I am, by nature, a stable, steady Northwestern Pennsylvania woman. Pot roast, in my house growing up, meant carrots, potatoes, and a gravy so plain it practically apologized for existing. That was the recipe. That was the only recipe. No notes.

Then Johnny and I spent eight years living in Colorado, and somewhere between the mountains and all that green chile everything, our boring Midwest sensibilities got a little... imprinted. We came home with a taste for heat and tang that my pot-roast-purist ancestors would not recognize.

So when I first heard about Mississippi Pot Roast - a roast smothered in ranch seasoning, au jus, a full stick of butter, and a jar's worth of pepperoncini - I will admit I clutched my pearls a little. That is not pot roast. That is a science experiment wearing a pot roast costume!

I made it anyway, because eight years of Colorado pepper influence does not just undo itself, and reader, I have never looked back. The family devoured it. Johnny went back for seconds before I'd even sat down, which is his highest form of review. It's buttery, it's tangy, it's fall-apart tender, and it takes about ten minutes of actual effort. My old-fashioned pot roast instincts have officially been overruled!

Why You'll Love This

• Five ingredients, one dutch oven. No fancy shopping list, no special trip to a fussy grocery store.
• Hands-off cooking. Ten minutes of prep, then the oven does the work for four hours while you do literally anything else.
• That tangy, buttery flavor is unreal. The pepperoncini juice and butter create a sauce you'll want to drink with a straw.
• Budget-friendly. Chuck roast is one of the most affordable cuts out there, and this recipe makes it taste like a splurge. Sparkle Without the Splurge, if you will.
• Great for leftovers. Shredded pot roast makes incredible sandwiches the next day (more on that below!)

Ingredients

• 2-3 lb chuck roast
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 oz ranch seasoning packet
• 1 oz au jus gravy packet
• 1 stick (½ cup) butter
• 8-10 pepperoncini, plus 2 tablespoon juice

Tools & Equipment

• Dutch oven

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Cut the butter into about 10 pieces.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat, and sear the roast on each side for 3-4 minutes.

Sprinkle the ranch packet, then the au jus packet, over the roast.

Top with butter, pepperoncini, and the juice from the pepperoncini.

Cover and bake for 4 hours.

Remove from the oven, shred the roast, and mix with the juices from the pot.

Tara's Tips

• A good Dutch oven makes all the difference here - you want something heavy-bottomed that holds heat evenly for that low-and-slow bake.
• Don't skip the sear in step 3. It only takes a few minutes but it builds so much flavor. Tongs make flipping the roast painless.
• Want to check for doneness without guessing? A meat thermometer takes the mystery out of it - you're looking for the roast to easily shred with a fork, well past a standard "done" temperature.
• If you like things extra tangy, toss in a couple more pepperoncini. If your crew is heat-shy, start with fewer and add more juice to taste.

Serving Suggestions

This pot roast is incredible over Million Dollar Potato Casserole, piled onto soft dinner rolls for an open-faced situation, or served alongside a Apple Cranberry Coleslaw to balance out the richness. It's also fantastic over rice if you want to soak up every drop of that buttery, tangy sauce.

Yield: 4

Old Fashioned Mississippi Pot Roast

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Tender chuck pot roast recipe slow-baked in the oven with butter, ranch seasoning, au jus and pepperoncini for a rich, tangy, old fashioned pot roast recipe flavor.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2-3 lb chuck roast
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 oz ranch seasoning packet
• 1 oz au jus gravy packet
• 1 stick (½ cup) butter
• 8-10 pepperoncini, plus 2 tablespoon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
2. Cut the butter into about 10 pieces.
3. Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat, and sear the roast on each side for 3-4 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the ranch packet, then the au jus packet over the roast. 
5. Top with butter, pepperoncini, and juice from the pepperoncini. 
6. Cover and bake for 4 hours.
7. Remove from the oven, shred the roast and mix with the juices from the pot.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 52Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 623mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This roast also freezes beautifully - freeze in the juices for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating low and slow on the stove or in the microwave.

Give this one a try even if, like me, your instincts scream "that's not pot roast." Sometimes the twist is worth it!