Mississippi Roast

Recipe from Robin Chapman

Adapted by Sam Sifton

Updated June 14, 2023

Mississippi Roast
Melina Hammer for The New York Times
Total Time
6½ to 8½ hours
Rating
4(12,335)
Comments
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An Internet darling of a pot roast recipe, a favorite of mom bloggers and Pinterest, Mississippi Roast is traditionally made by placing a chuck roast in a slow cooker and simmering it beneath a stick of butter, a package of ranch dressing mix, another of “au jus” gravy mix and a handful of pepperoncini. And you can certainly cook it that way. The raves are justified. But replacing the packaged mixes is no real chore, and it results in a luscious tangle of deliciously tangy beef that goes beautifully with mashed or roasted potatoes or egg noodles, or as a hot-sandwich filling. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your roast and the effectiveness of your slow cooker. But six to eight hours generally does the trick. (If you're in the market for a slow-cooker, our colleagues at The Wirecutter have spent a great deal of time testing them. Check out their guide to the best on the market.) —Sam Sifton

Featured in: The Improbable Rise of Mississippi Roast

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 1boneless chuck roast or top or bottom round roast, 3 to 4 pounds
  • 2teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1½teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • ¼cup all-purpose flour
  • 3tablespoons neutral oil, like canola
  • 4tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 to 12pepperoncini
  • 2tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½teaspoon dried dill
  • ¼teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1teaspoon buttermilk, optional
  • Chopped parsley, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

590 calories; 42 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 48 grams protein; 608 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place roast on a cutting board and rub the salt and pepper all over it. Sprinkle the flour all over the seasoned meat and massage it into the flesh.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil in a large sauté pan set over high heat until it is shimmering and about to smoke. Place the roast in the pan and brown on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes a side, to create a crust. Remove roast from pan and place it in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the butter and the pepperoncini to the meat. Put the lid on the slow cooker, and set the machine to low.

  3. Step 3

    As the roast heats, make a ranch dressing. Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill and paprika in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify. Add the buttermilk if using, then whisk again. Remove the lid from the slow cooker and add the dressing. Replace the top and allow to continue cooking, undisturbed, for 6 to 8 hours, or until you can shred the meat easily using 2 forks. Mix the meat with the gravy surrounding it. Garnish with parsley, and serve with egg noodles or roast potatoes, or pile on sandwich rolls, however you like.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
12,335 user ratings
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Comments

Mimi Pond

I don't understand folks fussing about stirring together a few ingredients to make an impromptu "ranch dressing." Also fussing about the amount of fat. You put 6 T of butter in there. What do you expect? It's all delicious! Dump the whole big jar of pepperoncinis in is my only tweak. Y'all leave my Sammy alone. He works hard to bring you this stuff.

Dawn W.

Delicious, but Holy Greaseball Batman! Who eats a chuck roast cooked with a stick of butter? Is thatas much fat as the average adult should eat in a year?
The butcher removed the outer fat. I seared the roast in olive oil, with no butter, mayo, etc., added 10 pepperoncini, a cup of white wine, 1.5 cups low sodium beef stock, a handful of fresh thyme branches, 6 peeled garlic cloves, & a slight sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. Then cooked it for 6.5 hrs. Incredibly delicious.

ralph

My wife made the recipe. She confused Porcini Mushrooms with Pepperoncini. A delicious mistake.

Minister Mom

Made this in a Dutch oven. It’s become a household favorite. My son asked me to cook it for his band. Absolute keeper, and I didn’t need to change a thing.

Ray

Many commenters are cooking in a dutch oven at 300 degrees or less. Folks it's called BRAISING and it works GREAT. I've roasted an 8 pound pork roast for four hours and it came out fork tender and VERY flavorful. I seasoned & browned it first. I included veggies on the side and only used two inches of water or stock. Molly Stevens wrote a book called the Art of Braising. Highly Recommended.

Actual helpful comment

These comments got weirdly political with the butter/fat debate so here’s something actually helpful keeping in mind some recipes are not always healthy and that’s ok: I have picky eaters so I put the peppercinis in a food processor break them up and to hide them. Once cooked, I removed the meat to shred it and when I did I added a little cornstarch (maybe 1/2 tablespoon?) and hit the liquid with an emulsion blender to thicken up the gravy. 10/10 would eat again and served over egg noodles with roasted broccoli and a Ceasar salad if you’re looking for a full meal.

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Credits

Adapted from Robin Chapman

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