I may have mentioned it. To my amazement (and I am not a pot roast person, and not a packet person), I thought it was delicious. And oddly, it looks and tastes like pot roast, nothing else ... though just a very tasty one.

Check out the story and an alternate version.

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017937-mississippi-roast

PS from my prior post: Disclaimer: there are a few different versions. I had no au jus mix so I did what the NYT says to do instead of that mix (rub the beef with seasoned flour and sear it first). But, unlike the NYT version, I did not make my own ranch dressing, i used the dry packet. I also added carrots just because I have a lot of baby carrots left over from a crudite platter and I didn't want them to go bad.

I've made this several times until my husband said, "I like this recipe but I really miss just a plain pot roast with salt and lots of black pepper" (like his momma made). This is the recipe I got from the QVC cooking forum back in 2008

The Mississippi pot roast has two defining characteristics, that I think are important. One, it has a stick of butter (though I think i put in a bit less ... 6T or maybe 4T.

Second, the pickled peppers give a little relief because you get a bit of tang. (even tho they all but disappear and no one will identify that you added them).

I think those are key. I also personally would worry about the sodium in a 3-packet version ... the MS roast uses 2 packets, NY times, uses none, and I used one.

I decided to go against all good judgement and make it tonight, and I just felt like I should comment on it, as sort of a public service. ;-)

I considered it wholly inedible, but that's beside the point.

Between the two packets (au jus and ranch dressing), there is a total of 5,769 mg. of sodium in that greasy roast.

I'm still looking for something to cleanse my palate, after just two bites.

Yeah, maybe try the nytimes version .... which uses no packets so I am sure a fraction of the salt. My version had one packet, but I can see where 2 would be crazy and three I Can't fathom

But…what's wrong with regular ol' pot roast? I mean if you say it tastes just like pot roast, why add all that stuff?

Thanks for clarifying that, MtnRd, but I still don't really get the whole idea. If pot roast took many days of constant work, maybe.

I agree that it's too much seasoning/salt. I started cutting back on the amt of the seasoning I used. Haven't made it in a few years.

We've made it several times. Disclaimer that I am not a pot roast fan, nor any other overcooked meat. But I did like the Mississippi pot roast bc of the pepperoncini. That made it tolerable to me.

I make my stove top chuck roast with a packet of Au Jus and a couple cups of water, enough to cover. Also has a diced up onion. The meat is first seared with seasoned flour. It's delicious. I thicken the gravy after the meat is done, it takes about three hours to cook on the stove top. I've stopped using the crock pot for roast because it never turns out right, it's always dry. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I just gave up and make it either on the stove top or in the oven.

Oh this does not make any gravy at all ... it is more like a pulled beef (see photo). We really only have gravy on ThxG turkey. But this recipe also calls for coating it with seasoned flour and searing all sides.

And it is only 2t of salt for a 3-4 lb roast, as below

In any event, I think you would enjoy the recipe above. The butter does make it rich, so it is an indulgence. A big green salad and some roasted broccoli cut it nicely.

I do something similar in the crock pot that we use for sandwiches. I use Italian dressing so I call it Italian beef. A roast, a jar of pepperoncini (not too large), a bottle of beer, a package of Good Seasons Italian dressing mix and some water (if too much of the roast seems to be sticking out of the liquid). I shred it and serve it on crusty warm rolls with provolone.

Everyone I serve it to seems to like it. That being said, a warm roll with good cheese makes everything taste better.

Yesterday I bought two large chuck roasts for the crockpot and I keep it simple. Chuck roast IMO, has so much flavor without adding anything to it. I either use a little bit of water, salt, and pepper, cook on high for 5 hours.

Or, I add a pkt. of dry onion soup mix with a little bit of water.

I'm still using the original crockpot I received when I got married in 1974! I've bought others and gave them away. I wish they made the new cp's like the original.

The reason I bought 2 large roasts is because we'll have the typical roast beef comfort meal, then use the leftovers for roast beef sandwiches. Many times I cook a roast just for sandwiches.

DH got me hooked on putting pickle relish on my sandwich, along with mayo, salt, and pepper. That is THE best stuff!

Ark. girl, when I take the roast out of the cp, I let it sit for a bit, cut it up, then spoon small amounts of the juice over all. Just enough to make it moist.

Oakley, I can't help but think that the issue is my crock pot, I have 2 sizes and they are both new ones. I couldn't cook a roast for 5 hours on high...that would be way too long and would be tough as boot hide even using a chuck roast. It would be falling apart, but the meat is dry and hard to chew up. They cook really hot on high...anything cooked is boiling on high. I probably just need to get the times down right but haven't yet done that.

The "new" crock pots may be safer, (I have never got sick on the original ones), but they don't cook the same. My new one I only use on high and only for about 4 hours. After that I just go to warm to hold. I have found that I just like to be home and use the stove top. Brown in a dutch oven and add water or broth and cook. Probably about 3 hours. Then I add the vegetables and cook for a hour. If I need more time to supper, I just put on low and keep warm. The new ones are not as good and I for sure don't like the electronic ones. I would not have bought a new one, but my almost original one died (my original you couldn't remove the crock). I need to hit the estate sales and pick up some real Crock Pots! The new one even has a weird lid that gets water in the handle, so you can't soak it. Why? there was a perfectly good glass lid, that worked!

I've made that Italian beef in the crock pot for sandwiches too, and people liked it. I think the bread provides some relief from the acidity.

Made it once, didn't like it.

There are many seasoning additives that are essentially MSG- ranch seasoning for one- and tasty, but they are really big time, unhealthy.

Umami is the flavor that is wanted by using msg and it can be found naturally in a variety of foods which will add the same flavor bomb without the negatives of msg.

It's a vile substance that should be avoided and not just because some people get headaches from it.

It's hard to not eat in restaurants but if you are cooking at home, you can.

Pot roast is pretty good and not all that horrible for you if you stick to natural ingredients and don't throw in envelopes of processed stuff. Also, they come out much better when you do them on the stovetop or in the oven, as the flavor concentrates better and the gravy does not get all watered down. And as for that Mississippi roast recipe, throwing all that butter in with an already-fatty cut of meat is very unappealing to me.

I'm with the ones wondering why you would go to so much work to imitate something so simple. I cook my chuck roasts in a newer crockpot on low for 8 hours with nothing but 1/2 cup of water. It is very moist and doesn't even need salt and pepper. If you have good beef, you shouldn't need anything else. I, too, love the leftovers both for sandwiches and I like to reheat the chopped up beef, sliced leftover potatoes, carrots and a bit of gravy or au jus for an easy dinner when I don't want to cook.

I make it once in awhile but I never add the stick of butter (its not needed) and I double the amount of pepperocini (it does not make it spicy). I also add some of the vinegar from the jar. I also add vegetables about 2 hours before the end, usually carrots, potatoes, celery and onion. I use one packet of brown gravy and one of ranch.

I dont know the original recipe, but the NYT recipe is 4 T butter (ie half a stick) for a 3-4lb roast.

For those with newer cookers, I have Cuisinart one and I always check, but most of the time it takes half the time that recipes indicate.

Same here. My slow cooker is a Breville one, most things cook in about half the time.