Description
A ridiculously easy, 5-ingredient slow cooker recipe that produces tender, fall-apart chuck roast with a tangy, savory, and slightly spicy flavor profile. Perfect for busy weeknights and meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 pounds chuck roast
- 1 packet (1 oz / 28g) dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 packet (1 oz / 28g) dry au jus gravy mix
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 1 jar (8-10 peppers) pepperoncini peppers
- 1/4 cup pepperoncini brine
- Optional: 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
- Optional: 2-3 large carrots, chopped
- Optional: 1 large onion, sliced
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the chuck roast if desired, but leave some for flavor. Pat the roast dry with paper towels.
- Place the roast in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Sprinkle the dry ranch dressing mix evenly over the top of the roast.
- Sprinkle the dry au jus gravy mix evenly over the roast.
- Place pats of butter on top of the roast.
- Arrange pepperoncini peppers around and on top of the meat.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the pepperoncini brine over everything.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (or HIGH for 4-6 hours, though LOW yields better tenderness).
- If adding potatoes, add them during the last 2 hours of cooking.
- Once the meat is fork-tender, remove it from the slow cooker.
- Shred the meat using two forks.
- Discard or chop the pepperoncini peppers as desired.
- Pour some of the juices from the slow cooker over the shredded meat.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread.
Notes
Do not skip the butter as it creates a rich, glossy sauce. Use real pepperoncini for authentic flavor. The dish freezes well if peppers are removed before freezing. For a complete meal, add baby potatoes and carrots. If using an Instant Pot, sear meat first, then cook on high pressure for 60 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/6 of
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 35
Keywords: slow cooker, pot roast, chuck roast, easy dinner, 5 ingredient recipe, comfort food, meal prep, beef recipes