Mississippi Pot Roast (+Video)
Mississippi pot roast is a classic slow cooker recipe that is made with beef chuck roast, ranch dressing mix, onion soup mix, butter, and peperoncini peppers.
AN EASY, FLAVORFUL POT ROAST RECIPE
This Mississippi pot roast recipe might be the best you ever try! If you haven’t tried this recipe before, you absolutely must give it a chance. The meat comes out so tender and incredibly flavorful! Over the years, it has become my family’s go-to pot roast recipe! If you are looking for a serious comfort meal, then this Mississippi Pot Roast is for you!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S):
The recipe is believed to have originated in Mississippi, hence its name. It has become a popular dish in the United States and is a comforting and hearty meal.
Mississippi pot roast has a savory and slightly tangy flavor, thanks to the combination of ranch dressing mix, onion soup mix, and peperoncini peppers. The butter adds richness and depth of flavor to the dish.
No. Absolutely not. The meat comes out so tender and buttery by cooking it low and slow in the crock pot. Cooking it too quickly will result in a tough cut of meat that does not shred easily.
Of course not! Try making your own Homemade Ranch Seasoning and your own Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix. You’ll need about 2 Tablespoons of the ranch seasoning and about 3 Tablespoons of the onion soup mix for this recipe. This will also help you control the amount of sodium in the recipe as well.
It’s not recommended. The butter adds a lot of flavor to this. Margarine is basically oil. Use the real stuff here.
Mississippi pot roast is delicious served with Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, rice, pasta, or vegetables like carrots, green beans, or broccoli. You can also serve it with a side of crusty bread, Butter Swim Biscuits or rolls to sop up the flavorful cooking juices.
A sirloin tip or rump roast will work. You want a cut of meat that will shred after it is finished cooking.
They really add a lot of flavor to this dish so I wouldn’t skip them. It doesn’t add spiciness like you think it would. If you absolutely insist on substituting you can try using some dill pickles and a bit of pickle juice.
No. Do not add additional liquids. The meat itself along with peperoncini and the melted butter will produce enough juices.
Yes, you can add them in at the start of cooking.
It hasn’t cooked long enough or you opened the lid while cooking. Refer to my answer above about cooking this low and slow. Trust me, you just cannot rush this or you’ll be severely disappointed. And do not open the lid while cooking as this also disrupts the cooking process.
Leftovers can be frozen. Just place in a freezer safe bag and remove all of the air. It will keep frozen for up to 2 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- chuck roast – the chuck roast needs to be fresh and not frozen. So if yours is frozen, you will need to defrost it first.
- salt and pepper – I will leave this up to your tastebuds. I lightly season both sides but if you don’t like the additional salt then leave it out.
- ranch dressing mix – if you are sensitive to salt or have dietary concerns about sodium, use a lower sodium option. If you really want to have full control over the salt levels, try making the Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix.
- onion soup mix (or au jus gravy mix) – the same applies for this mix. Go for a lower sodium option if necessary. You can also make Homemade Onion Soup Mix so you can control the amount of salt.
- salted butter – unsalted butter can be used. If you can find the Kerrygold garlic and herb butter, give that it try, it adds even more flavor. Do not use margarine – it has to be real butter.
- peperoncini peppers – these do not add spice, just flavor. If you want a bit of a kick of heat, try adding a bit of the juice from the peppers.
HOW TO MAKE MISSISSIPPI POT ROAST:
Heat up a large skillet on high. Add oil to hot skillet. You want it really hot here to brown or “sear” the beef quickly. Note: I have one of the Ninja slow cookers that has a “stovetop” option, which means I can brown the meat all right in my crock pot and not dirty up any other dishes. However, if you are in a rush, just skip the browning step altogether.
Take a paper towel and make sure you dry both sides of the pot roast (drying the meat helps it brown easier.) Then season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Once the skillet is nice and hot, add the roast. Allow the roast to cook for about 2-3 minutes until it is golden brown. The browning of the outside of the meat just adds flavor. Using tongs, flip the meat over and sear the other side of the roast for another 2-3 minutes.
Transfer meat to slow cooker. Sprinkle packets of dry ranch dressing and onion soup mixes over pot roast. Top with a stick of butter. Then place peppers on and around roast.
Note: This butter is a Kerrygold garlic & herb butter. The sticks were on sale at Kroger so I had picked up a bunch. But a regular stick of salted butter (not margarine) will still work perfectly in this. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. You don’t add any other liquid to this. The meat will create it’s own juices at it cooks. DO NOT remove the lid while cooking.
Now all you need to do is take two forks and start shredding the meat. Discard any big fatty pieces. If you want, you can cut up the peppers and stir those into the meat mixture. I ate mine with the peppers but didn’t cut them up into the meat to serve. Serve on mashed potatoes, rice or on a roll with a slice of provolone or mozzarella cheese.
CRAVING MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES?
Originally published: April 2015
Updated & republished: Feb 2024
Mississippi Pot Roast (+Video)
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2-3 pound chuck roast
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix (or au jus gravy mix)
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
- 8 peperoncini peppers
Instructions
- Heat up a large skillet on high. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to hot skillet. You want it really hot here to brown or "sear" the beef quickly. This can also be done in your slow cooker if you have the sear or saute option.
- Take a paper towel and make sure you dry both sides of the 2-3 pound chuck roast. Season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Once the skillet is nice and hot, add the roast. Using tongs, flip the meat over and sear the other side of the roast for another 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer meat to slow cooker. Sprinkle 1 packet ranch dressing mix and 1 packet dry onion soup mix over pot roast. Top with 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter then place 8 peperoncini peppers on and around the roast.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. DO NOT open the lid. It’s tempting but leave it alone!
- After it has cooked, take two forks and start shredding the meat. Discard any big fatty pieces. Then serve.
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- Do not rush this recipe. Do not cook on high. This will only work when cooked slowly on low. And definitely do not open the lid (trust me, this makes a difference!)
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Can I do this on high for 4 hours?
One of my favorite go to meals. I add pearl onions to mine and adds a lil extra. Oh and I use real unsalted butter. Soo yummy. Great with mashed potatoes, on bread, by itself, as a side to white beans.
I have made this roast numerous times. Hubby says it is by far his favorite and to throw the other recipes out. Now I have one question for you. I just received and instant pot (Cuisinart) for Christmas. Wondering if you know how to adjust this recipe for that if I wanted to do it in that instead of the crockpot?
I gave this 5 stars not sure why it didn’t show up.
I’m from Mississippi and I don’t know anyone who has ever cooked a roast like this. But it really looks good and I’ll try it soon!
I’ve made this several times and it’s delicious. And it was so simple. Everyone who has eaten it loved it. I will try it with chicken soon.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Made this recipe this past weekend and it is soooo good. My husband loved it too. Will definitely make again.
Just got mine going in the crockpot and can’t wait to try it tonight! I just noticed the nutritional information that is here. Are there really 46 grams of fat per serving?! If so, how is that calculated? That’s a ton of fat per serving!
Jamie, that is a program that is used to figure out nutrition information. So, I always tell folks to use their best judgement and if they have a reliable app to calculate nutrition information, then use that. 🙂
My crockpot has both temperature and time. What temp should I set it on for the 7-8 roast?
Honestly, I am not sure. You might want to Google what a “low” temperature setting would be on a traditional slow cooker. Sorry – I am just not familiar with those slow cookers!
I have a 1lb 79oz chuck roast. My question is should I use half of each packet of ranch and onion mix or should I use the whole packets. Also should I use half a stick of butter or the whole stick.
My husband hates ranch and peppers. Do you actually taste any of these in the roast? I want to make this because it sounds amazingly delicious and I know I would love it but concerned about my husband not liking it?
The first time I had this was when one of my grandsons was born. Daughters friend brought it over. Best thing I ever tasted! I’m making it today for my guy’s birthday. Family coming over. Can’t wait for them to try it!
Chuck roast is the best. It will literally fall apart.
This is amazing! If you like peperoncini peppers like I do put more in there than just what is added. Next time I would put in a full small bottle. Also put the shredded pork on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven under Broil for 10 min. I would really suggest it as it made it a little crispy and made the peperoncini’s really sweet. Served over a bed of rice with a little lime on top is also a good topper! MUST MAKE!
Hi everyone, I tried this recipe yesterday, I have my neighbor that I cook for since her husband passed away, but she really enjoyed it but thought it was a bit too salty. I don’t use too much sodium so I don’t know what I could have done wrong since I didn’t even salt and pepper the meat. any advice for me?
Alot of people are saying to use an au jus packet instead of onion soup mix to cut sodium
BTW I love The Mississippi Pot Roast recipe so so much!! I will make it as often as I can!!
I was wondering if you would double the Ranch dressing and the onion soup mix if you cook two roasts in the same crockpot at the same time?
If I leave this cooking for an extra 2 hours in the crock pot, will it hurt?
Nah. I think you’ll be fine! 🙂
I made this today for supper. OMG my grandparents, my parents and myself are in LOVE with this recipe!!! I am going to make this weekly!!!!!!! 🙂 Brandie another amazing dish!!! Love your recipes!! A + in my book!
Hi Jen! What an incredibly sweet comment! Thank you so very much! You made my day 🙂
YAY! I am so happy I made your day Brandie! Keep the yummy, easy and quick recipes coming 🙂 My mom actually requested I made this for Mother’s day dinner 🙂
Can I cook this on high for 4-5 hours? I made this last time exactly how you did it and it turned out soooo good! This time I need to cook it in a pinch. Just wanted to ask 🙂
You can cook on high, the meat just may not be as tender.
Can’t wait to try this recipe tonight! Do you think it will work in the pressure cooker just as good? I am new with the pressure cooker but loving how moist everything turns out in it!
Hi Sheri! Absolutely!
I noticed after I cooked the roast I forgot to put the butter. Can I put it in now or does it nake a difference?
This was unbelievably good. I made a double batch for a small party I had and there was not one scrap left. Everyone raved about it. The only thing I did different was add a large sweet onion. We ate it on french bread with provolone cheese and put the peppers right on the sandwich. The butter really puts it over the top. I will be making this many times in the future. Thanks.
This roast is amazing! The second time I made it, I used Onion dip mix rather than soup mix, and found that the lower sodium made it even more tender. I just dashed some salt after the roast was cooked, and the taste was the same. The drippings make an excellent gravy. Will definitely be holding on to this recipe.
Hi, I’m in Australia and have never heard of “DRY RANCH DRESSING” is there anything else I can use instead?
Hi Peter! It’s a powdered mixture that is usually mixed with milk and mayonnaise to make a salad dressing. It’s very popular here in the States. You can actually make it yourself. Here is my recipe to make it: https://www.thecountrycook.net/homemade-ranch-seasoning/
Yes! I skim off the fat from the crock pot, into a skillet, heat and add a little flour at a time lightly brown that, then carefully add the rest of the liquid from the crockpot, to the skillet, constantly stirring. It will get thick fast and the liquid from the crock pot may not be enough so have a big glass of cold water ready, and slowly add that , until you get it to the thickess you want. No need for more salt. Flour used is self rising. You got to stir or whisk this constantly until you get your desired thickness. T