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Mississippi Pot Roast

Mississippi pot roast is a hands-off slow-cooked chuck roast with a tangy, pepperoncini-rich gravy and a fall-apart, shred-ready texture. The crockpot does the work: sear for color, then slow-cook on low until easily shreddable.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chuck roast
  • 3 lb chuck roast
seasonings and oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt Use kosher salt for best seasoning.
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper Freshly ground if available.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing.
seasoning mixes
  • 1 1 oz packet ranch seasoning Packet ranch seasoning.
  • 1 1 oz packet au jus gravy mix Packet au jus gravy mix.
pepperoncini topping
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Unsalted butter adds richness and helps thicken the sauce.
  • 9 whole pepperoncini peppers Use 8–10 peppers for the signature kick.
  • 0.25 cup pepperoncini brine Adds tangy flavor to the gravy.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the roast
  1. Season the chuck roast with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast for 3–4 minutes per side, until browned, with visible caramelized edges.
  2. Transfer the browned roast to a crockpot. Sprinkle the ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix evenly over the top so the surface looks dusted.
Build the pepperoncini gravy base
  1. Place the unsalted butter on top of the roast, then scatter the whole pepperoncini peppers around it. Pour the pepperoncini brine into the crockpot so liquid pools near the meat and peppers are partially submerged.
Slow-cook until shred-tender
  1. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the meat shreds easily with a fork. During cooking, look for slow simmering and juices that have turned into a glossy gravy.
  2. Shred the beef directly in the crockpot, mixing it with the flavorful cooking liquid. Stir until the beef is evenly coated and the sauce looks thick, tangy, and pepperoncini-speckled.
Serve
  1. Serve the mississippi pot roast over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Spoon extra sauce on top so each bite gets both shredded beef and pepperoncini gravy.

Notes

For maximum flavor, sear the roast until you see deep browning before it goes into the crockpot. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze portions for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight. For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium ranch and au jus mix or a reduced-salt version of each packet.