Old-Fashioned Roast with a Mississippi Kick

A dairy-free, gluten-free, garden-inspired twist on two beloved classics

There’s something comforting about a slow-roasted pot roast—especially the kind Grandma used to make. You know the one: fork-tender beef, rich gravy, hearty potatoes, and sweet carrots. But sometimes, you want a little kick. That’s where this recipe comes in.

Recently, I’ve been cooking my way through a week of 1950s-inspired meals—think classic Americana comfort food, but refined with whole, simple ingredients: fresh-milled flours, gluten-free grains, organic produce, quality meats, and dairy-free swaps, like olive oil for butter, that still feel rich and homey.

At the end of the week, I found myself staring down a basket of just-picked banana peppers from the garden, and inspiration struck. I decided to marry two roast traditions I love: the comforting, slow-simmered Old-Fashioned Pot Roast and the bold, tangy flavor of a Mississippi Pot Roast—but with ingredients that nourish the way we like to eat. Traditionally, Mississippi Roast is made with dairy products, including a whole stick of butter and ranch dressing. To modify it for this recipe, I swapped out butter with olive oil and relied on an oil and vinegar-based ranch dressing, made at home. 

Ingredients

For the Roast:

• 1 (2–3 lb) beef roast (chuck roast or rump roast is fine)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 whole onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 6–8 fresh banana peppers, diced (hot or mild, to taste)
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 packet Simply Organic Vegetarian Brown Gravy Mix (this one is labeled gluten-free)
• 1 cup water
• 1 lb creamer potatoes, quartered (to be added later)

For the Homemade Zesty Ranch Seasoning (makes extra):

• 2 tbsp dried dill
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

For the Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing:

• ¾ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup banana pepper juice (or white wine vinegar or lemon juice)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 4 tbsp ranch seasoning mix (from above)

Instructions

1. Sear the Roast:
2.  In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear the roast on all sides until browned (about 2–3 minutes per side). Transfer to a slow cooker.
3. Sauté the Vegetables:
4.  In the same skillet, add the diced onion and pressed garlic to the meat drippings. Sauté until translucent and fragrant. Add the diced banana peppers and sliced carrots. Sauté 3–5 more minutes. Pour this mixture over the roast in the slow cooker.
5. Make the Zesty Dressing:
6.  In a mason jar or blender, combine olive oil, banana pepper juice (or your preferred acidic element), Dijon mustard, honey, and 4 tablespoons of ranch seasoning. Shake or blend to emulsify. I love my Emulsifier; you can get it on Amazon! This makes an excellent salad dressing! 
7. Assemble in the Slow Cooker:
8.  Pour the zesty ranch dressing over the roast and veggies. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown gravy mix with 1 cup of water, then pour that over everything in the slow cooker.
9. Cook Low and Slow:
10.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.
11. Add Potatoes:
12.  During the last 1–2 hours of cooking, toss in the quartered creamer potatoes. Cover and finish cooking until everything is fork-tender and flavorful, at least 8 hours. You can set the crock pot to high for the last hour for a quicker cooking finish time. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm. Pairs well with a side salad or green beans sautéed in garlic and olive oil, accompanied by dinner rolls. This roast is everything I love: rich, tender, and just the right amount of spicy tang. It tastes like Sunday dinner at Grandma’s—with a garden-fresh twist and no compromise on your health goals. 

Tips: Chuck or rump roast works well. I even use beef tips in meals like this. This recipe isn’t very spicy, but it has a nice, tangy flavor with a hint of spiciness. If you want to spice it up, you can add nine peppers. The spice level will also depend on the banana peppers you use. Most commercially available ones aren’t very spicy. I used hot banana peppers from my garden in this recipe. Instead of carrots, parsnips would also be great. Any root vegetables, such as beets or parsnips, can be used in place of potatoes or carrots to balance this meal out nicely.