Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 0

Cook Time: 1 8

Total Time: 1 8

Servings: people

Calories: 522kcal

Author: Quynh Nguyen

This easy Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast has tender chuck roast cooked with ranch seasoning, au jus, pepperoncini, onions, and butter in a savory, tangy sauce. Cook the roast whole or cut it into chunks for a faster dinner.

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Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

3-4 pounds well-marbled chuck roast beef
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion diced
1 cup beef broth
1 (1 oz) packet of Ranch seasoning mix (approximately 1 ½ tablespoons)
1 (1 oz) packet of au jus gravy mix (approximately 1 ½ tablespoons)
5-6 pepperoncini peppers
¼ cup pepperoncini juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

To Thicken

1 tablespoon cornstarch (and 1 tablespoon water)

Instructions

Prepare the beef. Pat the 3-4 pounds well-marbled chuck roast beef dry. Leave it whole or, for the faster method, cut it into 1½ to 2-inch chunks. Generously season all sides with 1 teaspoon ground pepper.
Sear the beef. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sear the beef until well browned. If using chunks, work in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding the pot. Transfer the beef to a plate.
Sauté the onion. Add 1 large yellow onion (diced) and cook briefly until it begins to soften.
Deglaze the pot. Pour in 1 cup beef broth and scrape the bottom thoroughly to loosen all of the browned bits.
Add the remaining ingredients. Return the beef to the Instant Pot. Add 1 (1 oz) packet of Ranch seasoning mix, 1 (1 oz) packet of au jus gravy mix, 5-6 pepperoncini peppers, ¼ cup pepperoncini juice, and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter.
Pressure cook on High Pressure:
3-pound whole roast: 60 minutes
4-pound whole roast: 70 minutes
5-pound whole roast: 80 minutes
1½ to 2-inch chunks: 30 minutes
Natural release. When the cooking time is finished, allow the pressure to release completely naturally, preferably about 20 to 30 minutes. If you're short on time, wait at least 10 to 15 minutes before carefully releasing the remaining pressure.
Check the beef. The roast should be very tender and pull apart easily with a fork. If it's still firm or difficult to shred, pressure cook it a little longer.
Add vegetables, if using. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Allow a full natural release if possible, or wait at least 10 to 15 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure.
Thicken the gravy, if desired. Transfer the beef and vegetables to a serving dish. Skim excess fat if desired. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté, stir in the cornstarch slurry, and simmer until the cooking liquid thickens to your liking.
Shred or cut the beef and serve with the sauce or gravy.

Notes

Au jus substitute: I've tested this recipe with brown gravy mix and onion soup mix when au jus wasn't available. Both work well, although the finished flavor is slightly different.

Pepperoncini: Five or six is a good starting point. Add more if you prefer a stronger tangy flavor.

Searing: You can skip it if you're short on time, but I recommend it. I've tested seared and unseared beef side by side and prefer the deeper flavor and texture of the seared roast.

Butter: I originally made this recipe with 8 tablespoons of butter. After feedback from readers, I tested it with 4 tablespoons and found the extra butter wasn't necessary. Chuck roast already contains plenty of fat.

Faster method: Cut the chuck roast into 1½ to 2-inch chunks and pressure cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes.

Vegetables: Add baby potatoes, 1-inch carrots, and mushrooms only after the beef has finished its initial pressure cook. Pressure cook the vegetables for 5 minutes.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers with some cooking liquid in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Freezing: The cooked pot roast freezes well. Freeze it with some of the cooking liquid to help keep the beef moist.

Reheating: Reheat leftovers to 165°F.

Nutrition