Get ready to meet your new favorite set-it-and-forget-it dinner. This Mississippi pot roast recipe is the internet-famous meal that lives up to all the hype. With just five simple ingredients and about ten minutes of prep, your slow cooker transforms a humble chuck roast into the most tender, zesty, and outrageously flavorful beef you can imagine. It’s a foolproof recipe that delivers pure comfort food perfection every single time.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the Crockpot, this dish is guaranteed to become a staple in your meal rotation. The magic is in the combination of savory, tangy, and rich flavors that melt together over hours of low, slow cooking. Let’s get started!
Why This Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe is the Absolute Best
You’ve probably seen dozens of versions of this recipe, but this one is carefully crafted for maximum flavor and success. What makes it special is the balance. The tangy pepperoncini peppers and their brine cut through the richness of the butter and beef, while the ranch and au jus seasonings create an incredibly savory gravy base. It’s a symphony of flavors that just works.
We also include essential tips, like the optional step of searing the beef, which builds a deep, foundational flavor that many recipes skip. Plus, we’ll show you how to easily control the salt and spice levels to perfectly suit your family’s tastes.
The 5 Magic Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of this Mississippi pot roast lies in its simplicity. You don’t need a long grocery list—just five powerhouse ingredients that come together to create something truly special. Each one plays a critical role in building the signature zesty and savory flavor profile.
Just 5 simple ingredients create this incredibly flavorful roast.
Chuck Roast: A 3-4 pound boneless beef chuck roast is perfect. Look for one with good marbling, as that fat will render down during cooking, making the beef incredibly tender and juicy.
Au Jus Gravy Mix: One 1-ounce packet. This is the savory, beefy backbone of the sauce. If you’re sensitive to sodium, look for a low-sodium version.
Ranch Seasoning Mix: One 1-ounce packet of dry ranch dressing mix. This adds a creamy, herby, and tangy element that is completely unique.
Unsalted Butter: A whole stick of unsalted butter. It might seem like a lot, but it melts into the sauce, adding richness and a velvety texture that is simply divine. Using unsalted is key to controlling the overall saltiness.
Pepperoncini Peppers: You’ll need about 1/2 cup of whole pepperoncini peppers, plus a splash of their brine. These are the star of the show, providing a mild heat and a zesty, vinegary tang that balances everything out.
How to Make Mississippi Pot Roast in the Crockpot (Step-by-Step)
This is genuinely one of the easiest recipes you will ever make. Once you have your ingredients, it’s just a matter of layering them in the slow cooker and walking away. Your house will smell amazing for hours!
Sear the Roast (Optional but Recommended): Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 3-4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the roast to the bottom of your slow cooker.
Add Seasonings: Sprinkle the ranch seasoning mix and the au jus gravy mix evenly over the top of the chuck roast.
Place Toppings: Place the whole stick of butter on top of the seasoned roast. Arrange the pepperoncini peppers around the butter. Pour about 1/4 cup of the pepperoncini juice (the brine from the jar) into the slow cooker around the roast.
Slow Cook to Perfection: Cover the Crockpot and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. You’ll know it’s done when the beef is fall-apart tender and shreds easily with a fork.
Shred and Serve: Carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. You can discard any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker to soak up all the delicious juices. Stir to combine and serve warm.
The perfect fall-apart tender pot roast, ready for serving.
The Best Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast
FL Recipes
Mississippi Pot Roast: The Ultimate 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Recipe
This easy 5-ingredient Mississippi Pot Roast recipe uses a slow cooker to make the most tender, tangy, and flavorful chuck roast. A true set-it-and-forget-it meal that's perfect for a comforting family dinner.
Pat the chuck roast dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 3-4 minutes per side until a brown crust forms. Place the roast in the slow cooker.
Sprinkle the ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix over the roast.
Place the stick of butter on top of the roast. Arrange the pepperoncini peppers around the butter and pour in 1/4 cup of pepperoncini juice.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the juices. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 580kcalProtein: 38gFat: 45gFiber: 1g
Notes
Searing is Optional: Searing the meat first develops a deeper, richer flavor, but you can skip this step if you're short on time. Control the Salt: Always use unsalted butter. For a less salty result, use a low-sodium au jus packet or use half of each seasoning packet. No Extra Liquid Needed: The roast releases plenty of its own juices, creating a rich, flavorful gravy without any added broth or water.
Keyword crockpot recipe,mississippi pot roast,slow cooker beef
While this recipe is incredibly simple, a few expert tips can take it from great to absolutely unforgettable. Here’s how to ensure your pot roast is perfect every time.
To Sear or Not to Sear?
We say sear! While you can skip this step if you’re short on time, searing the chuck roast before slow cooking creates a deep, caramelized crust through the Maillard reaction. This adds an incredible depth of savory flavor to the finished dish that you just can’t get otherwise. It’s a small step that makes a big difference.
Controlling the Salt & Spice
A common complaint about this recipe is that it can be too salty. The seasoning packets and pepperoncini brine all contain sodium. To manage this, always use unsalted butter. If you are salt-sensitive, consider using a low-sodium au jus packet or only using half of each seasoning packet. For less spice, you can use mild banana peppers instead of pepperoncini.
Don’t Add Extra Liquid
Resist the urge to add any extra broth or water to the slow cooker! The roast will release a significant amount of its own juices as it cooks, which combines with the melting butter and pepperoncini brine to create the perfect amount of rich, concentrated gravy. Adding more liquid will only dilute the flavor.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
Once you’ve mastered the classic recipe, feel free to get creative! This dish is wonderfully adaptable.
Add Veggies: For a one-pot meal, add baby potatoes and thick-cut carrots to the bottom of the slow cooker before adding the roast. They will cook in the savory juices and become incredibly tender.
Different Cuts of Meat: While chuck roast is ideal, you can also use a rump roast or bottom round roast. You could even try this recipe with pork shoulder for a Mississippi Pulled Pork!
Make it Creamy: For a richer, creamier gravy, stir in 4 ounces of softened cream cheese during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Try it on Chicken: This same combination of ingredients is fantastic on boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Just reduce the cooking time to 4-6 hours on low.
How to Serve Your Pot Roast
The tender, juicy beef and its zesty gravy are incredibly versatile. Here are some of our favorite ways to serve it:
Piled high on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes or buttery egg noodles.
Served over simple white or brown rice to soak up every drop of the gravy.
Stuffed into toasted hoagie rolls or brioche buns for the ultimate pot roast sandwiches. A slice of provolone cheese melted on top is a game-changer!
Alongside a comforting side dish like our super creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese (coming soon).
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
This Mississippi pot roast makes for fantastic leftovers, if you have any! The flavor often gets even better the next day.
Refrigerating
Store any leftover pot roast and its juices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing
This recipe freezes beautifully. Allow the roast and juices to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating
The best way to reheat the pot roast is gently on the stovetop in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through. You can also microwave it in short intervals, stirring in between, until hot.
The saltiness typically comes from the combination of the au jus packet, ranch packet, and pepperoncini brine. To reduce it, always use unsalted butter and consider using a low-sodium au jus packet or using only half of each seasoning packet.
It has a mild, tangy heat from the pepperoncini peppers, but it’s generally not considered very spicy. For a milder flavor, you can use fewer peppers, or substitute them with mild banana peppers.
A boneless chuck roast is the best choice due to its excellent marbling, which results in tender, juicy meat after slow cooking. Rump roast or bottom round roast can also be used, but may not be as tender.
Yes, absolutely! For a complete one-pot meal, place 1-2 lbs of baby potatoes and a few thickly sliced carrots on the bottom of the slow cooker before adding the roast. They will cook in the savory juices and become very flavorful.
Yes. For an Instant Pot, sear the roast on ‘Sauté’ mode, then add the remaining ingredients and cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, followed by a 15-minute natural release. For a Dutch oven, sear the meat on the stovetop, add ingredients, cover, and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 3-4 hours.
More Cozy Crockpot Dinners You’ll Love
If you loved how easy and delicious this recipe was, you’ll want to try some of our other slow cooker favorites! For another beefy classic, check out our classic Crockpot Pot Roast or this hearty Crockpot Beef Stew. And for a different kind of shredded goodness, you can’t go wrong with our fan-favorite juicy Crockpot Pulled Pork.
The Easiest Dinner Ever!
This Mississippi pot roast truly is the hero of weeknight dinners and lazy weekends. It’s a crowd-pleasing, flavor-packed meal that requires minimal effort for a maximum reward. We know your family will love it as much as ours does!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out! And don’t forget to save it to your favorite board on Pinterest!
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
