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Mississippi Pot Roast – a tender, well flavored slow cooker pot roast with pepperoncini and a simple homemade ranch dressing. The briny little peppers add a spicy punch of flavor, and it couldn’t be easier to make!
I love the variety of recipes found in the NY Times Food section. With such a huge readership, it’s always interesting to see what bubbles to the top of their most popular list. I also enjoy their weekly emails titled “What to make this weekend” and often find plenty of recipe-inspiration. The Times recently noted that their adaptation of Robin Chapman’s Mississippi Roast was one of their most popular on-line recipes in 2016. After reading their very interesting feature article titled “The Improbable Rise of Mississippi Roast” I was sold and had to give it a try. The original recipe was passed to friends and relatives, and then published in a small church cookbook. In 2010 the roast was made by a food blogger and then pinned to Pinterest, starting in motion the viral phenomenon known as Mississippi Roast.
Mississippi Pot Roast is an easy weeknight meal and tasty enough for company!
The original version of the recipe is very simple. Brown the roast on the stove top then place it in your slow-cooker with butter, pepperoncini, a package of au jus gravy and a dry package of ranch dressing. My recipe is also very simple but doesn’t include the pre-packaged mixes. Our recipe features pepperoncini, a lot less butter and a simple homemade ranch dressing.
Let your slow-cooker do all the work.
After 6 hours in the slow-cooker the roast comes out super tender with a unique and unexpected flavor that seems to get even better with age. I would have never thought to add pepperoncini to a slow cooker pot roast. These unlikely pickled peppers are a real winner!
Fork tender and juicy, this Mississippi Pot Roast is definitely worth a try.
This roast seems destined to be piled along side buttery mashed potatoes and there’s no doubt the tender beef will make amazing sandwiches! Pure comfort food!
Thanks for PINNING!
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PRINT THE RECIPE!
Mississippi Pot Roast
Ingredients
For the pot roast:
- 1 4-5 lb boneless chuck roast (trimmed of excess fat)
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 pepperoncini peppers
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon buttermilk (optional)
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
For the roast:
- Dry the roast with paper towels, then rub both sides with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour, pressing into the crevices and massaging into the meat.
- Heat the vegetable oil on medium-high in a large skillet big enough to hold the roast. Once the oil is shimmering, add the roast and brown on all sides creating a crust. Remove the roast from the skillet and place in the slow cooker.
- Cut the butter into chunks and add to the slow cooker along with the peppers. Cover and turn on low while preparing the dressing.
For the ranch dressing:
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, spices and buttermilk. Pour over the top of the roast in the slow cooker and continuing cooking for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is easily shredded using 2 forks.
- Shred the meat in the slow cooker to mix with the gravy. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the meat and peppers to a platter, garnish with parsley and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Recipes adapted from the NY Times Cooking
Nutrition
Finally, here are a few more beefy recipes you might enjoy!
- Tri-Tip Roast with Chimichurri
- Roasted Beef Tenderloin with mushrooms and white wine cream sauce ~ from Half Baked Harvest
- Slow Cooker Balsamic Glazed Roast Beef ~ from Closet Cooking
- Italian Red Wine Roast Beef ~ from Barefeet in the Kitchen
What a fascinating world we live in with the internet and social media driving our ever changing habits, influencing millions of people and their daily choices. Who would have thought a slow cooker roast made with pre-packed ranch dressing and peppers could be pinned over a million times. I remember when viral (virus) meant you caught something from your friends and it probably included a trip to the doctor. I have to admit I was skeptical about Pinterest at first, and resisted taking the time to learn a winning strategy for my blog. But I finally got with the plan and now Pinterest driven traffic is my bread and butter and one of my key strategies to successful blogging. Please don’t forget to follow me on PINTEREST and PIN any and all recipes that you like!
Happy Monday my friends. I hope you have a terrific week and thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
Donna Mcentee
I made Mississippi roast it was super delish. The next day my daughter was in process of moving but needed to feed her family. So I told her about the recipe and wala it’s a new family favorite
Tricia Buice
Thank you Donna! I truly appreciate the feedback and the recommendation to your daughter. Easy dinners are a wonderful thing, especially one that has so much flavor and delicious leftovers! Thanks again 🙂
Jennie
Soooo many oohs and ahs from my family at dinner on Sunday. My husband commented that it was the most tender roast he had ever eaten. This recipe is exceptional for the tenderness, flavor, and the omission of those store bought packets of flavoring in most “Mississippi roast “ recipes. Thank you for such wonderful recipes. Your photography always catches my eye for ideas in menu preparation and I enjoy cooking even more since I began using your delicious recipes.
Tricia Buice
You made my day Jennie! Thank you so much for the feedback and for trying the recipe. I love that briny punch!!! You are so sweet – please let me know if there is anything special you’re looking for 🙂 Bravo!!!
Monica
I also like the NYT for inspiration. And this looks awesome – my husband loves pot roast and I only know 2 ways of making it in my slow cooker. This is so very interesting and different. I know we’d love it.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Monica – hope he likes it too!
Liz Berg
I’ve made “Italian” beef in the slow cooker using pepperoncini. You’re right. It’s something I could never have dreamed up myself. This Mississippi pot roast sounds fabulous!
Tricia Buice
The Italian version sounds great Liz – I’m going to check it out! Thanks 🙂
Gerlinde @Sunnycovechef
I always glance at the New York Times “What to make this weekend ” email. They really have some good recipes. I need to use my slow cooker more and this is the perfect recipe.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Gerlinde. Hope you enjoy this roast as much as we did.
Susan
We subscribe to the New York Times and I get their emails also 🙂 I have wanted to make this since I first saw it. After seeing your photos and good review I will most certainly want to make it myself but using your version, of course 🙂 I love that you used your own ingredients instead of packaged ones!
Tricia Buice
Hi Susan – the NY Times really got it right with this recipe. So tasty! Have a wonderful week.
cheri
Hi Tricia, we love peppercinis around here and I bet they bring a wonderful flavor along with the ranch dressing. I am becoming a big fan of the slow cooker, love this recipe.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Cheri! Hope you give it a try!
tanna
Oh, girl! So glad you’ve tweaked this, but I gotta tell you, it’s already a winner around here. I tried it last year and my son had leftovers the next day when he stopped by at lunchtime. He was hooked. He calls me now to tell me when the roasts go on sale! That’s when HE is shopping and is going to cook it. LOL! The pepperoncinis are the bomb!! LOVE that you shared a homemade Ranch. THANK YOU! Trying to get rid of the preservatives/additives around here. Perfect! blessings and hugs ~ tanna
Tricia Buice
How cool Tanna! I loved the peppers cooking with the roast. So unusual and delicious 🙂 The NY Times did a good job with this adaptation – which I only tweaked a bit 🙂
Chris Scheuer
I’m with you Tricia, I love many of the NY Times recipes. This one looks and sounds like a winner and it’s great that you were able to eliminate the packaged mixes and come out with wonderful results. This looks like a definite crowd pleaser!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Chris – it’s always fun to try something new!
Monique
We just had a nice comforting stew..it has been cold..and yesterday we had 12 inches of snow..:)
Looks good Tricia1
Tricia Buice
You wanted a snow day – guess you’ve had more than one by now 🙂 Stew sounds great this time of year – and send some of that snow down our way. We’re having a very mild winter and could use a foot or so of snow before the trees bloom!
Pam
It looks delicious, Tricia and I have to give it a try. I love love the great taste and texture of pot roast even though my mom had a fit when I was older and once called it “pot roast” instead of “chuck roast.” I like to make “beef salad,” (like ham salad) with the leftovers. Thanks for the recipe!
Tricia Buice
Haha – if it cooks in a pot – it’s a pot roast to me. But your mom is right too – it is a chuck roast. Beef salad sounds amazing – would love to hear more about that Pam.
SallyBR
Great minds cook alike! I made this roast twice in the past 3 weeks!
It’s really delicious, and I intend to blog about it soon too…
Tricia Buice
Hi Sally! This is the perfect time of year for a tender easy pot roast – glad you liked it too!
2 Sisters Recipes
This sounds like a wonderful flavored pot roast! And you photos are unsurpassed Tricia! Can’t wait to try this recipe, those pepperoncini peppers sound really interesting. Thanks for the recipe!
Tricia Buice
Aww thanks so much Anna!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
Pot roast is my favorite favorite FAVORITE food on earth. It reminds me of my mom, she made the best. I can’t wait to try this Tricia ~ your photos are stunning, and I know it’s not easy to make pot roast look glamorous! That dressing sounds like it would have a lot of uses outside of this recipe, too 🙂
Tricia Buice
I think you are right Sue – I want to try the dressing on other things as well – like salad! Thank you very much!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
That looks so GOOD! Really tender and juicy…
Tricia Buice
Thanks Angie – it really is!
Larry
Interesting take on pot roast – we’re stuck on the same ole version. Yours looks moist and delicious.
Tricia Buice
I’ve been making the same old pot roast for years myself, so this was a nice change! It is tender and juicy 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Looks delicious! I have seen this before and was always intending to try it, so you’ve reminded me to get on it while it’s slow-cooking season 🙂
Tricia Buice
It’s so easy to make, definitely worth a try Jennifer. Thanks 🙂