Jeff's Mississippi Pot Roast

I attribute much of my love for cooking to my dad. He's always been the master of traditional meals, but he often puts his own spin on things, resulting in the most flavorful dishes. One perfect example is his take on Mississippi pot roast. Over the years, my passion for cooking has grown, and my dad and I often like to boss each other around in the kitchen. But I’ve learned that when it comes to this recipe, dad knows best!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 pounds of chuck roast

• 3 large carrots

• 1 Spanish or sweet onion

• 1 1/2 packs of dry ranch seasoning

• 1-2 cups beef stock

• 1 tbsp. flour

• 10-12 pepperoncini

• 1/2 cup pepperoncini liquid

• 1 cup of red wine

• 2 sprigs of rosemary

• 1 bay leaf

• 4 large russet potatoes

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 3 tbsp. butter

• 1 tbsp. cooking oil (oil of choice)

• Salt (to taste)

• Pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

• Prep: Cut the chuck roast in 4-5 large chunks and season with salt and pepper. Cut the carrots into large chunks and dice the onion.

• Start your instant pot on a 10-minute sauté mode. Heat your cooking oil and place your seasoned chuck roast in the pot. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to develop a nice crust, then turn each piece to brown the other side. Remove to a plate.

• Restart the 10-minute sauté mode on the instant pot if needed. Add your carrots and onions to the pot with 2 tbsp. butter. Stir frequently and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove to a bowl and dust with 1 tbsp flour.

• Deglaze the pot with 1 cup of red wine, making sure to scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon.

• Add the chuck roast and vegetables back into the pot along with your ranch mix, 2 cups of beef stock, pepperoncini and pepperoncini juice. Give everything a good stir. Add your rosemary sprigs and bay leaf to the pot.

• Slow cook everything on high for 4 hours. Your beef should reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

• During the last hour of the cook, prepare some mashed potatoes. Peel and cube the russet potatoes and boil them until they are fork tender. Add 1 tbsp. butter, 1/4 cup of heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Remove the roast and vegetables with a slotted spoon or strainer, leaving the cooking liquid behind. Discard the herbs and pepperoncini stems. Switch the instant pot back to sauté mode and reduce the cooking liquid into a gravy (add a flour slurry if needed to thicken).

• Serve this delicious pot roast on a bed of your mashed potatoes, ensuring everyone gets a few carrots and pepperoncini. ENJOY!

Here's what we listened to:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ZX34DN3gdDz29hfcBRaPC?si=Dkck609HT76SOkh5rk_kHQ