Flavor without fuss: Why the Mississippi pot roast continues to trend

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• Whether you follow the classic recipe or put your own spin on it, this dish is sure to become a favorite in your household.

Part of adulting is cooking most nights, and honestly, it’s not easy, especially after a long day. Sometimes you just need a set-it-and-forget-it meal – something warm, hearty, and versatile.

You need something easy to pair with any sides or repurposed for a stew or sandwich because who doesn’t love to get the most bang for their grocery buck?

You need the Mississippi Pot Roast. 

From Humble Beginnings to Viral Sensation: The History of the Mississippi Pot Roast

Maybe you’ve heard of the Mississippi Roast, also known as “the viral Mississippi Roast” or “that roast recipe online,” but like any great Mississippi food, the entree had humble beginnings at a church potluck. 

Robin Chapman of Ripley, Mississippi, is credited with the Mississippi Roast recipe. She talked to the Seattle Times nearly a decade ago to discuss the famous recipe that was born from necessity around her family dinner table. Simply put, she changed a few ingredients in the roast to meet her family’s taste buds. 

When Chapman took the dish to church, friends asked for the recipe. It is relatively simple: slow-cooking a chuck roast with a packet of ranch dressing mix, a packet of au jus gravy mix, a stick of butter, and a few pepperoncini peppers. Easy peasy, pepperoncini squeezy. 

It could be the simplicity that made the recipe so sought after. The roast went viral the old-fashioned way, through word of mouth and hand-scribbled recipe cards. Then, it was shared on a blog. Then another. And another. 

Jump ahead to the social media age, and the Mississippi Pot Roast is viral on every social media platform. In the 2010s, it took Pinterest and Facebook by storm. When TikTok boomed into the social media market, thousands of posts about this Mississippi Pot Roast made the recipe viral again. Food forums, home chef blogs, YouTube channels, and more featured this simple yet delicious recipe. Now the Mississippi Roast is one of those dishes that goes down on the menu of good Mississippi eatin’. 

Mississippi Roast: Viral Status Renewed by a Mississippi TikTok Chef

Thanks to TikTok stars like Caroline Davis, this now Southern staple has emerged from the collection of church cookbooks and spread worldwide. 

Caroline Davis, known as Mississippi Kween on TikTok, brings a touch of Southern flair to her cooking videos. With a nod to traditional Mississippi flavors, she demonstrates how to make the perfect Mississippi Pot Roast with a few personal tweaks. Her engaging personality and clear instructions make it easy for her followers to recreate the dish at home.

Versatility on a Plate: Why the Mississippi Pot Roast Slaps 

So, what’s so special about the Mississippi Roast? 

1. Simplicity: There’s nothing to it! Toss it in the slow cooker (or pressure cooker, if you’re so inclined) and get on about your business.
2. Flavor: Ranch mix, au jus mix, butter, pepperoncini, chuck roast… you know the saying, “If it tastes good alone, it must all taste good together?” Mississippi Pot Roast is the prime example.
3. Versatility: While the traditional recipe is viral, the comments are loaded with people adding twists, from searing the roast ahead of time to playing with the ratios of the ingredients.
4. Comfort: You know it will await you when you’re ready. There’s just something so warm about a crockpot meal, and this one is no exception. Plus, that smell when you leave and return a couple of hours later? Heaven.

Joining the Trend

If all this talk of roast doesn’t have you rushing to the nearest church cookbook or social media for a recipe, you’re missing out! 

Between TikTok tutorials, cooking blogs, Pinterest boards, cookbooks, and more, you’ve got the Mississippi Pot Roast recipes with any variations at your fingertips. Whether you follow the classic recipe or put your own spin on it, this dish is sure to become a favorite in your household.

Look, I’ll make it easy on you. 

Here’s how I make it. I’m no Robert St. John or Mississippi Kween, but I know good food when I taste it! 

Courtney’s Mississippi Pot Roast

INGREDIENTS

• 3lb Chuck Roast
• One packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Mix (it matters to me, but use your favorite brand) 
• Stick of Butter
• One packet of Au Jus mix 
• One jar of pepperoncini 
• Garlic powder (or the esteemed “Jarlic,” jarred minced garlic)

INSTRUCTIONS

Sear off your chuck roast in a cast iron skillet with some garlic and butter. Sear each side and the ends. 

Put the roast in the crockpot and sprinkle the au jus and ranch powders on top. Then, pour the juice of the pepperoncini, roughly half the jar, over the top. Toss in your stick of butter, then cook on low for 7 hours. When you’re ready, slice it or shred it. However you’d like to serve it! 

I get two nights out of this for my family of four. I slice what I need the first night and serve it with mashed potatoes or mac-and-cheese (my kids’ favorite) and a veggie. The second night, I slice it and serve it over rice or on sliders with provolone cheese. I throw the sliders in the oven for extra cheesy goodness. 

What’s your take on the Mississippi Roast? 

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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