This unique recipe for Mississippi Pot Roast is full of flavor and features melt-in-your-mouth tender beef made with brown gravy mix, ranch seasoning, butter, and tangy pepperoncini. It’s a surprisingly comforting meal, perfect over mashed potatoes or steamed rice.

This recipe was originally created by a woman named Robin Chapman from Ripley, Mississippi. She adapted it from her aunt’s version, which used an Italian dressing packet instead of ranch.

I first came across it in my Crockpot Facebook group, where it’s wildly popular—some people even call it Mississippi Mud Roast or the forbidden roast because members keep posting photos of it over and over again!

Ingredients for Mississippi Pot Roast

Let’s break down what goes into this flavor-packed famous roast. Find the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card below the images.

• Chuck Roast – A well-marbled cut of beef that’s perfect for slow cooking. It gets super tender and soaks up all the good flavors.
• Brown Gravy Mix – This handy little packet thickens the sauce and gives it that rich, beefy taste. Want to swap it for something else like au jus or onion soup mix? Just check out my note below about sodium below.
• Ranch Dressing Mix – Yep, ranch! It brings in the garlic and onion flavor without being overpowering. Any 1-ounce packet works—even the kind labeled “dip.” There’s also a spicy version if you want to kick things up.
• Unsalted Butter – Makes the roast extra rich and flavorful. You can use salted butter too, but it might push the salt level a little high depending on your other ingredients.
• Pepperoncini Peppers + Juice – Don’t skip these! They give the roast a tangy, zesty pop that balances out all the savory flavors.

How to make Mississippi Pot Roast

Make this roast in three easy steps! No need to brown the meat.

Step One – Add the chuck roast to the slow cooker—no need to brown with my easy version. Sprinkle over the dry Ranch dressing Mix. Add the jarred pepperoncini peppers and juices.

Step Two – Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 6-7 hours.

Step Three – Shred the meat with two forks and serve. That’s it, it’s just that easy!

Which packet to use to make this recipe have less sodium:

Many of my readers think the famous crock pot Mississippi Pot Roast recipe is too salty. I have found that when they say that, they are using one of the saltier packets. The packet I use is listed first below (brown gravy mix).

• McCormick Brown Gravy (entire packet): 1360mg sodium
• Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix (entire packet): 2800mg sodium
• McCormick Au Jus Gravy Mix (entire packet): 3600mg sodium

Look at the differences in sodium content. If you want to use onion soup mix or au jus, I recommend using half a packet or serving over something plain like white rice.