Description
This tender and flavorful Mississippi Pot Roast is a simple slow cooker or Instant Pot recipe featuring a juicy chuck roast simmered with tangy pepperoncini peppers, savory ranch and au jus seasoning mixes, and rich butter. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth roast perfect for serving over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 pound Chuck roast
- 1 Onion, diced
- 1 packet Ranch dressing mix
- 1 packet Au jus gravy mix
- 8 Pepperoncini peppers
- 1/4 cup Pepperoncini juice
- 1/4 cup Butter, sliced
- 1–2 tablespoons cooking oil (for searing, optional)
- 1 cup beef broth (for Instant Pot method)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Season and Sear (Optional): Season the chuck roast generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large skillet over high heat until the oil is very hot and just beginning to smoke. Sear the roast on each side for 2-3 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. This step enhances flavor but can be skipped for convenience.
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Place the seared (or unseared) roast into your slow cooker. Add the diced onion, ranch dressing mix, au jus gravy mix, whole pepperoncini peppers, pepperoncini juice, and butter slices on top of the roast. Cover the slow cooker with its lid.
- Cook in Slow Cooker: Set the slow cooker to low heat and cook the roast for 8 hours. The low and slow cooking method will make the beef extremely tender and allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Alternatively, Prepare Instant Pot: For a quicker version, place the chuck roast and all other ingredients (onion, ranch mix, au jus mix, pepperoncini peppers, pepperoncini juice, and butter) into the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of beef broth to help with pressure cooking and create a flavorful sauce.
- Cook in Instant Pot: Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 1 hour. After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes for tender, juicy meat.
- Shred and Serve: Using two forks or tongs, shred the cooked roast into bite-sized pieces. The meat should be fall-apart tender. Serve it hot over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice for a hearty comfort meal. Enjoy your delicious Mississippi Pot Roast!
Notes
- The searing step is optional but adds depth of flavor.
- If you don’t have pepperoncini juice, you can substitute a small amount of vinegar with a pinch of sugar.
- For thicker gravy, remove the meat after cooking, and simmer the liquid on the stovetop to reduce before serving.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3-4 days and freeze beautifully.
- This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a larger crowd.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (Slow Cooker) or 1 hour (Instant Pot)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Mississippi Pot Roast, Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Instant Pot Pot Roast, Chuck Roast Recipe, Easy Pot Roast, Comfort Food
