Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe

This Mississippi pot roast recipe is so easy to make, but it tastes like you’ve spent hours in the kitchen!

It’s unbelievably tender and moist, swimming in a rich buttery gravy. Seriously, it’s so soft, you won’t even need a knife.

The recipe only calls for five ingredients, and your Crockpot does all the hard work for you! So it’s the perfect family dinner for busy nights.

What Is Mississippi Pot Roast?

Mississippi Pot Roast is a southern favorite that combines chuck roast, ranch dressing mix, au jus mix, butter, and pepperoncini peppers. 

It’s cooked in a crockpot for several hours to achieve that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and insanely delicious flavor.

This popular dish all started with a home cook from Ripley, Mississippi, named Robin Chapman. 

She actually never called the dish Mississippi Pot Roast! Instead, she simply called it a roast. 

Her recipe was such a huge hit with her family and friends that it eventually spread to other southern regions.

It wasn’t until it became popular on the internet that “Mississippi” was added to the name.

Ingredients

With just six simple ingredients, you’ll have the most scrumptious pot roast you’ve ever tried.

• Chuck Roast – For extra flavor, you can brown the beef before cooking it in the slow cooker.

• Au Jus Gravy Mix – No need to make your own – just get a packet mix and you’re set. This brown gravy mix is the real star of the show!

• Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix – Again, don’t feel like you need to make ranch dressing from scratch. A store-bought packet of buttermilk ranch will do.

• Pepperoncini Peppers and Juice – For maximum pot roast flavor! Many are iffy about adding the peppers for fear that the roast will be too hot to handle. But don’t worry, it won’t make the roast spicy. 

• Butter – You can’t expect a rich, buttery gravy without butter, can you? A stick of butter will lock in the moisture and keep the roast from drying out.

• Salt and Pepper  – to taste. Don’t overdo the seasoning! This recipe is already full of flavor from the peppers, au jus, and ranch dressing.

What Is the Best Cut of Beef for Mississippi Pot Roast?

You have a few options here. And since it cooks low and slow, most cuts of beef will come out wonderfully tender.

I almost always go for chuck roast. And it’s up to you whether to use boneless or bone-in. But boneless is much easier to work with and shreds well.

Here are my recommendations:

• Boneless Chuck Roast. This is my top choice. It comes from the shoulder of the cow and becomes incredibly tender when cooked. Best of all, a beautifully marbled chuck roast is super affordable and easy to find.

• Rump Roast. This is my second favorite cut of beef. Get the bottom or the top round because they’re lean and easy to cut.

• Beef Brisket. This might be an odd one, but it’s very fatty, which means it’s very tender. It makes for a flavorful pot roast – though it’s more expensive.

• Pork Butt, Pork Roast, or Shoulder. If you’re not a beef eater, they’ll work just as well.

How to Make Mississippi Pot Roast (in Slow Cooker)

This Mississippi pot roast recipe is one of the easiest slow-cooker family dinner recipes!

1. Dump all the ingredients in the Crockpot. That’s the chuck, peppers & juice, butter, au jus mix, buttermilk ranch dressing, salt, and pepper.

2. Cook the roast low and slow. Set the Crockpot on low and cook the roast for 8 hours or until it’s fork-tender.

3. Shred the meat. Use two forks to shred the meat. Serve it with gravy and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Crockpot Roast

This might be a dump and go crockpot recipe, but I still have a few tips to ensure your roast is perfect:

• Go light on the salt. You already have the ranch dressing and au jus gravy mix to take care of the flavor, so there’s no need to put too much in.

• Take your pick of pepperoncini. You can use either whole or sliced pepperoncini for this recipe.

• Use the oven to make pot roast. Place the roast in a roasting pan or a Dutch oven, add the rest of the ingredients, and cover with foil. Bake it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 4 hours.

• Try the Instant Pot for a quicker roast. However, you won’t get the same flavors as you will with slow cooking.

• Use onion soup mix instead of au jus. Remember, you might need to cut down on the ranch mix to keep it from being too salty.

• Don’t try to speed things up. If you cook this on high, the meat will cook too quickly and might come out tough. Keep it on low so the tissue has time to soften.

What to Serve with Mississippi Pot Roast

Transform this Mississippi roast into a full-blown comfort meal with these flavorful combos!

• Pot Roast Sandwiches – Turn your leftovers into the best beef roast sandwich! Whether it’s slider buns, hoagies, or brioche, any sandwich bread tastes great with pot roast.

• Pot Roast and Mashed Potatoes – it’s the ultimate pair! Their flavors and textures are perfect together. Plus, you can also use the roast’s gravy for the potatoes. 

• Rice or Pasta – Pot roast is mostly protein. If you’re feeling particularly hungry, eat it with a side dish rich in carbohydrates, such as rice or noodles. 

• Carrots and Potatoes – Here’s a classic combo! Chop some veggies and add them about 1 hour before the end of cooking.

How to Store and Reheat Mississippi Pot Roast

This recipe makes a decent amount of meat. And depending on how you serve it, you might have leftovers.

So, here’s how to store them:

To Store: Place the cooled leftovers in an air-tight container or cover them tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

To Freeze: Place the leftover meat and the gravy in a freezer-safe bag. Flatten the bag and squeeze out as much excess air as you can before sealing. Label the bag accordingly and freeze it for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Thaw frozen roast in the fridge overnight. Reheat it in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water until it’s warmed all the way through. For a speedier reheating, just pop it in the microwave for a minute.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions that typically pop up when making this Mississippi pot roast recipe.

Can you make a Mississippi pot roast without pepperoncini?

It’s up to you, but without pepperoncini, your roast won’t have that signature Mississippi taste. It’s the key ingredient that balances out the richness of the protein and gravy.

If you’re intent on not using pepperoncini in this dish, swap it out for dill pickles and dill juice.

How to thicken Mississippi pot roast gravy?

This pot roast recipe makes a rather thin gravy. If you prefer it thicker, mix in some slurry.

To make a slurry:

• Whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of gravy.
• Pour the slurry into the pot and stir until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.

What does Mississippi Pot Roast taste like?

This dish is rich in umami and buttery flavors, thanks to the combination of beef, au jus, and butter.

But, unlike traditional pot roast, it has a slight tanginess to it because of the ranch mix and pepperoncini peppers. It’s the ultimate Sunday dinner!

Why is my pot roast tough?

It only means one thing: your roast is undercooked. Don’t rush it! Stick to the full 8 hours on low for the softest, fork-tender roast.

Again, don’t be tempted to crank it up to high or open the lid while cooking. This will only cause the meat to toughen and the heat to escape.

More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love

Crockpot Angel Chicken
Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork
Crockpot Lasagna Soup
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Paula Deen Crockpot Mac and Cheese