Mississippi Pot Roast
297 Comments Apr 08, 2025
Updated Jun 25, 2025
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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
Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe
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 Packet 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!
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 potatos..MMMMM!
I will be trying this today.
Have you ever tried tailed jalapeno slices & juice instead of the pepperoni?
I’m not sure I have any pepperoni.
I think it would still work great, I have not tested that though.
I believe the Knorr Au Jus package has only 1,100 mg of sodium.
Thank you. I will add that to the post.
Do you need to add any liquid to this to make sure it isn’t dry ?
No, the butter is the liquid and if you use a chuck roast there will be plenty of juices.
Made this with friends last autumn for the first time and it was such a hit it’s always in our rotation. Fabulous, everything about it. We like ours served over mashed potatoes and we also like it spicy so we did a spicy ranch packet with the peppers as well! Thank you!!
I love this recipe! I have also found that instead of pepperoncini peppers, it also works to use mild pickled banana peppers if you want the flavor with less spice.
There are only 2 of us here so 3 to 4 lbs of meat is way too much. How would I cut this all down to make it for a 1.5lb. Roast? I don’t have a gravy mix, can I use a jared gravy instead? And a whole stick of butter is way too salty. Would 2 tablespoons of butter work instead?
Yes, I think all your adaptions will work very well.
These crock pot, 3 or 4 ingredient meals are flavorable and easy but this one was way too salty for me and I used the brown Gravy .
Made today using Lipton onion soup mix, ranch dressing packet and 1/2 stick of butter. Otherwise followed exactly. This was delicious!! I may always make my pot roast like this going forward. Served over mashed potatoes and it was yummy. Thanks for this recipe.
Will this work with canned red peppers instead
I don’t think it will work for I don’t think you’ll get the vinegar taste.