RoastAmerican

Mississippi chuck roast

The pot-roast pin that ate the internet: pepperoncini, a stick of butter, and a chuck that falls apart without a packet of mystery gravy.

Made it?

4 hr · 20 min hands-on · pull 203°F · rest 15 min

Ingredients

3.5 lb on the fire · ~1.9 lb to the table · 4 plates at 8 oz

1
Salt and pepper the chuck. Sear hard in a Dutch oven, 3 minutes a side.
2
Add stock, peppers, brine, butter, and the herb mix. Cover.
3
325°F oven until a probe slides, 3–4 hours. The roast should shred, not slice.
4
Rest 15 minutes in the pot. Pull into the juices. Skim the worst of the fat if it bothers you.

Chuck roast → Bottom round or a small brisket flat. Chuck has the fat. Leaner cuts need more liquid and still will not shred the same.
Pepperoncini → Pickled jalapeños. Hotter, less tang. Keep the brine splash either way.

Smoker first
You want bark. Salt-and-pepper at 275°F to 165, then into the pot with the peppers and butter.
Slow cooker
You will be out. Sear, then low 8 hours. Same finish.
Sandwiches
Next day. Chill, slice or pull, crisp in a skillet with the leftover juices.

On the plate

With this dish, try making mashed potatoes.
Start when the roast has 30 minutes left, or while a steak rests. Russets, salted water, drain hard. Rice or mash. Butter first, then warm cream. Do not put them on the fire — they want a pot.
35 min
With this dish, try making petite roasted potatoes.
Same pan as a roast or chicken. Or a sheet next to chops. Halve, oil, salt, rosemary. 425°F cut-side down until the faces brown. Toss in the meat drippings at the end.
40 min
With this dish, try making rice and gravy.
While the meat rests — use that fond. Long-grain rice. Deglaze the meat pan, reduce, pour over.
25 min

Same cut

Roast, chili, barbacoa, enchiladas.