Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

updated Jun 20, 2023
Snapshot Cooking
Mississippi pot roast sits in a dish with potatoes and gravy, with a fork in the plate
Credit: Photo: Tara Donne; Food Styling: Cyd McDowell

Flavored with an unlikely combination of seasoning packets, pepperoncini peppers, and butter, this weeknight-friendly dinner is like no other pot roast you've ever tasted.

Serves8

Prep5 minutes

Cook1 hour 36 minutes

Jump to Recipe
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
mississippi pot roast sits in a dish with potatoes and gravy
Credit: Photo: Tara Donne; Food Styling: Cyd McDowell

Flavored with an unlikely combination of spice packets, pepperoncini peppers, and butter, Mississippi pot roast is like no other pot roast you’ve ever tasted — and that’s exactly what will keep you coming back for more. The meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender; the gravy is equal parts spicy, tangy, and rich; and all of it’s just begging to be spooned over fluffy mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or cauliflower rice, or even piled on a sandwich.

Credit: Photo: Tara Donne; Food Styling: Cyd McDowell

Mississippi pot roast saw a huge surge in popularity in the early 2000s, when Sam Sifton published his riff on it in The New York Times. It’s also amassed a huge following on Reddit. After trying and loving Kitchn’s own slow cooker version, I knew it was time for a quicker-cooking version using the Instant Pot. Like the slow cooker recipe, this one calls for just five ingredients (we don’t count cooking oil and water, since those staples are readily handy in the kitchen), but it cooks up in just about 90 minutes. Prepare for it to become a new family favorite.

Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

Flavored with an unlikely combination of seasoning packets, pepperoncini peppers, and butter, this weeknight-friendly dinner is like no other pot roast you've ever tasted.

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 1 hour 36 minutes

Serves 8

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons

    (1 stick) unsalted butter

  • 1

    (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast

  • 1 tablespoon

    vegetable or canola oil

  • 1/4 cup

    water

  • 1 (12-ounce) jar

    pepperoncini peppers, divided

  • 1 (1-ounce) packet

    ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix

  • 1 (1-ounce) packet

    or 2 (.6-ounce) packets au jus gravy mix

Instructions

  1. Cut 1 stick unsalted butter into 8 pieces. Trim off any large pieces of surface fat from 1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast. Pat dry with paper towels.

  2. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil in a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker on the highest Sauté setting until shimmering. Add the roast and sear on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

  3. Pour 1/4 cup water into the pressure cooker, scrape up any browned bits, and simmer until almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the pressure cooker.

  4. Return the roast and any accumulated juices to the pressure cooker. Sprinkle the roast with 1 packet ranch mix and 1 or 2 packets au jus gravy mix. Top with the butter. Pour 1/2 cup brine from 1 jar pepperoncini peppers over the roast. Add 10 pepperoncini peppers.

  5. Lock the lid on and make sure the pressure valve is set to seal. Set to cook under HIGH pressure for 55 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes to come up to pressure.

  6. When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure. Shred the roast into bite-sized pieces with tongs.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days or frozen up to 2 months.