This Instant Pot Mississippi Roast is melt-in-your-mouth tender, bursting with tangy, savory flavor in every bite. Best of all, it’s ridiculously easy to make with just five ingredients and hardly any effort!
Recipe: $29.14 | Per Serving: $4.86 | Servings: 6
Mississippi Roasts are nothing new; they've been around for years, but this variation is my favorite because 1- it's incredibly simple, and 2- it's "slightly" cheaper than the alternative recipes out there. How so? Well, we don't use any butter in this recipe, so we use fewer ingredients.
Thanks to the Instant Pot, you can whip up a delicious meal for your family with as little as 5 minutes of prep time. And in about an hour, you'll get to reap the rewards of your efforts.
This Mississippi roast recipe is completely customizable, so make sure to check out all my tips in the post below! I've done all the experiments, so you won't have to!
Also, don't forget to serve up your next roast with some Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes and The Best Canned Green Beans. They'll give you a full meal with minimal cost and maximum flavor.
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🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- It can EASILY be made dairy free. Having been dairy free for a few years, I know that dairy free options exist for Ranch seasoning and Onion soup mixes, and since we already don't use butter, just a quick glance at the ingredient labels can give you a dairy free meal the whole family will enjoy!
- Minimal cleanup. You can sear your roast inside your Instant Pot AND cook it in there too, so skip the sink full of dirty dishes and enjoy more time doing what you want.
- You can adjust the heat levels. While Mississippi Roasts are known for using pepperoncini peppers, some kids and sensitive adults don't enjoy the spice they give off. See Variations below to see alternative suggestions that you're Going. To. Love.
🥘 Ingredients
Chuck Roast- You'll want to use a chuck roast for the best results, but a bottom round roast will work fine in a pinch (and may be cheaper per pound). Make sure to trim the excess fat off around the edges before using.
Yellow Peppers- Use a jar of pepperoncini peppers or banana peppers for a flavor-packed dish.
Beef Broth- While some other Mississippi roast recipes use Au Jus mixes, we find that a low sodium beef broth works just as well too.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
📖 Variations- Adjusting Spice Levels
- Traditional Roast. Mississippi roast is traditionally made with pepperoncini peppers, but they can be too spicy for some, especially kids.
- Adding MORE heat. Try using a jar of jalapeno peppers instead! These will really kick it up a notch!
- Reducing Heat. If you still want to use pepperoncini but reduce the heat, try using fewer peppers and less juice. Half a jar is usually enough.
- Banana Peppers Substitute. Banana peppers are a great alternative, they’re not spicy, but have a sweet and tangy flavor that adds something special to the roast. We’ve switched to banana peppers and now prefer the flavor. It’s delicious and kid-friendly!
- Dill Pickles as Another Option. Another tasty swap is dill pickles. If you enjoy the flavor of dill, this can be a fun twist on the classic recipe. We’ve really enjoyed using dill pickles in place of peppers, and I highly recommend giving it a try.
- Love dill? You might also like my Dill Pickle Potato Salad and Pickle Lemonade, both are full of bold, refreshing flavor.
🔪 Instructions for Instant Pot Mississippi Roast
Please note that searing your Chuck roast is completely optional and can be skipped, if desired. If your roast fits neatly in your Instant Pot, you can sear it inside your IP using the Searing option. I just enjoy excuses to use my cast iron.
Step 1: Preheat your Instant Pot's Saute setting or warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil, and then place your raw Chuck roast inside. (Image 1). Cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until there's a nice golden color on each side of your roast. (Image 2).
Step 2: Remove your roast and place it into the Instant Pot (if not there already). (Image 3).
Step 3: Add in all of the remaining ingredients. You can use a full jar of peppers plus their juices, or use as little as half the jar if you want less spice. (Image 4).
Step 4: Add the lid to your Instant Pot and make sure the vent is sealed. Set your Instant Pot to High Pressure for 65 minutes and allow to cook. Once finished, let it have a 10 minute Natural Pressure Release before you remove the remaining pressure. (Image 5).
Step 5: Open your Instant Pot and behold your glorious meal. (Image 6).
Step 6: Carefully remove the Chuck roast and place it onto a large cutting board. Shred the meat apart with two forks. (Image 7). It should fall apart very easily. But be careful as it will be hot and juicy. I recommend keeping a towel nearby.
Step 7: Take your shredded meat and add it back into the Instant Pot. Give it a good stir to evenly distribute the meat and juices. Then scoop and serve as desired. (Image 8).
Enjoy!
🍴 Recipe Tips
- Mind the Salt Content- Pre-packaged seasoning mixes can be very high in sodium. Consider looking for the low-sodium alternatives or using DIY seasoning blends instead.
- Choose the Right Cut of Meat- Chuck roast is ideal for its marbling and tenderness after slow cooking. Bottom round roast is a leaner, budget-friendly alternative but may be slightly less tender.
- Slow Cooker Option- Making Mississippi roast in the slow cooker? Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
👩🏻🍳 Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze for up to 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- Reheat gently on the stove, in the oven, or microwave until warmed through.
🥪 Creative Leftover Ideas
- Sandwiches. Use your leftover meat for delicious sandwiches the next day! Toast some buns, add some chees,e and top with some warmed up roast. Yum!
- Tacos and Nachos. Use the meat as a filling for Mississippi Roast Tacos or as a topping for nachos by adding some cheese, sour cream, and other desired toppings.
- Soups and Salads. Don't be afraid to add some of the meat over your next salad or in your next soup for added depth and flavor too.
🥗 Side Dishes
Most traditionally, Mississippi roast is served over the top of creamy mashed potatoes, but don't be afraid to try it over some cooked egg noodles or steamed rice instead.
I recommend adding a vegetable side dish that's colorful and preferably green, as it will help to break up the bland colors on your plate. Something like green beans, Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli, or even a squash casserole would be good.
⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
- Freezer Meal Option: You can make this into a freezer meal for later (perfect for meal prepping) by adding all of the ingredients to a large freezer-safe bag. I do not recommend adding the broth or liquids to the bag, but you can add a beef bouillon cube and a note to add ½ cup- 1 cup of water when you go to cook it!
- Don't forget to freeze flat for easier storage. When ready to cook, simply thaw the bag in the fridge overnight before cooking as usual.
- Cook in Advance: You can also make the entire roast ahead of time! After cooking, shred the meat and let it cool completely. Store it with its juices in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the Instant Pot on the “Sauté” setting or in a skillet with a splash of broth to revive the flavors.
💭 Recipe FAQs
To keep your pot roast from turning out tough right from the start, start with a high-quality cut of meat (I personally recommend giving Butcher Box a try). Choose a roast that has consistent marbling throughout, skip the ones with just a big chunk of fat on one side. And be sure to cook it for the right amount of time.
You can cook it for 65 minutes in the Instant Pot or several hours in the slow cooker. In the slow cooker, it'd take 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.
Your roast does not need to be submerged in the Instant Pot to cook it, but it will need some amount of pressure in order to work. A 6-quart Instant Pot requires a minimum of 1 cup of water in order to work properly, whereas a larger one (8 quart) will need closer to 1.5 cups of liquid inside. Also, as your roast cooks, it will naturally create its own liquid broth.
Cook time tip: When using an Instant Pot for pot roast, plan on about 20 minutes of pressure cooking per pound of meat. So, a 2-pound roast would need 40 minutes, while a 3-pound one should go for around an hour on high pressure. Using frozen beef? It’s best to thaw it first.
❤️ More Delicious Instant Pot Recipes
If you tried this Instant Pot Mississippi Roast, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Mississippi Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chuck roast, excess fat trimmed ($26.01)
- 1 jar (12 ounce) pepperoncini peppers ($1.97)
- 1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning ($0.54)
- 1 packet (1 ounce) onion soup mix ($0.49)
- ½ cup Beef broth, low sodium ($0.13)
Instructions
- Please note that searing your Chuck roast is completely optional and can be skipped, if desired. If your roast fits neatly in your Instant Pot, you can sear it inside your IP using the Searing option.
- Preheat your Instant Pot's Saute setting or warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil, and then place your raw Chuck roast inside. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until there's a nice golden color on each side of your roast.
- Remove your roast and place it into the Instant Pot (if not there already).
- Add in all of the remaining ingredients. You can use a full jar of peppers plus their juices, or use as little as half the jar if you want less spice.
- Add the lid to your Instant Pot and make sure the vent is sealed. Set your Instant Pot to High Pressure for 65 minutes and allow to cook. Once finished, let it have a 10 minute Natural Pressure Release before you remove the remaining pressure.
- Open your Instant Pot and behold your glorious meal.
- Carefully remove the Chuck roast and place it onto a large cutting board. Shred the meat apart with two forks. It should fall apart very easily. But be careful as it will be hot and juicy. I recommend keeping a towel nearby.
- Take your shredded meat and add it back into the Instant Pot. Give it a good stir to evenly distribute the meat and juices. Then scoop and serve as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use low-sodium or homemade seasonings. If using homemade, use 2 tablespoon Ranch mix. Chuck roast is best for tenderness; bottom round is leaner.
- Cook in slow cooker (Low 8 hrs / High 4–5 hrs) or Instant Pot (20 mins per pound, min. 1–1.5 cups liquid).
- Store in fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Make ahead as a freezer meal (no liquids) or cook, shred, and reheat with broth as needed.
- Adjust heat with fewer pepperoncinis, banana peppers, jalapeños, or even dill pickles.
Nicole Durham says
This roast is one of our family's favorites!