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This famous recipe for Mississippi Pot Roast features only 5 ingredients and makes melt-in-your-mouth tender beef, made with a few packets and tangy peppers. A perfect Cozy dinner that isn’t boring!
Recipe Highlights
- I first came across this recipe in my Crockpot Facebook group, where it’s wildly popular.
- Some people refer to the roast as Mississippi Mud Roast, Memphis Roast, or even the forbidden roast because it’s so popular on social media.
- Great for a unique Sunday dinner – everyone in my family looks forward to this!
- This is my most popular and favorite recipe among my readers, with over a million views!
Key Ingredients
Let’s break down what goes into this flavor-packed roast.
- Chuck Roast – A well-marbled cut of beef that’s perfect for slow cooking.
- Brown Gravy Mix – This handy little packet thickens the sauce and gives it a hearty beef base.
- Ranch Dressing Mix – It adds garlic and onion flavor without being overpowering.
- Unsalted Butter – Makes the roast extra rich.
- Pepperoncini Peppers – Don’t skip these! They give the roast a vinegary, zesty pop that balances out all the savory flavors. These do add a touch of spicy kick.
How to make Mississippi Pot Roast
- Add everything to the slow cooker—no need to sear the meat.
- Let it cook low and slow until fall-apart tender.
- Shred the beef right in the pot to soak up all the flavor.
Why is Mississippi Pot Roast So Salty?
Many of my readers believe the Mississippi Pot Roast recipe is too salty. I have found that when they say that, they are using one of the saltier packets. Compare the options if you prefer to use Au Jus or Onion Soup mix instead of my recommended brown gravy mix.
- McCormick Brown Gravy (entire packet): 1360mg sodium – This is what I use
- Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix (entire packet): 2800mg sodium
- McCormick Au Jus Gravy Mix (entire packet): 3600mg sodium
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.
Sarah’s Tips & Variations
Here are some easy ways to switch things up:
- Butter: The butter adds a rich flavor, but many people reduce the amount or skip it entirely without issue.
- Meat Swap: Instead of chuck roast, consider using a beef bottom round or rump roast. Pork roast, chicken breasts, or thighs work great too—use pork gravy or chicken gravy mix instead.
- Make it a Complete Meal: Add cubed potatoes and carrots.
- Gravy – For a thicker gravy, you can make a pot roast gravy by whisking in a cornstarch slurry made from cold water and cornstarch
- Not a fan of pepperoncini peppers? You can use jarred pickled red onions or baby dill pickles instead—don’t forget to pour in some of their juice for that tangy kick! (See my Dill Pickle Pot Roast, or Georgia Pot Roast, which have the same recipe concept.)
How to Serve
This roast is very versatile! Serve with one of these options or try a different way to enjoy the leftovers.
- Mashed Potatoes are my go-to. Nothing better than a bite of the roast and mashed potatoes together.
- Steamed white rice – The roast can be on the salty side and rice is one way to tone that down.
- On hoagies, hamburger buns, or slider buns – Don’t forget the French fries!
Featured Comment
“I just love this recipe! This is my 3rd time making it and I used all the same ingredients as you did. Perfection! I placed the shredded meat over roasted garlic potatoes..MMMMM!”
– julia
How to Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 lb. chuck roast, 3-5 lbs will work
- 1 oz. ranch packet, (can use original packet, dip packet or spicy packet)
- .87 oz. brown gravy packet, (I use McCormick) See substitutions in notes below
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (1 stick) can use salted
- 10 or more peperoncini peppers,
- 1/4 cup peperoncini juice, (optional but adds more tanginess and flavor)
Instructions
- Add the roast to the slow cooker. You can brown the meat in a skillet on the stovetop if desired but I do not.
- Add the ranch packet and brown gravy packet on top of the roast.
- Add the stick of butter, peppers and pepper juice.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 6-7 hours. Do not open the lid while the roast cooks.
- Shred with two forks right in the slow cooker. Remove any fatty pieces.
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Comfort Food Recipes:
- For classic comfort, you can’t go wrong with Crockpot Pot Roast, 3 Envelope Pot Roast, or tender London Broil—each one is rich, hearty, and perfect for a filling dinner.
- If you’re in the mood for something tangy and bold, the Mississippi Chicken and Mississippi Pork Roast deliver big flavor with a buttery ranch twist.
- And for a little extra heat, the Spicy Mississippi Pot Roast adds just the right kick!
This looks so yummy! I’ve never tried it and the recipe itself is famous. People swear by it once they make it.
I made it today. The taste was wonderful! A little on the salty side. I used unsalted butter and did not salt the mashed potatoes. I will definitely make it again, but I may cut down to half on either the onion soup mix or the ranch.
Thanks for letting us know how the recipe worked for you! 🙂
Cooking right now. Halved butter and added splash of red wine. Will serve over ww noodles. Thank u 4 what will b a great meal!!
Made this last night. It was so good. I added portabella mushrooms to the top.the next time. I may try to cut down on the amount of butter by 1/4 stick. Adding a package of onion soup sounds great too, why not all 3? I served it over noodles and we loved it.
Yum! I needed something new to try with pot roast. Wish I had gotten here before I went to the store today!
Saw this recipe this morning and I have already changed my dinner plans! I hope my family is just as excited when they find out I substituted this yumminess for their Sunday pasta. Something tells me they aren’t going to be too upset…lol.
I make this all the time, but instead of the onion soup packet, I use Au Jus. I still use the packet of ranch. I also use a whole stick of salted butter. As my grandma would say about unsalted- “you might as well be eatin’ paste” lol. The MPR is always a hit at our house. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds good. Now I’m torn between the onion soup mix or Au jus along with ranch, butter. Not sure which to go. Help!!!
It was so hard for me to choose too. I love the onion soup mix, it added flecks of onion to the sauce and tasted great!
I did decide to use the Ranch Dressing and the Onion Soup. The roast was wonderful!!
This sounds delicious! Pinning and I’ll make this for the first time too!!
I love using my crock pot and I love pot roast so this recipe sounds fabulous!
the recipe includes one stick of butter but I think the photos show one half stick of butter. Not sure which to go by. Is the butter salted or unsalted? Enjoy your recipes I have tried many and always turn out wonderful. Looking forward to your reply
I used 1 stick of salted butter. The sticks of butter in our area are short and fat. 🙂 unsalted butter would work just fine if that’s what you have.
Thanks for your quick reply!! Going to try this weekend.
It’s 1 stick of unsalted butter (I have used both and it still came out amazing, no difference in taste). I have made this roast dozens of times, always perfect. Making one tomorrow. I’m using 2 roasts that are a little over 5 lbs so I’m using 2 packs of au jus (I never use the onion soup mix – way too salty) After the meat is cooked, I take it out and wrap it in foil on a plate, then add baby carrots, quartered red potatoes, sliced onions and some celery (chopped in large pieces). ENJOY
That sounds awesome! I love your ideas. I need to put that on the menu this week!