This Mississippi pot roast recipe is so easy and made with only 4 ingredients! Dump everything into your crockpot and enjoy hands-free cooking. This juicy roast is bursting with flavor and goes perfectly with Instant Pot mashed potatoes and pan-roasted broccoli.
I have to confess that while I love making dinner in my slow cooker – slow cooker carnitas, classic slow cooker pot roast, and slow cooker brisket are a few of my favs – I hadn’t heard of one of the most famous slow cooker beef roast recipes until just last year – the slow cooker Mississippi Pot Roast!
According to the New York Times, the recipe was originally created around the year 2000 by a gal of the name Robin Chapman, but it’s gained significant popularity in recent years.
It’s no wonder – the buttery, tender, juicy, and delicious pot roast that results from just four ingredients and zero prep work is perfect for both a fast and easy weeknight dinner AND a family Sunday dinner!
What is Mississippi Pot Roast?
My Mississippi Pot Roast recipe is a combination of four simple ingredients that you dump into your crock pot and it magically turns into one of the most flavorful and delicious pot roasts you’ll ever make.
Why is Mississippi Pot Roast so good?
I honestly have no idea…
- Maybe it’s the meat? We love chuck roast in Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast too AND my Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast.
- Maybe it’s the pepperoncinis? I use them in Slow Cooker Mississippi Chicken as well as any Greek dish (like my chopped Greek quinoa bowls).
- Maybe it’s the fact that this is a dinner dump recipe? Basically meaning you can dump everything in the crockpot, walk away, and when your family sits down for dinner, they’ll crown you queen of the day and you can take all the credit knowing you spent MAYBE 3 minutes of work.
I say yes to all of the above.
Additionally, this is freezer-friendly (raw or cooked), super-affordable, and gets rave reviews every time I make it!
Mississippi Roast Ingredients
You need just 4 ingredients to make the best Mississippi Pot Roast on the planet:
- Chuck Roast
- Packet of Dry Ranch Dressing Mix (or use homemade ranch seasoning)
- Packet of Au Jus Gravy Mix (easy substitute is in the actual recipe below)
- Jar of Pepperoncini Peppers
Notes on Ingredients
- A lot of recipes for Mississippi Pot Roast call for butter as well, but to be honest with you, I don’t think it needs it.
By the time your slow cooker has melted the marble of fat in your roast (and your meat has soaked up all of that deliciousness), there’s no need to add any more fat. - Let’s talk about the meat – what’s the best cut of roast for pot roast?
Traditionally, the best cut of meat for any pot roast recipe is the chuck roast. It has a thick marble of fat throughout the roast that melts in the slow cooker, creating a perfectly tender and juicy pot roast for dinner. - Chuck roast tends to be the most affordable, but if you don’t have a chuck roast or can’t find one, you can use a rump roast, bottom round roast, or a shoulder roast. These will all create delicious Mississippi Pot Roasts as well, and you may want to add the stick of butter to the leaner roasts – but only if you want to.
A Quick Note on Meat
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How to Make the Recipe for Mississippi Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker
Without a doubt making the recipe for Mississippi Pot Roast in the slow cooker is so easy, that you can practically do it while you’re sleeping!
Step 1. Place the roast in the bottom of the slow cooker. (Don’t have a slow cooker or want to make it a different way? Scroll down for other cooking methods.)
Note: You do NOT need to saute the roast over medium-high heat in olive oil first, nor do you need to add a cup of beef broth to the slow cooker. Add just the meat – the slow cooker will create the juice for you!
Step 2. Sprinkle the two packets of seasoning over the roast. (If you’re going the homemade route as I did, see the recipe below for exact measurements for the seasonings.)
Step 3. Sprinkle the pepperoncinis over the roast – there’s no need to stir.
You can use whole pepperoncinis or sliced pepperoncinis. I prefer sliced, that way you get little pieces of pepper in every bite!
Step 4. Cook on LOW for 10 hours. (Do you need your pot roast done sooner? See my notes below!)
Step 5. Shred the beef with two forks and serve! (Scroll down for my favorite side dishes for Mississippi Pot Roast!)
FAQs
Mississippi Pot Roast has a slightly less savory flavor than traditional pot roast. It’s still very tender, buttery, and rich, but the pepperoncini peppers give it a little kick and brightness!
No, brown gravy is technically not the same as au jus. If you don’t have au jus or prefer to make your own seasoning blends (like I do), you can substitute 2 Tbsp granulated onion and 2 Tbsp cornstarch for the au jus packet.
If you’re feeling fancy, you can use a packet of dry onions soup mixes, or you can make your own dry onion soup mix.
Pot roasts tend to use chuck roasts, but I’ve tested this with a shoulder roast and bottom round roast and they were delicious as well! (If your doctor has told you to choose leaner meats because of cholesterol, those would be good options. They’re also higher in protein per serving.)
No! I know 10 hours may seem like a long time, but the roast needs every minute in order for the slow cooker to break down the marbling of the fat in the chuck roast.
Your Mississippi Roast is likely tough for one of two reasons: Either you cooked it “high and fast” instead of “low and slow,” or you got a bad cut of meat. If you didn’t cut the 10 hour cook time short, your roast is tough likely because of the animal. Sometimes it just happens!
Yes! You’d think that roasts would overcook at 10 hours, but they actually become more tender! I haven’t cooked pot roast longer than 10 hours though, so I’m not sure what would happen if it cooked longer!
Tips for Making Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast
If you don’t have a slow cooker:
How to Make Mississippi Pot Roast in the Instant Pot
Step 1. Pour vegetable oil into your Instant Pot and press SAUTE.
Step 2. Cut your roast into 4 even chunks.
Step 3. Add the chuck roast to the hot oil and saute it for 5 minutes. Then flip it over and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add more oil, if needed.
Step 4. Remove the roast from the Instant Pot and then set it aside.
Step 5. Slowly add your beef broth to the Instant Pot. Stir the broth and loosen up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Whisk in pepperoncini juice.
Step 6. Transfer the roast back into the Instant Pot. Then sprinkle Au Jus and Ranch Dressing Mix over the roast. Add pepperoncinis.
Step 7. Turn off the SAUTE mode. Close the Instant Pot with the lid and set the steam release knob to the sealing position.
Step 8. Press the MANUAL button and then set it to 60 minutes HIGH PRESSURE. Once the cooking is finished do a Natural Pressure Release for 15 minutes.
Step 9. Turn off the pot and then release the remaining pressure by turning the knob to the venting position.
Step 10. Remove pot roast from the Instant Pot and serve with the juices.
How to Make Mississippi Pot Roast in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Heat oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Step 2. Sear roast for 2-3 minutes per side.
Step 3. Remove from heat. Then sprinkle the Au Jus and ranch dressing mix over the roast.
Step 4. Top with pepperoncini peppers.
Step 5. Bake, covered, for 7-8 hours.
Note: To cut the cooking time, wrap the roast in foil and place it in the dutch oven with the lid on. Bake at 350 degrees for 3-4 hours.
Side Dishes for Mississippi Pot Roast
My family loves Mississippi Pot Roast with Instant Pot mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and dinner biscuits. If I have any no-knead artisan bread, it’s perfect for sopping up the extra juices!
If you have leftover pot roast, try serving over Instant Pot rice (cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower if you’re low carb), tucked inside sandwiches, or over a bed of egg noodles!
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Mexican Potato Soup
- The Very Best Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- 16 Slow Cooker Soups and Chilis for Fall
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Sign up for my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!Easiest Mississippi Pot Roast (just 4 ingredients)
This Mississippi pot roast recipe is so easy and made with only 4 ingredients! Dump everything into your crockpot and enjoy hands-free cooking. This juicy roast is bursting with flavor and goes perfectly with Instant Pot mashed potatoes and pan-roasted broccoli.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Total Time: 10 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs Chuck Roast
- Packet of Dry Ranch Dressing Mix (or use 1/4 cup homemade ranch seasoning)
- Packet of Au Jus Gravy Mix (easy substitute is in the actual recipe below)
- Jar of Pepperoncini Peppers
Instructions
- Place the roast in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle the two packets of seasoning over the roast (for homemade Au Jus, just substitute 2 Tbsp granulated onion and 2 Tbsp cornstarch for the au jus packet).
- Sprinkle the pepperoncini peppers over the roast – there’s no need to stir.
- Cook on LOW for 10 hours.
- Shred the beef with two forks and serve!
Notes
- For homemade Au Jus, just substitute 2 Tbsp granulated onion and 2 Tbsp cornstarch for the au jus packet.
- You do NOT need to saute the roast over medium-high heat in olive oil first, nor do you need to add a cup of beef broth to the slow cooker. Add just the meat – the slow cooker will create the juice for you!
- You can use whole pepperoncini or sliced pepperoncinis. I prefer sliced, that way you get little pieces of pepper in every bite!
Nutrition
- Calories: 822
Keywords: Mississippi pot roast
When using the Instant Pot method you mentioned broth, which isn’t listed in the ingredient list. Is that one cup of beef broth? Also, is all the juice from the jar of pepperoncinis used? Thanks so much for any clarification!
What brand of pepperoncini did you find that doesn’t use food dye yellow #5?
Hi Diana,
There is a brand called Jeff’s Garden that has no yellow #5. You might want to google it. I’m sure you can buy it online, if you cannot find it in the supermarket. Hope this helps.
I found Kroger brand did not use it!
Tiffany, thank you very much for posting your recipe revision to the Mississippi Pot Roast. I have wanted to try a version of it previously, but just could not bring myself to use the stick of butter that is used in most other variations. I am grateful that you made the recipe much healthier and my husband and I look forward to having your version of this chuck roast recipe for dinner tomorrow evening. I even used your suggestion for the Au Jus seasoning. Many thanks.
★★★★★