This Mississippi pot roast recipe is slow-cooked until tender with tangy pepperoncini, savory herbs, and a rich buttery gravy made completely from scratch. Crock-Pot, Instant Pot and Dutch oven options included!

Cozy, savory, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, Mississippi pot roast is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. However, this version is made totally from scratch! ♡

Instead of using the traditional au jus and ranch seasoning packets (which often include extra preservatives and artificial flavorings), this recipe relies on a simple blend of beef stock, pepperoncini, butter, and basic seasonings. It only takes a minute or two more to measure everything out, and the flavor is every bit as rich, tangy, and buttery as the original.

Best of all, your slow cooker (or Instant Pot or Dutch oven) does nearly all of the work here. Just add everything in, let it simmer low and slow until the beef is fall-apart tender, then shred it back into that irresistibly flavorful gravy. Serve it over mashed potatoes, polenta, rice, noodles or layered in sandwich rolls for a comforting meal that is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. Let’s make some!!

Recipe Tips

Detailed step-by-step instructions are included in the recipe below, but here are a few extra tips to keep in mind too:

Trim the roast. Cut away any large, hard pieces of fat from the chuck roast before cooking to keep the gravy from becoming overly greasy.
Check for tenderness. The roast is ready when it easily pulls apart with two forks. If it still feels tough, give it another 30–60 minutes in the slow cooker.
Season at the end. Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt, pepper, or even a splash of soy sauce once the roast is shredded and mixed back in.
Rest before serving. Let the shredded beef sit in the gravy for at least 5–10 minutes before serving so it soaks up extra flavor.
Leftovers love gravy! If reheating later, always add a spoonful of gravy to keep the beef moist and flavorful.

Variations

Want to change things up? Here are a few ideas for how you can adapt this Mississippi Pot Roast to your taste:

Different cuts of beef: Chuck roast is classic in a Mississippi pot roast, but brisket, rump roast, or bottom round will also work well.
Pepper swaps: Use banana peppers or mild pickled jalapeños in place of pepperoncini for a slightly different tang.
Add veggies: Toss in carrots, baby potatoes, mushrooms, or celery to make it a one-pot meal.
Butter alternatives: Try olive oil, ghee, or plant-based butter if you’d like to skip the dairy.
Gluten-free option: This recipe is naturally gluten-free if you use certified-GF soy sauce (or tamari).

Alternate Cooking Methods

Here are a few more options if you prefer not to use a slow cooker:

Oven method: Place everything in a covered Dutch oven and bake at 325°F for 3–4 hours until fall-apart tender.
Instant Pot method: Cook the roast on high pressure for about 60–70 minutes, followed by a natural release.
Stovetop method: Sear the roast first in a Dutch oven, add the seasonings and liquid, then cover and simmer on low for 3–4 hours until tender.

Mississippi Pot Roast

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Author: Ali
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 mins
Yield: 8 servings

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Description

This Mississippi pot roast recipe is slow-cooked until tender with tangy pepperoncini, savory herbs, and a rich buttery gravy made completely from scratch.

Ingredients

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1 (4-5 pound) chuck roast
1 cup beef stock, divided
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons each: dried dill, dried parsley, garlic powder, onion powder
1/2 teaspoon each: black pepper and fine sea salt
1 bay leaf
12 whole pepperoncini peppers + 1/2 cup pepperoncini juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons cornstarch

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Instructions

Prep the meat. Place the chuck roast in the bowl of a large slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of the beef stock, soy sauce, garlic powder, dried dill, dried parsley, fine sea salt, onion powder, and black pepper. Pour evenly over the roast. Add the bay leaf and arrange the pepperoncini peppers around the roast. Pour in the pepperoncini juice, then scatter the diced butter over the top of the meat.
Slow cook. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours (or on high for 4-5 hours), until the roast is fall-apart tender.
Thicken the gravy. Carefully transfer the roast to a large plate and discard the bay leaf. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup beef stock and cornstarch until smooth, then stir the slurry into the cooking juices in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 5-10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Shred the beef. Meanwhile, shred the beef with two forks, return it to the slow cooker, and toss with the gravy. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or soy sauce as needed.
Serve. Serve warm, spooning extra gravy over each portion, and enjoy!