Mississippi Roast (crockpot/oven)
Mississippi Roast is one of those EASY 5 ingredient dinners that is so super easy and you can cook it in the oven or the crockpot. Lets make it!
Mississippi Roast is the legendary 5-ingredient comfort food that became a viral internet sensation for good reason. A chuck roast slow-cooked with a packet of ranch, a packet of au jus, a whole stick of butter, and a handful of pepperoncini peppers transforms into the most tender, buttery, deeply flavored shredded beef you will ever pull off a fork. It is the kind of dinner that makes everyone in the house wander into the kitchen asking what smells so good.
What makes this recipe special is how the simple combination of ingredients does so much work. The au jus packet builds that classic beefy depth. The ranch packet adds garlic, dill, onion, and herbs. The butter slowly melts into the meat as it cooks for hours, keeping it moist and basting it from the top. The pepperoncini peppers (and a splash of their tangy brine if you want it spicier) bring brightness that cuts through the richness perfectly.
I have a slight preference for the oven version because the dutch oven gives you a beautiful sear and the slower oven cook (about an hour per pound) lets the meat develop that fall-apart tenderness. But the crockpot version is just as delicious and absolutely the way to go if you want to set it and forget it before work. Both methods give you incredible results.
Serve the shredded beef over creamy mashed potatoes or buttery rice with the drippings spooned generously over the top. Or pile the meat onto Hawaiian rolls with melted provolone for the best sliders ever. Or just eat it straight from the pot with a fork because honestly, that is happening either way. Let's make it.
📝 Ingredients
- 3 to 5 lb Chuck Roast
- 1 Ranch Seasoning Packet
- 1 Au Jus Gravy Packet
- 1/4 cup beef broth (enough to coat the bottom of your pan/crockpot)
- 4 TBSP Butter
- 4 to 5 pepperoncini peppers (with a TBSP or two of juice if you want spicy)
👩🍳 Directions
- 1
Optional Sear: Season both sides of the roast with Salt/Pepper. Coat the bottom of a dutch oven or cast iron with avocado oil (high heat oil) and heat to high heat. Once oil is hot, add seasoned roast and sear on one side for 3 minutes and flip, then sear on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes and remove from heat.
- 2
At this point either keep the meat in the dutch oven for oven cooking or transfer meat to your crockpot. Oven: Preheat to 325 Crockpot: Turn on low heat
- 3
Add beef broth, enough to cover the bottom of the pot then sprinkle on the entire packet of ranch and au jus seasonings. Add pepperoncini peppers to the top of the roast (with pepperoncini juice if you want more spice) and add 4 TBSP of sliced butter to the top
- 4
Cover and.... OVEN: Put in the oven for about 60 minutes per pound (I did 3.5 hours for a 3.7lb roast) Crockpot: Low for 8 hours - its better to cook it low and slow as high will sometimes dry it out and the texture will be different.
- 5
When done cooking, shred and serve with rice or mashed potatoes, and a veggie! Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Chuck roast: 3 to 5 pounds. Look for a chuck roast or chuck shoulder roast with good marbling (visible white veins of fat). That fat melts and bastes the meat as it cooks.
Ranch seasoning packet: One envelope of powdered ranch dressing mix. Hidden Valley is the classic. This brings the garlic, dill, onion, and herb base flavors.
Au jus gravy packet: One envelope. McCormick is widely available. This is the beefy backbone of the seasoning blend.
Beef broth: A quarter cup, just enough to coat the bottom of the pot. The roast releases plenty of its own juices, so you do not need much liquid to start.
Butter: 4 tablespoons sliced and laid over the top of the roast. Real butter, not margarine. It melts down into the meat as it cooks.
Pepperoncini peppers: 4 to 5 from the jar for mild tang. Add a tablespoon or two of the brine for more zing and heat. Mezzetta is the most common brand.
How to Store, Reheat & Freeze
Store shredded Mississippi roast with the drippings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavor improves over time. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of beef broth if needed, or in the microwave covered for 1 to 2 minutes.
To freeze, shred the meat first, cool completely, and portion into freezer bags or containers with some of the drippings. It freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
What to Serve With Mississippi Roast
Mashed potatoes are the ultimate partner. The buttery, salty drippings spoon over the top like the world's best gravy. Egg noodles, buttery rice, polenta, or roasted potatoes are also incredible. Add a green vegetable like roasted Brussels sprouts, sauteed green beans, or honey-glazed carrots to round out the plate. For leftovers, the Hawaiian roll slider treatment with provolone broiled until melty is a must-try.
💡 Tips for Success
- Choose a chuck roast (not bottom round or rump). Chuck has the right marbling and connective tissue to break down into that fall-apart texture over hours of low cooking.
- Sear if you have the time. Searing both sides in a hot pan with oil builds a layer of flavor on the outside of the roast that you cannot get any other way. Not required, but recommended.
- Cook on LOW in the crockpot, never high. High heat in a crockpot turns chuck roast tough and stringy. Low and slow (8 hours) is what gives you the silky, fall-apart texture.
- For the oven method, use a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. The Dutch oven distributes heat evenly and traps moisture so the roast braises beautifully in its own juices.
- Plan about an hour per pound for the oven method. A 3.5 pound roast takes about 3.5 hours at 325. A 5 pound roast takes about 5 hours.
- Add a tablespoon or two of pepperoncini brine for more tang and heat. The brine is mild but adds a beautiful acidity that brightens the whole dish.
- Use real butter, not margarine. Slice the stick into pats and lay them over the top of the roast so they melt down into the meat evenly.
- Save the drippings. After shredding, strain the liquid in the pot and spoon it generously over the meat when serving. That is where so much flavor lives.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What cut of beef should I use?
Chuck roast is the gold standard. Look for one labeled 'chuck roast' or 'chuck shoulder roast' between 3 and 5 pounds. Avoid lean cuts like bottom round or eye of round, they get tough in this preparation.
Oven or crockpot, which is better?
Both produce excellent results. Oven is slightly faster (1 hour per pound at 325) and gives a deeper flavor from the Dutch oven sear. Crockpot is hands-off (low for 8 hours) and perfect for set-it-and-forget-it days.
Can I cook this in an Instant Pot?
Yes. Sear the roast on saute mode, add all the other ingredients plus a cup of beef broth, and pressure cook on high for 75 minutes with a natural release of at least 15 minutes.
How many pepperoncini should I use?
4 to 5 for mild tang, 6 to 8 for medium, 10+ for spicier. Adding a tablespoon or two of brine from the jar amplifies both the tang and the heat. The peppers themselves are pretty mild.
What do I do with leftovers?
Leftover Mississippi roast is incredible. Pile it on Hawaiian rolls with provolone and broiled until melty for the best sliders. Use it in quesadillas, tacos, nachos, or stuffed baked potatoes. Or eat it straight from the container.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Shred the meat, cool completely, and freeze in airtight containers with some of the drippings for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove.
How long do leftovers keep in the fridge?
Stored with the drippings in an airtight container, leftovers keep for up to 5 days. The flavor only deepens, day 2 and 3 leftovers are arguably even better than day 1.
Made this recipe?
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