
5. Make gravy. If the gravy needs further thickening, add a small amount of slurry (cornstarch mixed with cold water) to the liquid and whisk.

Mississippi Pot Roast in the Oven

You can also make a Mississippi Pot Roast int he oven. It will take less time, but since you are cooking it a little faster and with more heat there is a slight potential that it won’t be as tender, but will still be a delicious pot roast.

All you need to do it prepare it the same way but in a large Dutch oven or roasting pan. Now you need to cover it tight to seal in the heat. Braise for 3-4 hours at 300°F. It will be traditional braising. You’ll know the roast is done when it easily pulls apart with a fork.

Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

I would say that second to the slow cooker, an Instant Pot is the way to go. The only problem here is that the pressure can impact the onions and pepperoncini, making them fall apart. But if that isn’t an issue or you want yours more incorporated, be my guest!

1. Cut the chuck roast into large 3-4 inches pieces. Add everything to the pot the same way you would for a crock pot roast. Cover and close vent, set to Manual high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow for 10 minutes natural release, open vent.
2. Remove tender meat and shred with forks.

What to Serve With Mississippi Pot Roast

As far as what you should serve it with, most people serve their Mississippi roast recipe over mashed potatoes I also like using my creamy ranch mashed potatoes. You can also use rice like my ranch rice, or even just plain buttered egg noodles. really anything will looks fantastic on your dinner table.

The first time me made this delicious roast, we opted for polenta just to switch things up! I also like to serve it with a side of something green like:

• asparagus
• grilled broccoli
• kale salad
• green beans

Also serve it low carb with just the meat and pepperoncini or over cauliflower rice or garlic parmesan roasted cauliflower.

Storage & Freezing

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave with additional juice to prevent drying.

Freezing: You can freeze leftover Mississippi pot roast in an airtight container for up to three months. Just be sure not to include any veggies because they will become mushy when reheated.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Beef Roast Recipes

• Reverse Sear Beef Tenderloin
• Classic Prime Rib
• Crab Stuffed Beef Tenderloin
• Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast
• Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast