This Mississippi pot roast is a chuck roast that’s seared to golden brown, then slow cooked with pepperoncini peppers, gravy and seasonings until tender. A unique recipe that’s easy to put together and is perfect for feeding a crowd!
You can never go wrong with pot roast, it’s always a crowd pleaser. This Mississippi version is loaded with flavor, and simmers in the crock pot all day long. Serve your pot roast with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans for a satisfying meal.
Why is it called Mississippi pot roast?
This recipe originated from a home cook who lives in Mississippi. That being said, the home cook never referred to it as a Mississippi pot roast, she simply called it a roast. As the recipe became popular among her friends and family, it spread to other regions in the South, and eventually hit the internet. The recipe was then coined as “Mississippi Roast” and is still known by that name today.
How do you make Mississippi pot roast?
This dish starts with a chuck roast, which is gets seasoned with salt and pepper. Sear the meat until browned on both sides, then place it in a slow cooker. Sprinkle a packet of dry ranch dressing mix and a packet of au jus gravy mix over the top of the meat. Add slices of butter and whole pepperoncini peppers on top of the roast. The next step is to add a little pepperoncini juice to the crock pot. Cover your pot, and let the meat cook on low heat for 8 hours. Shred the meat with two forks, add a sprinkle of parsley and dinner is served.
Tips for the perfect pot roast
- I recommend browning the meat before it goes into the slow cooker because this step adds a lot of flavor. That being said, if you’re in a hurry, you can skip this step.
- Be sure to go easy on the salt when you season your roast, as the dry ranch dressing and au jus gravy mix contain plenty of salt.
- You can add more pepperoncinis to this dish for a little more kick.
- Serve your meat shredded over mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the sauce.
- Any roast labeled as chuck will work for this recipe. You can use a boneless or bone-in roast, they both will work just fine.
How do you freeze pot roast?
This recipe is a great candidate for the freezer. Simply place your cooked meat and gravy in a resealable freezer safe bag. Flatten the bag and remove any excess air, then seal and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the meat in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat on the stove top in a pan until warmed though.
Pot roast variations
This dish is delicious exactly as it’s written, but you can add other flavors to the mix to customize it to your tastes.
- Protein: Not in the mood for beef? This recipe also works well with chicken thighs, pork shoulder or pork loin.
- Vegetables: You can add some vegetables such as onions, mushrooms or bell peppers. It’s best to add vegetables during the last 2-3 hours of the cooking time so that they don’t get mushy.
- Seasonings: For a different flavor, try using an Italian dressing packet instead of ranch. Instead of au jus gravy, try a packet of french onion soup mix.
This Mississippi roast is a must-make recipe when those times that you’re craving comfort food without a lot of work involved. Once you try this one, you’ll find yourself making it on a regular basis.
More slow cooker recipes you’ll enjoy
- Ham Bone Soup
- Salisbury Steak
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
Mississippi Pot Roast Video
Mississippi Pot Roast

Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 pounds chuck roast
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix
- 1 packet au jus gravy mix
- 1/4 cup butter sliced
- 4 pepperoncini peppers
- 1 tablespoon pepperoncini pepper juice from the jar
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the roast with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the meat in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until browned.
- Place the roast in a slow cooker. Sprinkle the ranch dressing mix and au jus gravy mix over the top.
- Place the butter slices and pepperoncini peppers on the roast.
- Pour the pepperoncini juice into the pot.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Shred the meat with two forks. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
I am making this today and was wondering what do you serve with it? Do you eat it on buns or plain? Love all of your recipes and I am excited to try this one!
I serve it over mashed potatoes!
Since I’m from Mississippi, I had to try this. It’s a pretty darn good recipe and is definitely a keeper! I used a 2 pound chuck roast so I only used 1/2 of the ranch and 1/2 of the Au Jus Gravy mix. I think using the whole package would have been too much for a 2 pound roast. Thanks for the recipe!
All of your recipes are top notch, but this is something new. It came out tender and flavorful! We loved it!!!! It so easy to make and the results are over the top! Thank you for making your recipes so well organized and easy to follow. This is my favorite “go to” recipe site!
Could this be done in a Dutch Oven?
Yes bake at 325 degrees for 4 hours or until tender!
With lid on?
Do I cook it with the lid on??
Yes you would use a lid!
Could I add potatoes & carrots to the slow cooker?
Yes that would be fine!
I made this for my family. There were no leftovers. I am making it again tomorrow, by request. They have talked about it all week, amd have been telling their friends. Thanks for making me feel good about cooking again!
This was fantastic!
This was so delicious ! My family consist of my husband , my 13 year old son and me๐ค Iโm ashamed to say we ALL ate this for 3 days straight. Oh not because we didnโt have anything else to eat or foot to cook. They just kept asking โIs there anymore meat?โ, there was a ton left over meat , my husband took it to work for lunch , my son ate it for lunch and dinner and lunch again, on the third day my husband and I finally finished it all off and my son was mad at us. Great recipe I even took a picture of it, because it is such a beautiful dish when played . Thank you. My next quest is to make your tortilla soup ! Review to come.
The meat came out so tender and juicy. Makes my mouth water just thinking how wonderful it was!
How long would I cooki it if using chicken instead of the roast?
4-6 hours on low!
Made it for the family and it was a hit!
We do roast often, but I haven’t added pepperoncini peppers before. I need to! I bet they add so much flavor!!
This is our favorite weeknight dinner!! It’s soo simple and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
We love the flavor the pepperoncini gives to this roast! So tasty!
Oh wow! This looks incredible!! My family would LOVE it!
This Mississippi pot roast couldn’t look any more perfect!
We LOVE the kick of the pepperoncini peppers! I usually skip the browning, but you have reminded me how much flavor it adds!
Hard not to love a great pot roast, and this one is one of our all-time favorites!
This is seriously the best!
This is one of my favorites to make! I love serving it over mashed potatoes. ๐