So there’s this factor referred to as a “Mississippi Pot Roast.” I’ve seen it pop up on my social media over the past a number of years and I’ve seen different individuals touch upon it and provide their ideas on-line after getting ready and consuming it.
Mississippi Pot Roast turned a viral web sensation after a lady in north Mississippi, Robin Chapman, tweaked a roast recipe her grandmother used to make by including dry Ranch dressing combine, dry au jus combine and— of all issues— some pepperoncinis. It was revealed in a church league cookbook after which on a weblog, after which on one other weblog. After that it took on a lifetime of its personal on the World Large Internet and has grown right into a factor of legend.
A number of the Web analysis I did referred to the recipe as “Mississippi Roast;” others referred to as it “Mississippi Pot Roast.” They had been the identical recipe, however I’m proudly from Mississippi, and I dearly love my house state. I not solely needed to study extra about this phenomenon (granted a decade too late), however I additionally needed to make use of the right identify. I Googled “Mississippi Roast” and obtained 91,200 hits in 0.65 seconds. Well-liked. A fast seek for “Mississippi Pot Roast” yielded 167,000 hits in 0.58 seconds. Extremely popular. So, for the needs of this column, I’ll seek advice from the recipe as Mississippi Pot Roast, despite the fact that Chapman, the creator of the recipe, seems to have simply referred to as it “roast.”
Everybody from the New York Occasions to the oldsters at Backyard & Gun have opined on the recipe. Mississippi Pot Roast has an enthusiastic and dependable legion of followers.
I used to be skeptical at first. The recipe included store-bought dry Ranch dressing combine, dry au jus combine and pepperoncinis. Not essentially legit to some people. I make a rattling good pot roast, myself. I, too, am from Mississippi. I assumed it is likely to be time to make this Mississippi Pot Roast and evaluate it to my pot roast recipe— definitely what can be thought-about a Mississippi pot roast recipe additionally. So I bought two roasts and the comparability course of was underway.
My recipe requires a shoulder roast and the Mississippi Pot Roast recipe requires a chuck roast. This created a dilemma proper off the bat. When evaluating recipes, one at all times desires to check apples to apples to achieve essentially the most correct outcome. A shoulder roast is leaner and lends itself to slicing. A chuck roast has extra fats and is best for shredding. I went with the shoulder roast on each.
The factor in regards to the Mississippi Pot Roast recipe is that it’s easy. Severely easy— 5 substances dumped right into a crock pot. It doesn’t get any simpler. Put the roast within the crock pot, sprinkle the 2 dry mixes excessive, add butter and pepperoncini, shut the lid and are available again in eight hours.
My pot roast— heretofore for the needs of this column will likely be referred to overtly within the third particular person as RSJ’s Mississippi Pot Roast— is a way more difficult course of. It’s seasoned and seared on all sides in a skillet earlier than being positioned in a roasting pan. Then a peanut butter-colored roux is made in the identical skillet, to which onions and thyme are added. After a couple of minutes, sizzling beef broth, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper are added to the roux combination, which is then poured over the roast within the pan, lined, and baked for 2 hours.
Whereas the unique Mississippi Pot Roast is cooking within the crock pot, undisturbed, the RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast will get onions and carrots added on the two-hour mark, and potatoes on the three-hour mark. It’s performed after 4 hours (although I went just a little longer as a result of the roast was just a little bigger).
I introduced collectively a panel of skilled style testers to check the 2 dishes, side-by-side— my spouse, my mother-in-law, and my Italian goddaughter from Tuscany who’s taking a niche yr after highschool and staying with us over right here for a couple of months (she additionally helped make the mashed potatoes).
Listed below are the outcomes:
Ease of Preparation
The Mississippi Pot Roast wins this class fingers down. As acknowledged earlier, it was 5 substances thrown right into a crock pot and left alone for eight hours. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.
The RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast took just a little prep work and there’s a roux preparation concerned (nothing onerous, simply flour and fats cooked low and gradual, however some are intimidated by rouxs). There are additionally two additions at sure factors of the cooking course of— the addition of carrots and onions after which the addition of potatoes.
The mashed potatoes we made weren’t wanted because the roast had the everyday accompanying greens and was a real one-pot dish.
Winner: Mississippi Pot Roast
Diploma of Innovation
There may be not a lot innovation concerned within the RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast. It’s a reasonably straight tackle a traditional recipe. Nonetheless, Mrs. Chapman’s Mississippi Pot Roast is one thing I’ve by no means heard of, and even considered— ranch dressing, butter, and pepperoncinis.
Winner: Mississippi Pot Roast
Legitimacy
Most of my chef associates would scoff at any recipe that might use a powdered dressing combine within the preparation of a roast. I perceive that Mrs. Chapman’s grandmother made a roast with Italian dressing (which I’ve heard of) and she or he needed to tweak that recipe. Who am I to argue with 10 years of web viral sharing? Nonetheless…
Winner: RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast
Eye Enchantment
There was a tie among the many judges right here. The Mississippi Pot Roast was darker and had a pleasant crust on it, and my spouse and mother-in-law thought it regarded finest (traitors). I in all probability left the foil tent on too lengthy on the RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast and it had a lighter end.
Tie
Tenderness
The RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast was simpler to slice since I used a shoulder roast. The chuck roast used on the Mississippi Pot Roast yielded a drier product. Although it was simpler to shred.
Winner: RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast
Positives of Every
It’s onerous to beat 5 substances thrown in a crock pot earlier than work, permitting one to return house to a completed dish. However I feel the favourite a part of my RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast is the gravy it makes. Severely, as soon as the roast is completed, all one should do is take away the roast and greens after which pressure the pan juices by a colander and the ensuing gravy wants nothing. It’s excellent in its style, shade, and viscosity. I like gravy. That’s a giant constructive in my guide. Additionally, the carrots and potatoes are completely cooked and seasoned nicely. The RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast is a full meal.
Winner: RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast
Negatives of Every
The RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast is barely time consuming. And, whereas the procedures aren’t difficult, it’s definitely extra concerned than the opposite Mississippi Pot Roast, and you’re going to get a few extra pans soiled.
I assumed the pepperoncini addition added a slight off-flavor to the pan juices, and it didn’t maintain up compared to the gravy. The juices additionally got here off just a little salty tasting.
Tie
Style
When it comes all the way down to it, that is the primary standards for any dish for me. And with all due respect to Robin Chapman and the tons of of 1000’s who’ve ready her viral phenomenon, I favor my RSJ Mississippi Pot Roast. Although the opposite three judges had been very non-committal. I couldn’t inform in the event that they had been making an attempt to spare my emotions or in the event that they significantly couldn’t resolve which one tasted higher.
Tie
For the file, a Google seek for “RSJ Pot Roast” yielded solely 5 leads to 0.42 seconds. I’ve obtained some work to do if I’m going to unfold the phrase about my model.
Onward.
Hattiesburg native Robert St. John is a restaurateur, chef and creator. He has written a syndicated weekly newspaper column for greater than 20 years.
RSJ’s Mississippi Pot Roast
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 ½ -3 lb beef shoulder roast
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
• ¼ cup bacon grease (or canola oil)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup flour
• 2 cups onion, diced + 1 giant onion lower into wedges
• 3 cups beef broth, sizzling
• 2 giant Idaho potatoes, peeled and lower into quarters
• 3 carrots, peeled and lower into quarters
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 275 levels.
2. Season the meat with Kosher salt, pepper and steak seasoning. In a big heavy-duty skillet, warmth the bacon grease over excessive warmth. Brown roast on all sides and place in a roasting pan.
3. Decrease warmth on the skillet and add olive oil and flour to make a peanut butter-colored roux. Add diced onions and thyme and proceed to prepare dinner for 4 to 5 minutes. Add sizzling beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and stir till easy. Pour liquid into roasting pan with the pot roast.
4. Cowl with foil and place in oven. Prepare dinner 90 minutes. Take away foil and add carrots and onions. Return to oven and prepare dinner uncovered for 45 minutes. Take away, add potatoes and prepare dinner for yet another hour.
