Make your Instant Pot the star of dinner with these tender, juicy pepperoncini pot roast sliders. Shredded pot roast is piled onto fresh-baked Rhodes rolls, topped with a quick garlic aioli and American cheese for a crowd-pleasing meal or party appetizer.
This recipe is simple enough for a family dinner and impressive enough to bring to a gathering.
I recently got an Instant Pot and I’m hooked. It delivers the convenience of a slow cooker with much less planning—no more remembering too late that you needed to start dinner. I’ve been using it for chicken because it keeps meat incredibly juicy, but it shines with beef as well. A chuck roast becomes fork-tender in a fraction of the time.
This recipe is inspired by Mississippi pot roast but turned into fun, hand-held sliders. After a long day I wanted something less formal than a classic roast, so I converted a chuck roast into slider form—easy, delicious, and perfect for dipping in au jus.
How To Make Pot Roast In The Instant Pot
It takes about 60 minutes under pressure to produce pull-apart, super-tender pot roast. The process is straightforward:
- Season and sear the roast on all sides using the sauté or sear function with a little olive oil to build flavor.
- Cancel sauté, add beef broth (or water with bouillon), secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual pressure for 60 minutes.
- Allow a natural/slow release for 30–60 minutes for the most tender results.
I set my Instant Pot to manual for 60 minutes and let it slow release for about 45 minutes, but you can let it release up to an hour while you finish the rolls and aioli. The result is astonishingly tender beef in a short time.
Basic prep mirrors a slow-cooker roast: pat the roast dry, season with salt, pepper and onion powder, then sear all sides in a bit of oil. After searing, add 2 cups of water and beef bouillon, seal the lid, and pressure cook. When finished, transfer the roast to a cutting board and shred with forks.
What Type Of Rolls Should I Use For Sliders?
Small soft rolls are ideal for sliders. You can:
- Bake rolls from scratch if you enjoy baking.
- Use frozen dough balls such as Rhodes rolls and bake them fresh—this is what I used in the photos.
- Buy pre-baked rolls for convenience; Hawaiian rolls (King’s Hawaiian) are a popular choice if you prefer a slightly sweet bun.
What Is Garlic Aioli
Aioli is a creamy, garlicky sauce similar to mayonnaise. Traditional aioli uses egg yolk and oil emulsified with garlic, but for speed and reliability this recipe uses mayonnaise as the base.
Simple garlic aioli: mix mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Chill until serving time. It’s bright, tangy, and pairs perfectly with rich shredded beef.
How Do I Make The Au Jus?
Au jus is the flavorful liquid from the roast. Strain the cooking liquid through a fat separator and discard the fat. To enhance the broth, stir in ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon soy sauce for a deeper, savory flavor. Serve warm alongside the sliders for dipping.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chuck roast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp beef bouillon
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 15 Rhodes rolls (or other slider rolls)
- American cheese
- Sliced pepperoncini
Garlic Aioli
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch of salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Defrost Rhodes rolls ahead of time if using frozen dough and bake according to package directions.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and add the olive oil.
- Season the chuck roast with salt, pepper and onion powder, then sear all sides until browned.
- Cancel Sauté, add 2 cups water and 2 tsp beef bouillon to the pot.
- Secure the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Manual/Pressure Cook for 60 minutes.
- While the roast cooks, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper to make the garlic aioli. Chill until serving.
- Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 30–60 minutes for the best texture.
- Remove the roast to a cutting board and shred with forks.
- Pour the cooking liquid through a fat separator. Discard the fat and combine the drained broth with ½ tsp Worcestershire and 1 tsp soy sauce to make the au jus.
- Assemble sliders: split a roll, spread garlic aioli on the inside, add shredded pot roast, a few pepperoncini, and top with American cheese. Serve with au jus for dipping.
These sliders are an easy, flavorful way to turn a chuck roast into small sandwiches everyone will enjoy. The Instant Pot shortens cook time while delivering tender meat, and the garlic aioli and au jus add bright and savory contrast.
© Tara Moore