Mississippi Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Chuck roast: I recommend choosing a well-marbled boneless chuck roast. The marbling and connective tissue make this cut of beef ideal for a long slow cook, ensuring you get tender beef that’s going to shred easily.
Ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix: These packet mixes season the beef and the gravy. They can already contain quite a bit of salt, so I always taste before adding more. You can use the Ranch dip mix or the dressing mix.
Pepperoncini peppers and juice: Both go into the slow cooker. The juice makes the gravy tangy and the whole peppers offer a mild heat.
Unsalted butter: Butter melts into the cooking liquid and makes the gravy richer.
Beef broth: This forms part of the gravy and ensures the beef has plenty of liquid to cook in. Use canned beef broth or try my beef bone broth.

How to Make Mississippi Chuck Roast

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Brown the roast: Pat the chuck dry, sear it in olive oil in a skillet until browned on both sides and then transfer it into the slow cooker. If you’re using a slow cooker with a stove-safe insert, you can skip washing up the second pan and just use that on the stove.
Add the seasonings: Sprinkle the ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix over the beef. Pour the pepperoncini juice and beef broth around it, then add the whole peppers.
Add the butter: Dot a stick of butter on top of the roast and cover the slow cooker.
Cook and shred: Cook on low until the chuck shreds easily with a fork. Mix the shredded beef into the cooking juices in the slow cooker, then serve hot, with fresh parsley sprinkled on top, if liked.

Substitutions and Variations

Skip the sear: Put the chuck straight into the slow cooker if you want to omit the browning step. I’ve tried it both ways, and find searing gives the beef more flavor, although it isn’t necessary for tenderness.
Make it hotter: Add a small amount of a hotter pickled pepper along with the pepperoncini.
Salted butter: Feel free to use salted butter if that’s all you have, but I’d wait until the roast is cooked before deciding whether it needs any extra salt.
Rump roat: I tried the recipe with rump roast, which is leaner and firmer than chuck. It doesn’t have a lot of marbling and can still get tender, but I found that I had to slice mine because it wasn’t shreddable. It was still tasty but I do prefer the chuck version.
Dairy-free: Use a dairy-free butter alternative and check the ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix labels as well because some brands contain milk ingredients.
Gluten-free: Choose ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix labeled gluten-free, as the ingredients vary between brands.

Serving Suggestions

With mashed potatoes: I love chuck pot roast with red skin mashed potatoes but garlic mashed potatoes would also be delicious.
As sandwiches: I also enjoy serving the dish over toasted crusty rolls or French bread rolls. 
With vegetables: Add some garlic green beans, roasted rainbow carrots or mixed roasted vegetables on the side. Cauliflower rice would also be good if you don’t want to serve potatoes.

How to Store

Store: Store leftover pot roast with some of the cooking juices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze the cooked beef with some of the juices for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: Reheat the beef with some of the cooking juices on the stovetop or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F throughout.