Mississippi Pot Roast is a new classic – a simple but hearty, homey dish packed with flavor and the promise of a satisfying supper. Your crockpot does all the work, and you get all the credit!
This recipe is one of those amazing Southern recipes that rose to fame through the wrinkled sauce-stained pages of a small-town church cookbook and ‘you have got to try this’ word of mouth. When you need an incredible ‘set it and forget it’ meal for busy days or Sunday suppers, this is your new go-to!
This is as yummy as my other beef recipes like beef stroganoff and grilled flank steak!
Let’s get cookin’……
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What I Love About This Recipe
This is a slow-cooker favorite that’s a lot easier to put together than that notorious state is to spell.
- The simplest way to make dinner: Dump all the ingredients in the crockpot!
- This recipe is definitely one of my working-mom miracles, and I bet it’s going be one of yours soon.
- 5-ingredient crock pot magic!
How To Make Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe
Serving up this incredibly delicious pot roast is unbelievably easy! Just toss everything in the crockpot, set it and forget it. Presto! Massively indulgent flavor in a nutritious meal that’s ready when you are.
Recipe Notes
Making a pot roast often involves searing it first. Searing gives your roast a nice brown crust and leaves that nice fond in the bottom of the pan for extra flavor or a gravy. This recipe does not require searing and still develops some intense flavor.
Now, you definitely can if you have the time and you want to do it. It’ll add even more unbelievable flavor to your dish!
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Ingredient Notes
Meat Matters – Unlike many slow cooker pot roast recipes, meat matters here. Although it used to be a relatively inexpensive cut of beef, chuck roast prices have increased a bit over the years. I try to look for sales at my local market or good deals at Costco or Sam’s and then stock up my freezer. You might also try substituting a bottom round roast.
Peppers – Make sure you use the whole peppers in this recipe rather than the slices because the slices will fall apart too much in the long cooking process.
Variations – If you like a little more Italian flair and/or a little extra heat, you can take a trick from the pepperoncini roast Pioneer Woman makes and add a 14 oz. can of crushed, fire-roasted tomatoes, along with a little of the pepperoncini juice.
- The shredded beef also makes great sandwiches. Pile some on top of your favorite toasted hamburger bun or hoagie roll, along with some homemade buttermilk ranch dressing and extra sliced pepperoncini, or maybe some melted mozzarella and thin-sliced, sweet onion.
Cook it faster – Sometimes I’m not quite as organized as I’d like to be, which means an eight-hour cook time just isn’t feasible. If you find yourself pondering dinner sometime afternoon, which I often do, you can still enjoy this awesome recipe. Just cook this on high in your slow cooker for about four hours.
- If it’s after 4:00 pm, and you’re just thinking about dinner, you’re still not out of luck! You can do a Mississippi pot roast Instant Pot version, browning it first, if you want to, on the “Saute” setting, then adding all your ingredients to the pot before cooking for 45 minutes on the “Meat” setting. A few minutes to naturally release the pressure, and dinner is served!
Tools to Make
The most important tool for this awesome recipe is also its biggest convenience factor – the crockpot! You can cook this up in the oven if you need to but there’s just something magical that happens in the crockpot.
You can also cook this in the oven (again, after browning or not) in a big Dutch oven wrapped in foil, then covered with the lid, for 3 – 4 hours at 350 degrees.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Your flavorific Mississippi pot roast will stay fresh and delicious in the fridge for up to 4 days but don’t expect it to sit around that long. All you have to do is cover it tightly with aluminum foil or cling wrap….or you could transfer to an airtight container.
The thing is this pot roast is so tasty people will come looking for it and it makes some fantastic sandwiches!
Can You Freeze This?
Yes! You can freeze your cooked pot roast or just the leftovers. Let it cool completely before preparing it for the freezer (but not more than 2 hours). Store it in a freezer-safe bag with the juices to prevent the meat from drying out.
Slow thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Make Ahead Tips
Since there isn’t a ton of work to prepare this scrumptious pot roast it only takes a minute. You can toss everything in the crockpot, cover it up and leave it in the fridge overnight. That way the next day all you have to do is grab the insert and turn it on. Of course, you can always go the freezer route but it’s just so good fresh!
Serving Recommendations
This baby is something special and you’ll know when your family rushes the dinner table at the mere scent of this pot roast. That being said, pairing it with Southern macaroni salad and pecan pie makes a Sunday supper everyone will look forward to!
Also, you can also serve this with some roasted potatoes and veggies, over noodles or mashed potatoes.
Recipe Variations
Tweaking this tasty recipe to suit your personal preference or other things you have on hand is super simple. Here’s some tasty options you may enjoy.
- Grab your large saucepan and swap the chuck roast for ground beef to whip up a batch of savory Texas chili worthy of a cook-off!
- A few simple substitutions with veggies and cheeses and you can serve a steak pizzaiola with layers of robust flavor.
- Trade your crockpot for a pie dish and whip up an amazingly satisfying tamale pie your family will rave about!
- Swap out a few ingredients and you can turn your chuck roast into a succulent stracotto with an Ah-ma-zing sauce.
- Whip up an easy Dorito casserole with layers of delicious flavor and those tasty orange chips we love so much.
Mississippi Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1 (3-5 pounds) chuck roast
- 1 package Au Jus Gravy mix
- 1 package dry ranch dressing mix
- 5-6 whole pepperoncini peppers
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chuck roast in a large crockpot.
- Sprinkle the au jus mix and the dry ranch mix evenly over the roast. Top with pepperoncini peppers and stick of butter. Cover.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or until roast is fork-tender. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Remove meat and pepperoncini to a platter. Whisk all the cooking liquids together and spoon over the meat. Sprinkle meat with chopped parsley and serve.
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More Southern Recipes
Here are even more scrumptious Southern recipes you may want to put into your menu rotation. They are de-lish!
- Paula Deen Corn Casserole – Creamy and off the charts delicious, almost a perfect concoction!
- Southern Cornbread – Savory bacon drippings and sweet corn flavor in a fluffy bread that you can’t help but gobble up.
- Blackened Chicken – Zingy seasoned crust gives way to moist tender chicken to satisfy all the senses.
- Hoe Cakes – Golden, tasty and crispy around the edges, just like they should be.
- Southern Style Green Beans – Deliciously tender and loaded with savory bacon.
Conclusion
Mississippi Pot Roast is an insanely delicious slow cooker meal that’s been pinned over a million times in the last three years. Thank you, Robin Chapman of Ripley, Mississippi, the original author of this incredible recipe (years ago of course).
You’ve totally revolutionized pot roast as we know it! And you can bet your bottom dollar……they’re gonna’ want seconds!
I just love this recipe! But I must admit, after making it for many years, I do make one tweak. I add a whole jar of pepperoncinis along with the brine. I just love the vinegary bite that it gives it. And I can’t say that I have ever served it with mashed potatoes and a veggie. I always make French dip sandwiches! Oh, soooo good!
That’s a nice tweak, Nancy! 😀 Glad to hear you like it!
Has anyone cooked this in their Instant pot? I am obsessed with my Instant Pot.
Thanks!
Kathleen , there are plenty of recipes on Pinterest, for the Mississippi Pot roast and yours is my favorite!!!
I have to double the roasts and ingredients, because loves the leftovers for tacos and sandwiches.!!
I do use crossrib roasts instead of a chuck roast .. which works great … but I am partial to cross ribs! And talk about fork tender .. even six pounds cooks fork tender !!!!
You are amazing , lady !!!!! Thanks for such delicious recipes and a wonderful web site !!!!
Wow thank you very much, Cathy! That means a lot to me and I’m soooo happy you like my recipe.❤️❤️❤️❤️
I wrapped the roast in tin foil and put it into a plastic bag and refrigerator it over night. Next day i sliced and warmed the slices in a simmering pan of au jus (from the roast) and served with mashed potaoes and smushed root veg. Best pot roast I ever made
Wow! That’s awesome, John! So happy to hear it turned out great for you. 😀
So easy. Yum
Thanks, Averie! 😀
I recently made this for the first time. It tasted delicious but the meat didn’t fall apart like I expected it to. I have a family of 6 so I used a 5lb chuck roast and cooked it on low for 8 hours. What would you suggest to get the meat fall apart tender next time? Longer cook time on low or higher cool time for the first hour then low for 8 hours?
Hi Lisa. It just sounds like your roast was a large one and needed more cooking. If you run into that again, just extended the cooking time until it’s fork tender <3
I dint have the au jus gravy. Would lipton onion mix be alright for an alternative?
Hi Kim! I haven’t done that yet before but I think you can give it a try!
I actually ran into this same issue and used lipton onion soup mix. It was still awesome! I made it again last night and decided to use beef gravy mix and it was incredible as well.
I made my au jus seasoning from scratch and it’s amazing. Pinterest has the dry au jus seasoning recipe.
I put the whole jar of pepperoncinis in. Very tasty!
Ooooh glad to hear you enjoyed it, Marie! 😀
This was absolutely fantastic!! This time im trying in in my ninja foodi ill let you know how it comes out!
So happy you enjoyed, Jacquelin <3 Look forward to hearing back from you about the Ninja!!
Marie, did you put in the liquid as well? I’ve done this before, because I love the vinegary bite!
I was told to add aclarge peeled potato to anything that’s too salty to draw the salt out….
SO GOOD! I pan seared and used the oven method. Meat was tender and flavor was delicious! Will make this again. Thank you for sharing
You’re welcome, Heather! 😀
This is the BEST pot roast ever. I make no other because it is not only easy but the flavors are so good. Served with mashed potatoes, real comfort food made simple.
Thanks, James! So happy you enjoyed it! 😀
I can’t wait to try this. Have you tried with veggies such as carrots and potatoes? I am wondering if I add those if I should add some broth?
Hi, Hogg! No, I haven’t tried adding veggies yet but you could definitely add them, with or without some broth. Hope this helps! 😀
The roast was extremely tender and tasty but a little salty. I definitely want to make it again but Is there anything I can do to cut the salt?
Hi Donna! You could try cutting down on the au jus gravy mix. Hope this helps!
Unsalted butter.
I add baby carrots and baby yellow potatoes in the last 1 -1 1/2 hours of cooking and it’s delicious. The baby potatoes are so good with this that I don’t add anything to them. I eat them whole. I also don’t add any liquid and it’s still perfect.
This was INCREDIBLY salty! Even my boyfriend who is a salt addict said it was too much. I was really bummed because it smelled amazing and would’ve been great if it wasn’t so salty. I think next time I’ll only use half of the au jus packet.
Did you use salted butter? I always use unsalted. I have never found it too salty, and I usually add a whole jar of pepperoncinis, along with the liquid. I also usually use about a 4 lb roast.
Can I add bacon ends to this?
Hi Mack! Yes, you can 🙂
Would this come out ok if I put my roast in partially frozen?
Yes, you will just need to extend the cooking time a bit <3
Hi! I am using a 1.5 lb chuck roast because it’s just my boyfriend and I. Should I use half the packets and half a stick of butter? Thank you!
I’d just use the rest of the ingredients as written <3
Am I supposed to put all the juices of the pepperochis in with the roast?
Hi Desiree. I don’t usually add any extra pepperoncini juice, that said, I know a lot of my readers add a bit (not a lot) of it before cooking.
I am cooking this recipe. Now but forgot the pepperonicini
Have you made this recipe with potatoes, carrots & onions?
Hi Marilyn. No, I haven’t. 🙂
I made this tonight and 2 hours before cooking time was up I added in baby carrots and onion slices. It was so good! I also added salt/pepper to the meat before adding the other ingredients 🙂
Hey Elizabeth. Thanks for responding about adding the veggies. So glad you enjoyed!! <3
This was so good, it was the best roast beef I’ve ever eaten, so tender and delicious!!! This is going to become a staple at our household. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this roast Angela! <3
Hi there! Is the nutrition at bottom per serving or for the whole dish?
Thanks
Hi, Vicky! Thanks for asking. I now corrected the data, and it reflects the amount per serving. Enjoy! <3
Best pot roast I’ve ever had. It was absolutely delicious, and my whole family loved it. Thank you!
Thank you, Michelle! 😄 It’s so great to hear that you and your fam enjoyed it!
Hi, I not a fan of the peppers in this recipe,, what other types of peppers could I use?
Thanks 🙏
Hi Corrin!
Good question. You could try some traditional bell peppers, sweet baby bells or some poblano peppers. They are all mild (no heat) and great flavor for pot roast. Would one of those work for you? Hope this helps.
I can’t use slow cooker I have to use the oven ,what temp and hours will i have to use to cook in the oven ?
Hi Anna. Add all the ingredients in a large baking dish cover tightly with foil. Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour per pound.
I have a rump roast. Can I still make this?
Hi Tara! Yes, you can. Rump roast doesn’t have as much fat integrated into the meat so it won’t be quite as juicy. If it’s a cut you generally enjoy, the recipe will work well <3
This recipe is easy, failproof and truly tasty! I’ve made this with brown gravy, turkey gravy and country gravy packets …and in no particular brand. I’ve used either ranch dressing packets or ranch dip packets…also, no particular brand. Tonight I’m using gluten-free packets. With just a half stick butter, it’s just as flavorful and moist as when I’ve used a whole stick….just less greasy.
LOVE this recipe!
Hey Debora! So happy you like the Roast. You’re so right, it’s absolutely foolproof!
Can I use a Dutch oven on top of the stove instead of
A crock pot
Sure that would work great <3
I made this recipe for the first time and didn’t like the idea of a whole stick of butter so cut it in half and it came out great. For me it was still a little greasy and not from the meat because it was trimmed by the butcher. Will do the recipe again and cut out a little more of the butter. Even at half the butter it was still very good.
Hi Mimi. I’m glad you adjusted this for your tastes <3
How much water do you need to cook the pot roast in? I bought a 4lb one. Thank you!
Hi, Amy! No need to add water. I hope you enjoy! 🙂
I love this recipe… so easy and delicious!! I put it in the crockpot this morning as a matter of fact! Serving with rice, green beans, and crunchy bread. Yum!! You won’t be disappointed if you make this recipe 🙂
Thanks so much, Jennifer! I’m with you! Love how easy and truly delish this is! Thank you for sharing <3
I am running out of time, can I cook this recipe on high for 4 hours instead of 8 hours on low?
Hi Karen. You can definitely try. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your roast and the cooking temperature of your specific Slow Cooker. Last night I cooked an 8-pound chuck roast for this recipe and it took me 9 hours on high!
Is the end result spicy at all? I love spicy, but I have a 7 year old that likes absolutely no spiciness whatsoever!!
Hey Andrew. This question gives me pause. Spiciness is such a subjective thing. My husband hates anything that I would call spicy and I swear he could, and would if I let him, eat this whole thing. I’ve served this to a lot of kids that age and they loved it. I would say it’s not spicy really at all. 🙂
I agree, it’s not spicy at all and I am very sensitive!
This recipe was delicious the pepperoncini’s really set it off
Can a chuck shoulder roast be used?
It would be perfect, Helen
I’ve made this about 8 times now and it’s the best meal, foolproof, easiest and most delicious recipe ever! I’ve modified it quite a bit, using ‘deli-sliced’ peperoncinis plus 1/2 cup of the juice, 1/2 cup beef broth, and a small chopped white or brown onion–it makes for a wonderful gravy over either mashers or Arborio rice! I’ve shared this recipe with dozens of friends because it’s so easy peasy!
Oh, Cynthia, I’m so happy to hear it! I totally agree with you its the best! I hope you try more recipe from our site <3
Can this recipe be made without the peppers?
Hi Linda! Absolutely and it’s still delicious <3
I am sure going to try this .It looks so good.
I hope you enjoy, Diane 🙂
Hi i have made this a couple of times and love it. I realized I bought a Boston butt roast on accident. Do you think it will work?
Hi Jessica. Gosh, I’ve never tried it with a Boston Butt but I think it should work out well. Let me know if you try it 🙂
I made this over the weekend, and it was really great! Nice and easy, too, which is always a nice boost. It went very well with the cheesy garlic mashed potatoes. Many thanks for the recipe!
Yay! So glad you liked the roast. I love how easy it is, too! The cheesy garlic mashed potatoes sound killer!
My mouth is watering from the pictures! Can I use margarine instead of butter. Need to make this dairy-free. Thanks.
Hi Elizabeth, I don’t see why not. I have only made this with butter, but with your dietary concerns margarine would be a great alternative.
My mouth is watering from the pictures! Can’t wait to make this. I was wondering if I can use margarine instead of butter. I have to make this dairy free. Thanks.
Made this today. Oh my goodness, so delicious! Great flavor & so moist, the meat melts in your mouth! Thanks for a recipe that is definitely a keeper in this house!!
You’re so welcome! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out. You made my day 🙂
Do you add any roth r liquid during cooking?
Hi Tanya. No liquid is needed. 🙂
Oh I just can’t wait to try this. Sounds oh so good.
I hope you enloy it Joy. We sure did. It became an instant favorite!
I heard you’re supposed to use zesty Italian seasoning for this recipe, but I’m a sucker for ranch, so I look forward to making this!
Hey Mercedes. That sounds like a great alternative or new way to enjoy this recipe. I can tell you, it’s really wonderful with the ranch!