If you tell me I’m going to have beef for dinner, I’m a happy girl. Whether hamburger or steak or roast, I love my red meat. When my husband, Bobby, told me he was going to make Mississippi Roast, I was like, “Go for it!” Since the first time he made it we have had it several times. Every time it is delicious, but even more so when we had it recently with beef from our Honeytown Meats box.
History of the Mississippi Roast
To give a little history about the Mississippi Roast, it has been an internet phenomenon since 2011. It has been pinned on Pinterest over 1 million times, and there are thousands of versions available.
The original recipe came from Robin Chapman, but it became the sensation it is through her life long friend, Karen Farese.
Robin got the recipe from her aunt, but modified it for her kids, making it less spicy than the recipe she had received from her aunt in the 1990s. Karen had eaten the roast (which was Robin’s name for it) at her friend’s house. She liked it and had the recipe added to her church’s (Beech Hill Church of Christ) cookbook. She simply called it “Roast Beef.”
At some point It was discovered by a blogger and then another and then a “pinner” on Pinterest. It took on a life of its own and eventually became known as “Mississippi Roast” (where Robin is from) and the rest is history. Even the New York Times has called it “the roast that owns the internet.” Robin and Karen were even featured on a segment of Good Morning America in 2016.
The basics of the Mississippi Roast
Bobby is our main cook in the house (yes, I’m blessed to have a husband who cooks), so I have reaped the rewards of his making this roast several times. At first all I knew is that it took a stick of butter, a package of dry ranch dressing and a package of au jus gravy mix (also dry). I guess the original recipe from the internet calls for pepperoncini peppers, but Bobby hasn’t ever added them. I like some things spicy, but not that much.
When Bobby first started making this roast, he would purchase a packet of au jus gravy. However, he has since just started adding dry beef base in its place. This hasn’t affected the flavor of the roast, and we can almost always be certain we have the ingredients on hand to make the roast. It has almost become a staple to pick up packets of ranch dressing.
Which roasts are best to use for the Mississippi Roast
Bobby has used different cuts of meat to make this roast. He has used boneless chuck roast, shoulder roast, English roast, top round roast and bottom round roast. The cut he used that came in our Honeytown Meats box was a chuck blade roast that had the bone still attached.
We have liked all the roasts we have used. The chuck has more fat than the other cuts, which adds more flavor. We like using chuck and English roasts the best. The top round and bottom round roasts are much leaner cuts of beef, and without the fat, the texture is different.
We cook our Mississippi Roast in an electric pressure cooker
While the recipe online calls for the roast to be cooked in a slow cooker for several hours, Bobby has fallen in love with his electric pressure cooker. (It’s like an InstaPot, but not that brand.) When he has cooked roasts where the meat has been thawed, he says it takes about 2 hours.
However, the Honeytown Meats chuck blade roast was still frozen, and Bobby wanted to try cooking a Mississippi Roast from a frozen cut of beef. After 2 hours, the roast was not ready, so he cooked it for another 40 minutes.
When using a frozen roast, add a little water
Typically Bobby will sear the roast before putting it in the pressure cooker, but because the chuck blade roast was frozen, he didn’t. He wanted to go from frozen to cooked to see how it might affect the cooking. There initially was an issue with building up enough pressure. This was most likely caused by not enough liquid to build up steam. Bobby added about ¼ cup of water and that was enough to get the pressure cooker to do its thing.
How did the Honeytown Meats roast fare against other grocery store roasts?
Every time we have had this roast it always comes out very flavorful and moist. The Honeytown Meats roast was no exception. We noticed there was an even richer depth of flavor. The texture of the meat had a nice chew, but it was still very tender. We believe having the bone in the roast added to the flavor and, of course, the quality of the beef itself.
We enjoyed the roast with Bob Evans original mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables. The juice from the roast made a very nice sauce for the potatoes, not exactly a gravy but more of a buttery au jus.
Try a Mississippi Roast for yourself; it’s easy
What is really great about the Mississippi Roast is that it is so simple. I could even do it … if I had to! All you need is a roast, a packet of ranch dressing, a couple tablespoons of beef base (or au jus gravy mix) and a stick of butter.
If you want to add a little zing to it, you can add pepperoncini peppers to taste (between 2-10) with a little of their juice.
You can sear the meat or not. You just put the roast in the cooker (pressure or slow), the ranch and beef base on it, then the stick of butter on top of everything and turn it on.
In a couple of hours, if you use the pressure cooker or by the time you are home from work, if you use the slow cooker, you will have a wonderful, flavorful roast for dinner.
Other uses for a Mississippi Roast
After you have cooked your Mississippi Roast, you have a lot of options. The first is to plate and serve it like a Sunday dinner, no matter which day you partake.
However, once you have eaten enough of the roast and there is some beef left, you have some options.
Bobby loves to serve the tender roast on rolls for sandwiches. He dips the sandwiches into a cup of the au jus, just like a French Dip or Italian Roast Beef sandwich.
We have also used the leftover roast to make a beef barley or beef vegetable soup.
If you are feeling adventurous, try making soft tacos or burritos with the leftover roast.
The only wrong way to do it, is not to do it at all!
Mississippi Roast recipe
Ingredients:
3-4 pound roast from Honeytown Meats
1 package of ranch dressing (dry)
2 tablespoons of beef base (can use dry beef au jus gravy packet)
¼ cup water if using beef base
1 stick of butter
Directions:
Place the roast in the pressure cooker (if not frozen, sear all sides of roast in the pressure cooker). Sprinkle the ranch dressing and beef base or au jus on the roast. (If using beef base add ¼ cup water). Put a stick of butter on top of roast. Cook for 2 hours or if frozen, 2 hours 40 minutes.
Where can you get Honeytown Meats roasts?
Honeytown Meats is a direct-to-consumer meat subscription service, and the only place to get Honeytown Meats roasts is when you order through its online store.
The cattle are raised on local, family farms in Wayne County, Ohio.
