Instant Pot Pepperoncini Pot Roast

Pepperoncini Pot Roast is a from scratch version of Mississippi pot roast that can be prepared in the oven, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot for a comforting meal any night of the week.

Made with bright, vinegary pepperoncini peppers and a handful of fresh ingredients it’s sure to become one of your favorite easy pot roast recipes that’s a great alternative to classic pot roast.

What is Mississippi pot roast?

Mississippi pot roast is a popular and super easy shredded beef crock pot recipe made with only three ingredients; beef roast, dried ranch or Italian dressing mix and jarred pepperoncini peppers.

Sometimes powdered au jus or a brown gravy packet is added to Mississippi pot roast, but it’s not traditional.

My version uses fresh vegetables, herbs, and pantry staples for the same delicious flavor. And it’s just as easy to make! Especially if you always have some combination of garlic, onions and herbs on hand, like I do.

Ingredients

• Beef roast – a 3-5 pound cut of inexpensive and fatty meat like chuck roast is best. Beef brisket or eye of round can be substituted but these less fatty and more expensive cuts will not get fall apart tender and will instead need to be sliced thinly across the grain. Boneless or bone-in roasts will work. Bone-in will be more flavorful but boneless is easier to shred.
• Pepperoncini peppers – jarred pickled peppers with a tang and very light heat that’s less than a jalapeno. The recipe calls for one cup of pepperoncini peppers and brine. To measure spoon out the sliced peppers into a one cup measure then pour in enough brine to cover all the way up to the top. If using whole peppers instead of sliced, just throw a few more into the pot to make up for the difference. If the sweet heat is too much pickled banana peppers, which have no heat, can be substituted. Or heck, you can even use fresh peppers and a good amount of vinegar for similar, albeit different, flavor and tang.
• Butter – butter is an added decadence that is totally optional when slow roasting a fatty cut of meat like beef chuck roast or pork shoulder, but a necessity with lean cuts. Omit if desired.`
• Aromatics – hefty amounts of garlic, onions, and scallions or chives.
• Herbs – fresh or dried parsley, dill, basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano. The recipe calls for each individual seasoning but 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning can be substituted.
• Beef broth and worcestershire sauce – for amazing deep flavor.
• Flour – to help thicken the luscious pan sauce made with the drippings.

How to make

1. Choose cooking method below (instant pot, slow cooker or in the oven). Reserve 3-4 of the pepperoncini peppers and a tablespoon of brine, scallions, a few garlic cloves and a couple tablespoons of diced onion. Then combine remaining ingredients and pour over beef roast. Cook as directed.

• Pressure cooker using an Instant Pot, or other electric pressure cooker, cook on high for 90 minutes. Depressurize naturally at least 15 minutes before venting and opening. Or pressure cook from frozen on high for 150 minutes.
• Slow cooker or crock pot on high for 4-5 hours. Or on low for 8-9 hours.
• Or braise, covered, in the oven in a dutch oven or other large oven-safe vessel at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 hours.

2. Remove meat and pour pan drippings into a large jar or tall container to separate the fat from the broth. Once juices have separated remove the fat. Reserve broth and 1 tablespoon fat, discarding the rest.
3. Shred beef and return to cooking vessel or cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Add reserved fat to a skillet over medium heat with half the butter, scallion whites, garlic and diced onion to make pepperoncini pan sauce. Cook until fragrant, about a two minutes, then whisk in flour and continue cooking for about a minute longer. Pour in reserved pepperoncini juice and slowly add just enough of the pan juices as needed to thicken, usually about 3 cups. Simmer to test thickness and additional juices as necessary to thin.
5. Toss shredded beef with 1/4 cup pan sauce. Garnish with scallion greens and pepperoncini peppers and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Serve with

Serve Pepperoncini Pot Roast over polenta, potatoes, biscuits, pasta, rice or roasted veggies with a side salad or dressed micro greens. Turn leftovers into French dip or hot beef sandwiches a’la The Pioneer Woman. Or into shredded beef tacos and pizza.

Make it your own

• For extra flavor sear meat to brown before seasoning.
• Make pepperoncini pulled pork by substituting an inexpensive pork roast, like pork shoulder or boston butt. Or reduce cooking time and use chicken thighs or breasts.
• Make it gluten free by skipping the pan sauce or substituting cornstarch for the flour.
• Prefer to use the packaged stuff? Go ahead and get your Mississippi pot roast on by making as directed with a jar of pepperoncini peppers, a packet of au jus or onion soup mix, and powdered ranch or Italian dressing.

Enjoy!

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