Cajun-Style Mississippi Pot Roast (Dutch Oven)

Mississippi Pot Roast is a go-to comfort food. It’s flavorful and is so easy to make. But, if you’ve ever made it and found it a little too salty, too greasy, or felt like something was missing.

That’s exactly why I put my spin on it with a Cajun twist.

I make my version in my Dutch oven (my favorite for slow braises), and let me tell you it always comes out perfectly. The beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender, the sauce is savory with just a little kick, and I make it without using flavor packets. I use my homemade Cajun seasoning for that smoky flavor and develop the base with the holy trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery).

You can serve it over a bed of fluffy white rice, my garlicky mashed potatoes, or slices of toasted garlic bread which I sometimes do- it's perfect for soaking up every drop of that sauce.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s what you’ll need to make my Cajun-style Mississippi Pot Roast. It's not too spicy, so kids can enjoy it too, and the best part... it's made with lots of sauce.

• Homemade Cajun Seasoning: I use my homemade Cajun seasoning blend to add smokiness, or you can use your favorite store-bought brand.
• The holy trinity: A classic base in Cajun cooking: onion, bell pepper, and celery. It adds flavor and richness to the sauce.
• Pepperoncini Peppers: These add that signature tangy kick. I use whole peppers instead of slices.
• Better Than Bouillon: Instead of using ranch or au jus packets, I build the flavor from scratch with the roasted beef base flavor, Cajun seasoning, and other seasonings for a homemade taste.

See recipe card for quantities.

Cree's Tips Before You Start

1. A well-marbled chuck roast is ideal for slow cooking. It stays juicy and flavorful. Avoid leaner cuts because they can turn out dry.
2. Browning the roast before braising adds so much flavor. It only takes a few extra minutes and is so worth it.
3. Whole pepperoncini peppers give you that signature tanginess without making the sauce too vinegary. You can add a tablespoon or 2 of the brine, for a little extra kick.
4. Instead of using ranch dressing mix, I season with the actual dried herbs and spices that are typically found in ranch (like dill, parsley, chives, garlic, and onion powder). This way, you skip the powdered milk base found in most store-bought packets, which makes this version dairy-free.
5. If you're using a Cajun seasoning that already includes salt, hold off on adding extra until after the roast has finished cooking and you’ve tasted the sauce.
6. Use a Dutch oven for deeper flavor. Plus, it goes from stovetop to oven in one pot.
7. If you want a thicker sauce, you can thicken it by creating a slurry with equal parts cornstarch and water (whisk together) then stir into the sauce. I'd start with 1 tablespoon of each first.
8. Bonus Tip: This roast tastes even better the next day. Use leftovers in sliders or over grits. Don't forget to store any extra sauce- it’s perfect for spooning over rice or mashed potatoes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's how to make Mississippi Pot Roast that’s tender, full of flavor, and made without any seasoning packets.

• Coat the chuck roast with Cajun seasoning and sear it in a hot Dutch oven until browned.

• Once the roast is seared, remove it from the pot and sauté the onion, bell pepper, and celery.

• Return the seared chuck roast to the pot.

• Stir in the Better Than Bouillon mixture, ensuring it’s evenly distributed to create a flavorful base for the sauce.

• Sprinkle in additional seasoning, then add the pepperoncini peppers

• Cover the pot with the lid and let it braise in the oven until the roast is tender.

• Remove the tender meat from the pot, strain the grease from the sauce, then return the meat to the pot to soak up the flavorful sauce.

Storage and Reheat

Store any leftover meat and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat, simply warm the meat and sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through.

📖 Recipe

Cajun-Style Mississippi Pot Roast (Dutch Oven)

By Cree

Cajun-Style Mississippi Pot Roast (Dutch Oven)

I make my version in my Dutch oven (my favorite for slow braises), and let me tell you it always comes out perfectly. The beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender, the sauce is savory with just a little kick, and I make it without using flavor packets.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Calories: 964kcal

Cajun-Style Mississippi Pot Roast (Dutch Oven)

Equipment

• ▢
  Dutch Oven
• ▢
  Chef's knife or vegetable chopper for dicing the holy trinity
• ▢
  measuring cup
• ▢
  Measuring spoons

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Season the Chuck Roast

• ▢ 4 lb chuck roast
• ▢ 2-½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• ▢ ½ tablespoon kosher salt (plus 2 teaspoons)
• ▢ 3 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or avocado oil)

Base for the Sauce

• ▢ 8 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon (roasted beef base - reduced sodium)
• ▢ 8 cups water
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper (small size - diced)
• ▢ 1 onion (small size - diced)
• ▢ 2 stalks celery (diced)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ▢ ½ tablespoon onion flakes
• ▢ ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried chives
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon dried dill
• ▢ 3-6 whole pepperoncini peppers (medium heat)

Adjust Flavor at the End

• ▢ ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ tablespoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion flakes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried chives
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon dried dill

Instructions

• In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the 'Better Than Bouillon' and water and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Season the Chuck Roast

• Wash the chuck roast under cool water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Coat the chuck roast with Cajun seasoning and kosher salt. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then sear the roast on all sides until browned. Remove the roast from the pot and set it aside.

Base for the Sauce

• In the same pot, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and celery until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
• Place the seared chuck roast back into the pot. Add the Better Than Bouillon Mixture. Sprinkle in the onion flakes, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried dill, and dried chives, add the Worcestershire sauce, and whole pepperoncini peppers (be sure to remove the stem from the peppers).
• Cover the pot with the lid and place it in the oven. Let it braise for about 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the roast is fork-tender.
• Once the roast is tender, remove it from the pot and set it on a clean plate. Strain any excess grease from the sauce this is a MUST (I use the OXO Fat Separator).

Adjust Flavor at the End

• Sprinkle in more garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, onion flakes, dried chives, and dried dill to the sauce and stir. Then, return the meat to the pot, and spoon the sauce over the meat to soak up all the flavor.
• Serve over rice, garlic mashed potatoes, or toasted garlic bread to soak up all the delicious sauce.

Notes

1. A well-marbled chuck roast is ideal for slow cooking. It stays juicy and flavorful. Avoid leaner cuts because they can turn out dry.
2. Browning the roast before braising adds so much flavor. It only takes a few extra minutes and is so worth it.
3. Whole pepperoncini peppers give you that signature tanginess without making the sauce too vinegary. You can add a tablespoon or 2 of the brine, for a little extra kick.
4. Instead of using ranch dressing mix, I season with the actual dried herbs and spices that are typically found in ranch (like dill, parsley, chives, garlic, and onion powder). This way, you skip the powdered milk base found in most store-bought packets, which makes this version dairy-free.
5. If you're using a Cajun seasoning that already includes salt, hold off on adding extra until after the roast has finished cooking and you’ve tasted the sauce.
6. Use a Dutch oven for deeper flavor. Plus, it goes from stovetop to oven in one pot.
7. If you want a thicker sauce, you can thicken it by creating a slurry with equal parts cornstarch and water (whisk together) then stir into the sauce. I'd start with 1 tablespoon of each first.
8. Bonus Tip: This roast tastes even better the next day. Use leftovers in sliders or over grits. Don't forget to store any extra sauce- it’s perfect for spooning over rice or mashed potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 964kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 89g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 313mg | Sodium: 1942mg | Potassium: 1895mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3636IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 11mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.

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