This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Mississippi pot roast is fall-apart tender, easy to prep, and incredibly flavorful. This recipe includes oven, slow cooker, and Instant Pot instructions!
You may also like my Creamy Lemon and Herb Pot Roasted Chicken or Mississippi Chicken.
Why you’ll love it
Ok, so you know how sometimes you’re not quite sure if an internet-famous recipe will actually be good? Same. But I promise you that this Mississippi pot roast more than lives up to the hype, and your kitchen will smell amazing. It’s savory and buttery, extremely juicy, and the peppers provide some tanginess and a hint of spice.
It’s kind of hard to exactly describe the magic that happens as it cooks. Try making the recipe as-is the first time before tweaking anything since it has so few ingredients and each one is important. It’ll be your new favorite dump-and-go pot roast, and it can be made three ways: oven, Instant Pot, or Crockpot!
Who invented Mississippi pot roast?
- The genius behind this simple pot roast is a woman named Robin Chapman who is from a small city in Mississippi. She adapted a recipe that was given to her in the ’90s. Her version took off and became extremely popular, which is not surprising since it’s insanely delicious.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil – to get a perfect sear on your roast. If you really want to skip the initial searing step, you can, but it does add so much extra flavor to the dish!
- Beef – we’re using beef chuck roast for maximum tenderness and juiciness
- Pepperoncini peppers – the peppers and brine give a tang to this roast and its signature flavor. You’ll find a jar of it in the pickles aisle at your grocery store.
- Au jus mix – be sure to buy au jus gravy. It isn’t the same as your usual gravy packet.
- Ranch seasoning – if you can’t find dry ranch seasoning mix like Hidden Valley or want to make it yourself, try this Homemade Ranch Seasoning recipe
- Butter – it adds moisture and that luxurious buttery quality to the meat. Just make sure it’s unsalted!
Pro tips
- I don’t add extra salt to this recipe since the ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix are quite salty. Definitely taste before adding more salt, and don’t use salted butter! If salt intake is a consideration, be sure to check the sodium content on the ranch seasoning and gravy packets as it can vary wildly between brands.
- The oven and Crockpot methods don’t make a lot of sauce, so feel free to add up to a cup of water if you prefer a bit more liquid.
What cut of beef to use
- USA readers: Look for a 3-4 pound beef roast labeled as “chuck roast”, but it may also be referred to as chuck shoulder pot roast, shoulder steak, or boneless chuck roast.
- Non-USA readers: Here in Canada, the naming system is different, so I look for “blade roast” or “cross rib pot roast boneless”.
- In general, tough cuts of beef that are fairly fatty (well marbled) are perfect for slow cooking. You can even try it with pork shoulder if you want to try a different variation.
Is it spicy?
I’d say it has a little kick, but to me it’s not very spicy (even when you eat the peppers). Pepperoncini peppers are a milder pepper and taste more tangy and zesty rather than spicy, and they do have a subtle touch of sweetness too. If you want more zip, add more peppers than suggested. I’ve been known to add the whole jar!
How to make Mississippi pot roast
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below, including Crockpot and Instant Pot directions.
In a Dutch oven, sear the roast on all sides until browned. Add in the pepperoncini juice, then place the peppers around the roast. Top the roast with the contents of the au jus mix and ranch seasoning packets, and place the butter pats on top.
Cover and roast for 3-4 hours or until the roast is fall-apart tender. Shred using two forks and toss with the sauce!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I highly recommend a splatter guard when searing the meat.
- I use this Instant Pot and this Crockpot.
- Use cooking tongs to effortlessly turn the meat when searing it.
How long to roast it
- The general rule is one hour per pound at 275F-300F, so if roasting a cut of meat that’s larger than 3-4 pounds, add on extra time based on that rule. For a 3 pound roast, I give it 3.5 hours.
- It should easily come apart with a fork when cooked. If it still seems tough, just pop it back in the oven.
Leftovers and storage
- The leftovers are really tasty and will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container.
- Or they can be frozen for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual portions.
- Leftovers are absolutely wonderful in a sandwich (I warm it up first then add some mayo and sweet pickles inside the sandwich). Or try it in tacos!
What to serve with Mississippi pot roast
- You can’t go wrong with Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes!
- Rice, egg noodles, or steamed veggies work great too.
- I’ll never say no to a side salad with Homemade Caesar Dressing.
More easy beef recipes
If you made this Mississippi pot roast recipe, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also find me on Instagram.
Mississippi Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 pounds beef chuck roast
- 12 pepperoncini peppers + 1/4 cup of the juice from the jar
- 1 (1 ounce) packet au jus gravy mix
- 1 (1 ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix I use Hidden Valley
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) cut into pieces
Instructions
Oven Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 275F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Add the olive oil to your Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the roast on all sides until nicely browned. If you don't own a Dutch oven, sear the meat in a skillet then transfer it to a covered roasting dish.
- Take the pot off the heat and let it cool down for a couple minutes, then pour in the pepperoncini juice. Place the peppers around the roast, sprinkle the roast with the au jus and ranch packets, and then place the butter on top of the roast.
- Cover and roast for 3-4 hours or until it's fall-apart tender, then shred it with 2 forks right in the pot and toss with the juices. I roast a 3 lb. cut of beef for 3.5 hours.
Crockpot Instructions:
- Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast on all sides until browned.
- Transfer the roast to a slow cooker. Pour in the pepperoncini juice. Place the peppers around the roast, sprinkle the roast with the au jus and ranch packets, and then place the butter on top of the roast.
- Cover and slow cook on low for 8 hours or until it's fall-apart tender, then shred it with 2 forks.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Cut the roast into 3-4 pieces.
- Add the olive oil to your Instant Pot and press the sauté button. Sauté the meat until browned on all sides (you'll likely need to do two batches).
- Turn the sauté button off. Add all the meat to the Instant Pot, plus 3/4 cup of water and the pepperoncini juice. Place the peppers around the roast, sprinkle the roast with the au jus and ranch packets, and then add the butter on top of the roast.
- Close the lid, ensure the valve is on "sealing", and set the timer to cook for 60 minutes on high pressure.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes then quick release the rest. Shred the meat with two forks.
Notes
- The general rule is one hour per pound at 275F-300F, so if roasting a cut of meat that’s larger than 3-4 pounds, gauge it with that rule.
- Be sure to use a tougher, fattier cut of beef (don’t use something lean) or it’ll end up dry. You could make this a pork roast instead using boneless pork shoulder.
- I do not recommend cooking the roast any faster at a higher heat. It won’t end up as tender.
- If you really need to, you can skip the searing step, but the overall dish will be less flavorful.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
Help! I don’t have any pepperoni in is. Will this make a difference?
You mean the pepperoncini peppers? Yes, it definitely makes a big difference.
This was mouth watering pot roast!! My whole family was raving about it 🙂
I’m thrilled to hear it!! 😀
I am writing to complain about this recipe as this has caused impossible expectations going forward..I made this for a family get-together and doubled the recipe. What a hit. They loved it and raved how delicious it was-all 15 of them. The guests told me this was the best roast that had ever had. One guest got down and literally kissed my feet. Several were overnight guests and when I got up to start preparing breakfast the next morning they were sitting around shoveling this in. Now the bar is set so high… Ha! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hahahahaha well that’s my kinda complaint! 😀
Hi there. I am currently making this (I know you won’t reply instantly haha, just checking for next time) and I have three questions. 1) do you do any salt or seasonings before you sear the roast? 2) is the 1/4 jar juice from the pepperoncini before or after you take the peppers out? I did it when the jar was full and after taking the peppers out now only half the jar is left :/ 3) I know you’re supposed to sprinkle the flavor packets on top of the roast—that means, the way I’ve done it at least, only the top of the roast has the seasonings and the butter on it. Is that right? I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to rub the seasonings into the sides or bottom somehow. Oh and I’m using the crockpot method just fyi. Thanks so much—use your recipes all the time!!
P.S. I am using bottom round roast instead of chuck—do you think that’s alright?
Hi! I saw your question first in my DMs on Instagram, and I already answered it there. I will write a quick reply here in case other have similar questions, but I think most of what you are asking is already answered in the blog post. It’s 1/4 CUP of the juice (so use a measuring cup), but it’s pretty flexible if you added more. Yes, you sprinkle the flavor packets and add the butter just on top. It all melts in then gets shredded and mixed together anyway, and that’s how I’ve always done it. No extra salt & pepper – it is very salty and I did put some warnings in the post like to avoid salted butter. Re: the cut of beef, the naming of beef can be quite confusing (even from Canada to USA and I am Canadian), so my advice it to give it a try, see if you like it, and if it doesn’t shred easily or you don’t like it, try chuck next time or one of the recommended cuts in the blog post.
Tried this – was very good – had a 3.5lb roast. I scraped up pan juices (from searing) with about 1 cup of water and added to crock pot. Will try next time with low sodium packets as it was slightly too salty for my taste. Also – the butter gives it a very delicious, rich flavor. However, can it be subbed or reduced – and if so, what to replace it with?
Hi Maria! I’m glad you enjoyed it. You could definitely try a lower sodium option as this roast definitely is quite salty. You’d have to do some experimenting re: the butter, but I think that’s what makes the roast special. I don’t know of anything that can mimic real butter.
Pretty sure that this recipe turns beef into crack. Seriously. It is so easy and so good!
Hahahaha I’m so glad you liked it!!
I have a question, has anyone made this recipe using chicken breasts instead of chuck roast? trying to cut back on red meat but love the original recipe.
I made this with venison and it turned out amazingly! The whole family enjoyed it thoroughly.
Love that idea!!
Your recipes are sooo good and easy, this one was phenomenal!
Thanks!
I only had a pound of meat so I had to adjust times, I think I put it in too long, almost two hours at 250, it wasn’t fall apart but still so delicious. Next time I will get at least 3 pounds.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! You’re very welcome. 🙂
Do you cover it if using a Dutch Oven?
You bet!
You’ve ruined dinner for me! I don’t think I can top this dish! My husband literally said he would eat this every night! Lol I seared the roast and then cooked it in the crock pot. Used beef gravy because the store didn’t have Au jus. It was so delicious!! Love all your recipes-thanks for sharing them!
Hahha I love that. Thank you!!