Weekend Winner: Just 4 ingredients. I make it when I need something incredibly tender that practically cooks itself while I am out.

This 4-ingredient slow cooker Mississippi pot roast is my weekend workhorse: it goes into the crock in minutes, then quietly transforms into something incredibly tender while you’re out living your life. Mississippi pot roast is a relatively modern Midwestern–Southern hybrid that took off in home kitchens in the 1990s and 2000s, known for its use of ranch seasoning, au jus, butter, and pepperoncini to create a deeply savory, tangy, almost self-basting roast. Using a well-marbled beef chuck roast ensures that by the time you lift the lid, the meat is falling apart in long, juicy strands, bathed in a glossy, buttery golden sauce.

Serve this pot roast piled over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or steamed white rice so all that rich, tangy sauce has something to soak into. I like a simple green side—roasted green beans, a crisp salad with a bright vinaigrette, or sautéed broccoli rabe—to cut through the richness. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are perfect for mopping up the juices, and if you enjoy wine, a medium-bodied red like a Merlot or Côtes du Rhône stands up nicely to the beefy, peppery flavors.

Servings: 6

3 to 4 lb beef chuck roast, raw

Place the raw beef chuck roast in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, trimming only any very large, hard pieces of exterior fat but leaving most of the marbling intact for tenderness and flavor.

Sprinkle the dry ranch seasoning mix evenly over the top of the roast, then sprinkle the dry au jus gravy mix over the ranch so the surface of the meat is well coated.

Place the stick of butter directly on top of the seasoned roast. Scatter the whole pepperoncini peppers around and on top of the meat, and if you like a bit more tang and moisture, drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pepperoncini brine over everything.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, without lifting the lid during the first several hours so the heat and steam stay trapped. The roast is done when it easily pulls apart with a fork and the fat has rendered into a rich, glistening sauce.

Once the roast is fall-apart tender, use two forks to shred the meat directly in the slow cooker, pulling it into long, fibrous strands and mixing it gently with the buttery, golden cooking juices and softened pepperoncini. Taste and adjust with a bit more pepperoncini brine or a pinch of salt if needed.

Switch the slow cooker to WARM, cover, and let the shredded beef sit in the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes so it can soak up even more flavor before serving. Skim excess surface fat if you prefer a lighter sauce, then serve the roast and plenty of its juices over your favorite side.

For a slightly lighter version, you can reduce the butter to 4 tbsp; you’ll still get a luscious sauce, just a bit less rich. If you prefer a touch of heat, add a few sliced pepperoncini or a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the whole peppers. To lean more into classic pot roast territory, tuck in a few chunks of carrot and halved baby potatoes around the roast before cooking, understanding that this moves it away from the pure 4-ingredient concept but turns it into a one-pot meal. Leftovers reheat beautifully; store cooled meat and juices together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. For food safety, start with a fully thawed roast (never frozen solid going into the slow cooker), keep the lid on as much as possible so the cooker maintains a safe temperature, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. When reheating, bring the meat and sauce to a visible simmer or at least 165°F to ensure it’s thoroughly heated through.