Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe

There is a special kind of nostalgia that comes with a classic pot roast, the slow simmering in the kitchen that fills the home with comfort and love. This easy slow cooker Mississippi pot roast delivers all the depth and tenderness of a long-labored meal, yet the crockpot does all the work for you.

If you are looking for easy comfort food dinner recipes, be sure to check out my Slow Cooker Smothered Chicken, Southern Chicken Fried Chicken, Authentic Southern Shrimp and Grits, and Loaded Baked Potato with Steak.

Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast

A large chuck roast has historically been a less expensive cut of beef that, when cooked slowly, transforms into incredibly tender, fork-shreddable meat. That slow-cooking process allows the roast time to break down that muscle and render a super tender, extremely delicious beef. Lately, beef prices have gotten so high that a chuck roast is no longer an economical cut. So it was very important to me when I created this pot roast recipe to ensure it would turn out perfectly for you and be the best you’ve ever had (second to your mom’s or grandma’s, of course!).

What is Mississippi Pot Roast?

Here in the South, particularly in Mississippi, pot roast is made with a tangy, zesty, and buttery flavor. We use ranch seasoning powder, au jus gravy, French onion dip mix, pepperoncini, or giardiniera peppers. Then pats of butter are placed on top of the roast and melt into the meat as it slow cooks. It yields the most craveable, flavorful pot roast, making any other version seem bland.

Here’s What You Need:

The best part of this set-it-and-forget-it Mississippi pot roast recipe is its simple ingredient list. Just grab these items when you’re at the store (see recipe card for measurements at the bottom of the page):

Chuck Roast: at least a 3lb. roast, trimmed of silver skin and excess fat.

Garlic & Onion: a whole yellow onion and several garlic cloves.

Butter: a half stick of unsalted butter melts into the meat as it cooks.

Seasonings: kosher salt, black pepper, and my Cajun seasoning get sprinkled over the meat before it sears.

Powdered Mixes: au jus gravy mix, French onion, and ranch seasoning are combined to create the perfect symphony of flavors.

Beef Stock: unsalted stock is important to prevent the meat from becoming overly salty. The ranch, gravy, and French onion mixes contain sodium.

Giardiniera and Pepperocini: the addition of these mild peppers adds the perfect tang. If you’ve ever had a Chicago Beef sandwich, then you know pairing tangy peppers with beef is a powerful combination.

How to Make Mississippi Pot Roast

This pot roast recipe comes together in just three easy steps!

Brown the Meat – If your slow cooker has a sauté function like my Ninja Multi-Cooker, you can do this all in the slow cooker. If not, we’ll start browning the seasoned meat in a large pot on the stove first. Brown it on both sides, then add in the aromatics to saute for a minute before transferring it to a crock pot.

Add the Ingredients – dump all the ingredients into the crock pot.

Slow Cook – cover and slow cook on high for the first hour, then reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the roast is fork-tender, about 8 hours.

Do I Really Need to Brown the Beef First?

Some popular recipes for Mississippi Pot Roast suggest you don’t need to brown the beef and can just throw it right into the slow cooker. While that’s true, and you can make it this way, it will be missing that restaurant-level flavor.

When you sear a pot roast, the surface of the meat caramelizes, creating a deep, rich, savory beef flavor that you will never get from slow cooking alone. Without the browning method, the flavor is less complex and more “boiled beef”.

If you skip searing, the beef becomes uniformly soft (still tender, but less interesting). I highly recommend browning the pot roast, and it doesn’t require much work for a wonderful payoff.

Oven-Braised Pot Roast Method

While I favor crockpot cooking because you can leave the house, go to work, and come home to dinner ready, if time is of the essence, the oven is a quicker method that takes just half the time.

To prepare a Mississippi-style oven-braised pot roast, use a 5-7 quart Dutch oven. Start on the stove over medium-high heat, and sear the pot roast in olive oil until each side is browned. Add the onions and garlic around the meat, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Off the heat, add the remaining ingredients. Cover with a lid and roast in the oven for 4-5 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Start checking for doneness around 3 hours to avoid overcooking and continue checking every 45 minutes.

How to Thicken the Sauce for Pot Roast

Before you start, tap the surface of the sauce with a few layers of folded paper towels to remove the fat sitting on top. Scoop out all of the onions and peppers from the sauce with a slotted spoon.

Option 1: Make a Beurre Manié for a glossy, smooth restaurant-style gravy

• Mix equal parts melted butter and flour (2 tbsp of each) in small bowl and stir until a paste forms.
• Remove the roast and vegetables from the crock pot.
• Turn heat to HIGH.
• Whisk small pieces of the beurre manié into the sauce at a time.
• Allow it to cook for 15-20 minutes on high, uncovered, whisking occasionally to help it dissolve.

Option 2: Make a Cornstarch Slurry

• In a small bowl, whisk 1–2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1–2 tablespoons cold water until smooth.
• Stir the slurry into the hot cooking liquid.
• Turn the slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 10–15 minutes, uncovered if you want faster thickening.

If It’s Not Tender, It’s Not Done

This is the most important tip when making any pot roast recipe, whether it’s in the oven or in a slow cooker. The meat tells you when it’s done. The usual cook time in the slow cooker on low is 8 hours, but I’ve had some stubborn cuts take closer to 10. Give yourself ample time when preparing a crockpot roast. It’s not finished until it easily shreds with a fork.

I don’t recommend cooking on high in the slow cooker because, although it may speed up the process, the meat is more likely to become stringy and less juicy. To safely boost the cooking time, start on high for the first hour to quickly bring the crockpot up to temp, then drop it to low for the remainder of the cook time.

The oven process is typically much shorter, with a pot roast taking about 4 hours at 300 degrees until it’s fork-tender.

Side Dishes to Pair with Pot Roast

Cheesy Boursin Mashed Potatoes
Easy Garlic Bread
The Best Mashed Potatoes
Tini’s Macaroni and Cheese
Creamed Corn

I hope you enjoyed this slow cooker Mississippi pot roast recipe! I look forward to your questions and feedback below.

Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments.

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