Pot roast is the kind of dish I make to remind my family that I still cook. We’re now a household of 3, from an all-time high of 5 (that sometimes felt like 6), and thus have no need for cooking major cuts of meat several times a week.
Although the times don’t demand it, I still make a pot roast every other month or so because once the roast is seared and in the Instant Pot, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it type recipe.
Pot Roast Recipes I Have Known
I’ve made all kinds of pot roasts over the years. In our early married years, I made the roast in a slow cooker with a couple cans of Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup for the sauce. I don’t remember much about this version other than it had plenty of salt.
From Fine Cooking magazine, I made a pot roast that called for bacon grease for searing the beef and red wine for deglazing the pan. The recipe called for fresh, sauteed mushrooms and was finished with the chopped, cooked bacon. It simmered all day in a Dutch oven and it was delicious.
A few years ago, I discovered the Mississippi pot roast, and I think we’re going to stick with this recipe for awhile. If this recipe is new to you, it’s called Mississippi pot roast because the creator of the recipe, Robin Chapman of Ripley, Mississippi, named it after her home state.
This tasty pot roast recipe combines tangy, spicy pepperoncini peppers, beef gravy mix, dry Ranch dressing mix and a big ol’ chunk of butter to season the chuck roast. It’s a delicious roast that smells amazing while it’s cooking. I like to use an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker to cook my roast.
Proper Searing Makes the Best Pot Roast
Throughout all the pot roast recipes I’ve tried, the one step that means the most is searing the meat before it roasts. Electric pressure cooker recipes encourage cooks to sear the meat in the cooker. I find it easier to sear the roast on the cooktop. This means dirtying a pan and getting grease splatters on my stovetop, but I like a roomy skillet to get the right sear. I use my trusty cast iron skillet for the job. You can use the Instant Pot, if you prefer. This is a judgement-free zone.
Mississippi Pot Roast Instant Pot Recipe
Adapted from Southern Living
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 lbs. boneless chuck roast, trimmed
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 medium onions, quartered
3 garlic cloves, smashed
½ cup beef broth (I use bouillon)
1 cup jarred pepperoncini salad peppers, plus 2 tablespoons liquid from jar,
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 (1-oz.) envelope ranch dressing mix
Directions:
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Pour vegetable oil on skillet. Season chuck roast on both sides with salt and pepper and place on sizzling skillet. Sear until the meat easily releases from the pan, about 10 minutes. Flip it and sear on the other side for 10 minutes. Set seared meat in Instant Pot to rest.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, cook onions for about 5 minutes, until just beginning to wilt. Add garlic cloves and cook for 3 minutes. Deglaze pan with beef broth, scraping the browned bits in the pan. Remove pan from heat and pour onion mixture into Instant Pot.
- Top roast with pepperoncini peppers and liquid, butter and ranch dressing mix.
- Cook for 55 minutes on High Pressure. When the cook time is complete, let the pressure release naturally, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- When the pressure is released, open the Instant Pot. The meat should be tender and break apart easily. Use tongs to move the meat and vegetables to a platter. Serve pot roast over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Comfort Food Classics from A Cook and Her Books
Practice roux-making skills with my tomato gravy recipe. Not a red sauce, but a creamy gravy flavored with chopped, summer-fresh tomatoes served over split buttermilk biscuits.
Try Chef Scott Peacock’s Chicken and Dumplings recipe. A refined Southern classic that will build your reputation as a legendary cook.
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