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.
I have onion dip and ranch dip on hand…think I can sub that instead of the soup mixes?!
Hi Amy! I haven’t tried those. If you give it a try, I’d love to know how it turns out for you!
How did this turn out? I’m in the same predicament
If I cook two roasts in one crockpot, about 6 pounds. Do I double the ingredients ?
Yes you would double the ingredients. You need full favor.
Hi Brandie, What about doing this in an Instant Pot? Any ideas time wise & would it be done same way with gradients & order? Hope to hear back 🙂 Thanks so much
Hi Sandy – my best guess on this would to do the recipe as written and maybe add about a cup of beef broth to the mixture so the pressure cooker will be able to come up to pressure. I’d still brown both sides of the roast on the sauce setting if you have time. Then high pressure for 60 minutes and a 15 minute natural pressure release. Let me know if that works for you!
Thanks so much Brandie for answering my question 🙂 I have an Instant Pot coming on Fri & this seemed like maybe a good recipe to try once I master it Lol! I’ll LYK may take a couple times LOL!
Yay!! It took me some time too. It still messes me up occasionally but I am a lot better at it. LOL!
It was delicious. I love pot roast.
Ive made a few times and always a hit…. Love it!!!!!
My family (& guests) absolutely love this recipe! I want to make it for my mother-in-law though and she can’t tolerate butter. Any substitution recommendations for the butter? I know it says don’t use margarine, but have you found any non-dairy options to be decent?
Hi Debi! Thanks so much for coming back to comment! Yay! So, for the butter, it is a hard one because it is the fat in the butter that is giving this so much flavor. Non Dairy options (so far) just come out oily and not butter-y (for lack of a better word – ha!) If I ever come across one that can hold up well to the cooking process, I will let you know!
Will pork ribeye roast work too?
Hey Angela! I don’t see why not! I’ve made it with pork and chicken. Turns out great!
So delicious, even my picky teens loved it!
Woo hoo!! Thank you Leslie!
Best pot roast ever!! Quick and very easy my whole family loved it
That’s so wonderful to hear! Thank you Pamela!
Hi I want to cook this dish in the oven. What would be the time and temp for making this in The oven?
Hi Megan! I have never made this in the oven so I honestly couldn’t say since I haven’t tested it. But if I had to guess it would be at a low temperature for a few hours. It needs to cook low and slow to be tender.
Thanks for the input. I cook this all the time it’s a big hit with the family. Usually I make this in my slow cooker But I’m making a couple for a get together so need to make one in the oven.
Let me know how it turns out for you! 🙂
So juicy and tender, full of flavor! Definitely needs the full 10 hours or more to make. Worth the wait.
So awesome to hear!! Thank you so much!!
I love cooking with my kids. We typically make cookies or muffins but my oldest daughter (11yrs) has begun to help me with making dinner. She loves chopping vegetables.
I have made this recipe in the crockpot and we love it! However can it be made in the oven? Im short on time today. and family really wants pot roast
Hi Susan! You could but you’d still need to cook it low and slow so it comes out tender. Chuck roast is a tough cut of meat and if it’s cooked too fast, it’ll be like chewing leather. LOL.
Can you sear the roast, put everything in the crockpot the night before and cook the next day?
Hi Christine. I don’t see why not. Although, you’d want to pop the insert into the fridge overnight until you’re ready to cook. No one wants food poisoning along with their roast. LOL. 😉
I’ve never seen the Kerrygold garlic and herb butter, but it sure looks tasty. This meal looks fantastic!
Thank you Julie!
If I use a smaller cut of meat 1.8lbs per say would the time be less?
Was just wondering about the pepperocini as I find some to be to spicy ???? so if less are used will that jeopardize this recipe?
Carol
Hi Carol, I am super sensitive to spice and I find it’s not spicy at all. In fact, I know people that add the juice and more peppers to kick up the heat. However, you can certainly leave a few out if you are concerned about spice level. No problem!
Leg of Lamb is good roasted with mint jelly.
Lamb is good. Can be very strong tasting especially if you get hold of mutt.
I think mutt is an old goat. Nothing wrong with it — it is just strong smelling and tasting.
Don’t know about lamb but it is wonderful with chicken.
Would this work with a leg of lamb? I’m curious to try that but don’t wanna do something that wouldn’t be so great especially with a leg of lamb.
Hi Terra, that is a good questions. I don’t enjoy the flavor of lamb so I have never tried it. It seems like it should work though!
I am going to try this with a leg of lamb roast. I will report back with the outcome!
Can you use a top round for this?? It’s whats in the freezer. We make Mississippi chicken all the time but would like to try something different
Hi Megan, I have never tried it with top round. You would definitely want to cook it low and slow as top round can be a very tough meat. 🙂
We just love this roast. We also make Mississippi Chicken and Crack Chicken.
Love it!! Thanks Diane!
Making this now!! So excited. I love crockpot roast and was bored with my traditional recipe.
I really really do not like ranch flavor. What would you suggest as a good substitute? Italian? Nothing? Thanks!
My husband and I don’t like ranch either but neither one of us tasted it in this recipe.I think the
peppers mask the taste. I am making it again tonight. I am not kidding, I don’t like ranch
You can’t taste it – at all. It adds to an overall flavor but you don’t taste it as a separate ingredient.
How long should this be Cooked on high?
Hi Cera, because this is a tough cut of meat, I really recommend only cooking it on low. That helps get the meat super tender. Cooking it on high won’t produce the same results. If you absolutely must cook on high, then it would be about 3-4 hours. But I don’t recommend it.