Get ready to be blown away by this juicy and flavorful Mississippi Pot Roast, a recipe that owes its impressive flavors to ranch and pepperoncini, made incredibly easy thanks to the Instant Pot!
Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
Pot roast – a tried and true favorite comfort food across households. This dish is beloved for its simple preparation and ability to provide a heartwarming, hearty meal for a large crowd. Perfect for family gatherings, a pot roast is often left to cook while you can focus on other tasks.
However, if you think pot roast cannot get any easier or tastier, I challenge you to try this Mississippi Pot Roast.
What is Mississippi Pot Roast?
You might be familiar with a traditional pot roast, but the Mississippi version is an entirely different experience. Usually, it includes a chuck roast that is slow-cooked with four distinctive ingredients – ranch, Au Jus, peperoncini, and butter. These ingredients might not immediately make you think “Mississippi,” but they come together to form a truly unique dish.
The Instant Pot Advantage
The traditional method of cooking a pot roast can be quite time-consuming. A large chuck roast could take up to six hours to achieve that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, making it a recipe usually reserved for leisurely Sundays. After all, who has the luxury to spend half a day on a weekday preparing dinner?
This is why we have the Instant Pot. This recipe will take about 1 to 1.5 hours in the Instant Pot, which might seem long, but it’s a significant time-saver compared to the more common 6 hours. This also makes it feasible for a weekday dinner.
Key Ingredients For Pot Roast
As we’ve discussed, the ranch and pepperoncini make this pot roast unique which pack a flavor punch you’ll love.
- chuck roast
- low sodium beef broth
- pepperoncini juice
- dry Ranch seasoning mix packet
- Au Jus gravy mix packet
- pepperoncini
Cooking Mississippi Pot Roast In The Instant Pot
- Heat vegetable oil in your Instant Pot using the SAUTE mode.
- Slice the chuck roast into 3 or 4 pieces and brown them in the pot for 10 minutes, adding more oil if needed.
- Remove the meat and deglaze the pot with beef broth, then stir in pepperoncini juice. Return the meat to the pot, season with ranch and gravy mix, add pepperoncinis and butter, and turn off SAUTE mode.
- Seal the pot, and set it to MANUAL mode at HIGH PRESSURE for 60 minutes. Then, let it release pressure naturally for 15 minutes.
- Vent to release any remaining pressure; remove the pot roast from the Instant Pot and serve it with its juices.
- For thicker gravy, stir in a slurry of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and ¼ cup cold water, cooking for 2 minutes on SAUTE mode. Thin with additional liquid if needed.
Tips & Variations
Mississippi Pot Roast is already next-level and simple, but these tips will really keep it that way.
- Choose a high-quality chuck roast for the best results. The marbling of fat in this cut ensures a juicy, tender pot roast.
- Be careful not to overcook your meat. This will ensure it’s juicy and tender, not dried out.
- Opt for a packet of Au Jus gravy. This is NOT the same as brown gravy. The texture and consistency will be different.
- Thickening the Juices: If you prefer gravy, use the cornstarch and water mixture described in the recipe card below. Remember to whisk it well to avoid lumps.
- Check for Doneness: The roast should be tender enough to pull apart with a fork easily. If it’s not, seal the pot back up and cook for an additional 10 to 20 minutes.
- You can serve your roast with the pepperoncini on the side but don’t shred them into the roast.
Can I Use A Frozen Roast
- Absolutely, a frozen roast can be used, although it may require extra cooking time to ensure the meat is completely cooked and tender enough to pull apart.
Serving Suggestions
- I serve my Mississippi pot roast over mashed potatoes. Spoon that sauce right over everything and call it a day.
- If you don’t love mashed potatoes, you can serve it the same way over mashed cauliflower, rice, or riced cauliflower.
- I also love my Mississippi pot roast served with a side of roasted potatoes and/or roasted carrots.
Ideas for Using Leftovers
- Leftovers taste even better the next day. Try transforming them into a French Dip Sandwich, a hearty soup with root vegetables, or use the shredded beef in tacos or burritos.
How to Store Leftovers
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 5 days or frozen for up to 4 months. If freezing, include the juices to keep the meat moist.
More Pot Roast Recipes
- Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast
- Best Ever Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Beef Birria
- Slow Cooker Beef Machaca
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef
ENJOY!
Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 to 5 pound Chuck roast, cut into 3 to 4 even chunks so to fit easier in the Instant Pot.
- ¾ cup low sodium beef broth
- ½ cup pepperoncini juice from the jar
- 1 packet (1-ounce) Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix
- 1 packet (1-ounce) Au Jus Gravy Mix
- 10 whole pepperoncinis
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Press “SAUTE” on the Instant Pot and heat up the vegetable oil.
- Add the chuck roast pieces to the hot oil and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip them over and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add more oil if needed.
- Remove the meat from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- Slowly add the beef broth to the Instant Pot to deglaze; stir to loosen up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Whisk in the pepperoncini juice.
- Transfer the meat back into the Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle the ranch seasoning mix and the gravy mix over the meat.
- Add in the pepperoncini and butter.
- Turn off the saute mode.
- Close the instant pot with the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Press the Manual button (or pressure cook button) and set it to 60 minutes HIGH PRESSURE.
- When the cooking cycle ends, do a Natural Pressure Release for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the pot and release the remaining pressure by turning the knob to the venting position. When the pin drops, open the lid.
- Remove the pot roast from the instant pot and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
- Serve the pot roast with the juices.
Equipment
Notes
- Use Quality Meat: For a tender and juicy result, opt for a good quality chuck roast.
- Brown the Meat: Sear the roast first to seal in flavor.
- Deglaze the Pot: Use beef broth to loosen browned bits from the pot to enhance flavor.
- Use Natural Release: Allow a natural pressure release for a tender roast.
- Adjust for Frozen Roast: Increase cooking time if using frozen meat.
- Test for Doneness: Ensure roast is fork-tender. If not, cook longer.
- Balance Flavors: Add brown sugar for less tang or more pepperoncini juice for more tang.
- Thicken the Juices: If desired, thicken the juices by whisking 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water. On SAUTE mode, bring juices to a boil, add the cornstarch mix, and stir until slightly thick. If too thick, dilute it with additional liquid.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
