Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos [Recipe]
This dish marries two staple American-Mexican recipes into one, and it’s perfect to feed a small village. This is one of the best combinations I’ve tried so far, as I always served the classic roast on the bed of mashed potatoes. This twist uplifts both meals to the top, making Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos real crowd-pleasers!
I love the texture of the meat here the most, as it’s incredibly tender and melts in the mouth. Spices give it a nice tang, and crisped taco has the missing crunch. The meat has a rather particular taste, and that comes from the additions that give the depth of the flavor — if you don’t believe me, go and try it out and see for yourself!
What Exactly Is Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos?
Mississippi roast is a slow-cooked beef in a crockpot or oven. The goal is to cook it long enough for it to become almost caramelly and spreadable, so you can pull it out with a fork. It’s a bit spicy because of pepperoncini peppers, as well; that’s why it pairs so impeccably with tacos.
My today’s eating team is not a fan of piquant food, so I used white bell peppers, which are mild and slightly sweet. Also, I added a bit of fresh onion in, as it infuses so much aroma into the chuck roast. When it comes to tacos, I like to crisp them up and dust them generously with cheddar for both taste and stretchy texture. But let’s move on to the recipe!
How to Make Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos?
The key ingredient for this dish is, of course, a quality cut of meat. Besides, the original recipe calls for a few fewer common ingredients like ranch dressing mix and au jus gravy mix, but I altered it to be handier. 🙂 Here is everything you need!
- Beef – Traditionally, you need a chuck roast, so I used that as it has a perfect ratio between lean and fatty cuts for this meal.
- Peppers – I opted for white bell peppers because of their neutral taste, but you can go for pepperoncini peppers for a spicy touch.
- Beef broth – If you can’t find au jus gravy mix, the regular beef broth will do the work, too. I always search for red wine-based stock because the flavor and color are much more similar to the original ingredient. You can make it at home, but for this recipe, I picked jelly beef stock cubes just for an intensive deep shade of burgundy.
- Spice mix – When using ranch dressing mix, don’t add any more spices at all. But here is the mix to use instead: salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill, and parsley. You can also add powdered buttermilk to the mix for a tangier aftertaste.
- Onions – I love the caramelly onion aroma, so I add fresh quarters between the meat cuts. They will turn to mash, whatsoever, but the flavor is divine. If you’re not using fresh onions, just add powdered ones to the spice mix, and you’re good.
- Butter – Butter is here to create silky-textured gravy, so don’t skip it. Still, if you have a fattier cut of meat, reduce the quantity so it’s not too greasy.
- Tortillas – I bought mini tortillas, perfect for making tacos. If you have regular tortillas only, just press them with a small pot lid to a desirable size.
- Cheese – I choose mild cheddar for this one, but you can go for any melty cheese you like.
Let’s make lunch together!
Step 1: Preparing the Meat
You can prepare the lunch in the crockpot or the oven, so prepare a suitable dish of your choice. I opted for an earthenware dish, as I find the food tastier when slow-cooked in them, which it’s probably a psychological thing. 🙂Prep time lasts a few minutes only, so let’s go!
Combine the next spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill, and parsley. You can add a tablespoon of powdered buttermilk, as well, but I didn’t. Rub the meat well, covering every side with spices, and place it into the dish.
Peel some onion, cut it into quarters, and arrange around the beef. I had two pieces of meat, so I placed the onion in between them – if you’re dealing with two cuts, as well, make sure to cover both of them properly. Dilute gelatinous red wine-based beef bouillon with a splash of boiling water and pour over the meat.
For au jus gravy mix users – skip everything except pouring. I like to add a half cup of water to the pot, too, just to make sure the meat will be succulent, and I get loads of gravy that way. Top it with white bell peppers or pepperoncini peppers and butter to taste.
Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil, and it’s ready for slow cooking.
Step 2: Slow Cooking
Bring your oven to 300 °F (150 °C) and place the dish in. If you’re using a crockpot, set it on low. It will need at least 5 hours of slow roasting, depending on how big your cut is. I had approximately 40 oz (1130 grams) of chuck roast, so I needed about 6 hours of cooking without opening the oven.
It is cooked well when it’s easy to pull apart and has nicely reduced gravy.
Step 3: Pulling Apart
Use thongs to remove freshly cooked meat from the pot and place it on a large tray. Now, take two forks and pull the beef apart into tiny pieces, as shown in the photo. It should fall apart easily, and that’s a sign it is prepared properly.
Extract some gravy to the bowl, and return the beef to the pot. Slightly stir it to submerge and leave it in the oven for additional 20 minutes for the flavors and saltines to combine and even.
Step 4: Preparing the Tortillas and Serving
Take that gravy you saved and use it as a dipping for tortillas by submerging them completely. Bring your non-sticking pan to medium heat and crisp up wet tortillas from both sides. Sprinkle them generously with grated mild cheddar cheese (or any other you’re using) and let it melt a bit.
Top it with the pulled-apart beef and fold it into a taco. Moreover, serve it with roasted paprika for additional taste. When it comes to wine, this dish goes wonderfully with Syrah and Cabernet Franc, so cheers!
How to Store Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos?
I would always recommend making as many tacos as you can eat, as they aren’t as tasty the other way. Also, Mississippi pot roast is the kind of dish you make in a batch, so it’s no wonder that it’s great for freezing. Put it into an air-tight container, and it will be good for months, but keep in mind to portion it.
Also, extract the onions and peppers, as they will become mushy and bland when defrosted. If you don’t have leftover meat, you can store gravy only and reuse it next time you’re making the same dish as au jus gravy. If you only want to refrigerate it, it will be fine to eat for 5 days tops – for safety reasons!
So, what do you think? Is this something you can make? Tell me all about your cooking experience in the comments below! Can’t wait to read all about it!
Mississippi Pot Roast Tacos
Equipment
- 1 earthenware dish (or crock pot or oven-friendly dish)
Ingredients
- 40 oz chuck roast
- 4 white bell peppers (or pepperoncini peppers)
- 2 cubes jelly red wine-based beef bouillon (or au jus gravy)
- 2 onions (medium size)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 12 tortillas
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dill
- 2 tsp parsley
- 10 oz mild cheddar (grated)
Instructions
Preparing the Meat
- Combine the spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill, and parsley. Rub the meat well, covering every side with, and place it into the dish.
- Peel some onion, cut it into quarters, and arrange around the beef. I had two pieces of meat, so I placed the onion in between them – if you’re dealing with two cuts, as well, make sure to cover both of them properly.
- Dilute gelatinous red wine-based beef bouillon with a splash of boiling water and pour over the meat.
- Add a half cup of water to the pot. (This is optional.)
- Top it with white bell peppers or pepperoncini peppers and butter.
- Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil, and it’s ready for slow cooking.
Slow Cooking
- Bring your oven to 300 °F (150 °C) and place the dish in. If you’re using a crockpot, set it on low.
- Slow-roast it for about 6 hours without opening the oven. It is cooked well when it’s easy to pull apart and has nicely reduced gravy.
Pulling Apart
- Use thongs to remove freshly cooked meat from the pot and place it on a large tray.
- Take two forks and pull the beef apart into tiny pieces, as shown in the photo. It should fall apart easily, and that’s a sign it is prepared properly.
- Extract some gravy to the bowl, and return the beef to the pot. Slightly stir it to submerge and leave it in the oven for additional 20 minutes, for the flavors and saltines to combine and even.
Preparing the Tortillas and Serving
- Take that gravy you saved and use it as a dipping for tortillas by submerging them completely.
- Bring your non-sticking pan to medium heat and crisp up wet tortillas from both sides. Sprinkle them generously with grated mild cheddar cheese (or any other you’re using) and let it melt a bit.
- Top it with the pulled-apart beef and fold it into a taco.
- Moreover, serve it with roasted paprika for additional taste. When it comes to wine, this dish goes wonderfully with Syrah and Cabernet Franc, so cheers!
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
