Mississippi Roast
Serves: 6 to 8
Hands On Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours and 45 minutes
Ingredients
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 (3-pound) chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (1.9-ounce) packet onion soup mix
1 cup red wine
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) jar pepperoncini peppers, with their liquid
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
Water, as needed
Instructions
Heat the oven to 275 degrees. Use kitchen twine to tie together the bay leaves, rosemary and thyme.
Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat. While the pot is heating, liberally season the roast with salt and pepper.
Add the oil to the hot pot, then add the roast. Sear on all sides until meat is completely browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and reduce the heat to medium.
Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, onion soup mix and the bundled herbs, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the beef broth and red wine and bring to a rapid simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the roast to the pot along with the potatoes, carrots and pepperoncini peppers. Add enough of the beef broth so that is comes three-quarters of the way up the sides of the roast; add water if needed.
Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise in the oven until the roast is completely tender, about 8 hours. Thicken the sauce, if desired (see note). Serve the roast with the vegetables and pot juices.
About the recipe
Gaining a resurgence in popularity thanks to Pinterest, bloggers and a recent New York Times article, recipes for Mississippi roast have evolved over the years. Some versions call for packaged au jus, ranch seasoning and pepperoncini peppers, while others favor onion soup mix and root vegetables to help build flavor. Our version combines elements from both, plus traditional braising techniques, to produce a tender pot roast with a great depth of flavor.
If you prefer pot juices with more of a gravy-like consistency rather than a thinner soup consistency, strain the liquid into a separate pot and bring to a simmer. Make a slurry out of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water and add it to the simmering liquid. Once the sauce has thickened, pour it back on top of the roast and vegetables.