So what exactly is Poutine?
Pronounced “Pooh – teen”; it is comprised of french fries, cheese curds, and a special Poutine Gravy Recipe. Definitely a splurge, and probably Canada’s most famous dish.
In fact, before traveling to the frozen north I had no idea what poutine was, nor had I ever heard of it before. My Canadian sister-in-law gave me a crash course of all the good food I needed to try while in Canada. Poutine was on the top of the list.
I know it may seem strange, and probably unappetizing to some, but something magical happens when those crispy, salted french fries mix with gooey melted cheese and swim in that scrumptious, hot gravy.
It’s mind blowing.
My first experience with Poutine was in a one-stoplight-town in the middle of who knows where, on our drive to Northern BC. It was a little roadside diner, and we felt compelled to try this “Poutine.”
I was instantly hooked.
If you live in Canada, you’re aware that Poutine is served EVERYWHERE. Even McDonald’s. Last summer a rodeo came to town and instead of serving nachos at the concession stand – poutine. It’s common place.
For those of you that don’t live in Canada, or those that just want to experience this phenomenon…
I’m sharing the simplest recipe you can find.
(Unless you live in Canada and buy the canned poutine gravy. Yes, that exists.)
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Poutine Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 french fries, cooked according to package instructions
- 1 cup cheese curds, shredded mozzarella or monterey jack cheese will work too
For the Gravy:
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the pepper, whisk to combine.
- Slowly add in 1/4 cup of flour, constantly whisking to combine. After a minute or two of whisking the mixture will be thick.
- Combine the broths in a measuring cup and slowly begin to pour into the flour mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth and well blended. Allow to cook several minutes until thickened.
- Toss together the hot french fries with cheese in an oven proof dish or skillet. Pour your desired amount of gravy on top and pop back in the oven for a minute or two to let the cheese melt even more. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Butterfinger Protein Shake
Joel
Kroger does have cheese curds in the fancy cheese section by the bakery near me. Also the gravy recipe above is ok, but the roux needs to be dark, then the gravy thickened by half until it’s dark- closer to molasses than light gravy for roast or mash potatoes. Also veal stock makes a better gravy than the chicken/beef combo in this recipe.
Paul
Wrong. And it’s pronounced poo tin
Carmen bissonnette
Where in the us can I buy the gravy and the cheese curds to make a real poutine, Ty
Carmen
Lynne Callahan
whole foods carries cheese curds, that is the only place I have found them here.
As for the gravy, I make extra gravy with a pot roast and freeze it for poutine.
Shawn
Good to know about the cheese curds! Thanks Lynne! 🙂
Karen Osland
Kroger stores has curds, I make my gravy similar to the recipe posted
Jo
As a Montrealer where poutine has it’s humble origins, I’d like to clarify a few things. Firstly, only cheese curds will do. We don’t do mozzarella or any other cheese for an authentic poutine. Second, the gravy is what we refer to as a brown gravy, nothing creamy or light coloured works. St Hubert’s canned one is just downright awful as they put a mix of herb seasonings in there that just makes it icky and defeats the point of tasting the 3 elements in their natural glory. Thirdly, we never mix our cheese curds with our fries. We simply put a good hand full on top and then add super hot sauce poured slowly on top of all that to warm and soften the cheese. Trust me, when that cheese is sandwiched between hot fries and hot sauce they get quite gooey on their own!
Don’t even bother to try this outside of Quebec as it’s downright disgusting. If you have a favorite cheese place or farm that makes cheeses, ask them for the curds. It’s just what’s left after the separation of the whey and just before they take those curds to formulate their cheeses, you have that window of opportunity to by them. When they’re fresh, you can eat them out of hand and it’s really funny as the sign of freshness is they squeak when you bite into them. Sounds like the running shoes at a basketball game that you hear in your head!!! Makes the kids laugh!
Danielle
I 2nd this post. One other thing…. It’s pronounced like Poots-in. Like he “PUTS it IN the oven”. When I hear Poo-tine it’s like fingers on a chalk board.
Kate
Agreed. Fries with mozzarella and gravy aren’t poutine. It HAS to be white cheese curds and dark gravy.
Aryane
Quebec represent! That’s right, I have never had a true poutine outside of Québec! And cheese curd is indeed the ONLY way 🙂
Derek
Sorry but I live in Ottawa and the English pronouciation is in fact poo teen. The French word pronounces the “tsine”. The gravy should be a brown gravy and not look like KFC gravy lol. Using shredded cheese is as bad as using table syrup on pancakes. You gotta get the good stuff (curds). If you can’t get curds then I would only use mozzarella not any other type.
Paul
Thank you. Pooteen drives me crazy!!!
Crochetpatch
I’m from Australia. It seems I am suddenly finding references to poutine all over my favourite food blogs. I have always loved my hot chips (as fries are called here) with gravy, so I feel certain I would love poutine! Just another reason to add to the many why Canada is on top of my bucket list of countries to visit :-). I wish I could try and re-create it with the real cheese curds, but these aren’t available here. I think I’ll try butter tarts instead and wait until I’m there in person!
Amanda
Maybe it’s just a NorthEast thing, but “disco fries” are very common here and essentially the same thing; french fries, gravy, and cheese. Though usually its with a cheddar or American cheese sauce. I’ll have to try it with Mozzarella instead someday 🙂
Michelle
It isn’t made with mozzarella when made in poutine, it is usually white cheddar cheese curds…you could use just about any cheese, but to be most authentic it would need to be white cheddar cheese curds, and as fresh as possible!! 🙂
Karen Osland
absolutely. i make my own here and tried it with mozza or cheddar and finally hunted down curds and im in heaven once a month. We have a Canadian goodies party and I make Nanaimo bars, poutine, perogies etc 🙂
G
Poutine I enjoy it with beef broth instead of chicken broth.
CTY
When it comes to fries I eat them naked because I think ketchup is the most disgusting thing out there. I bet if I tried this I’d never eat naked fries again. Trying to decide if that is a good thing or bad thing.
Adrien
Soo you’re just assuming you won’t like it ? . Sounds like you live life on the edge lmao
Lauren
Poutine is magical. It is true. And I’m Canadian, so I really know!!
Shawn
It truly is, isn’t?! 😉
Jen
There are also several on line websites you can order the st.hubert (my favourite) or other brands of gravy mix for this .. it is the best way so far for me to get my fix (been out of Canada for 12 years now and so many things I miss, so Canadian Favourites has saved the day on more that one occasion for me.)
Shawn
Thanks Jen, good to know! 🙂
Michelle
I am also a Canadian now living in another country Jen, and I too buy St. huberts from online!! 🙂 I have been living in the US for 13 years now, and I know how you feel about missing so many things! Another thing Canadian Favourites is good for is flakies!! Oh how i love my flakies! LOL I came from Ontario and I am in Illinois now…what about you?
Karen Osland
You guys should join the facebook page Canadians living in the US. Lots of people in there sharing info and just hanging out with other Canadians 🙂
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
Good Golly Miss Molly—–I rarely give myself permission for gravy or fries. But to have them together! Yikes!
That would be a plunge! I live in northern Wash State. I go to Canada now and again—often enough. I have never seen this dish. But then I go as a tourist. This is probably a dish for the ‘homies’.
Shawn
You must go an ask about Poutine! I’m sure you’ll find some, and totally enjoy them!
Doug
Just google restaurants that serve poutine in Vancouver…..there are lots of them. I am a Canadian and lots of bars, pubs and restaurants serve poutine. It is a very good dish…lots of calories but you need to enjoy. The
Cindi
I know that Canadians eat gravy with their fries…but have never tried it myself.
I love fries…I love gravy…I love cheese…how bad could these be???? 🙂
Sarah @ Sarah Cooks the Books
I went all over creation looking for cheese curds once so I could make poutine. The gravy was just regular canned, though, so this will be SO much better.
I’ve also found frozen poutine at Trader Joe’s. That was a glorious day.
Shawn
Cheese curds are traditional, but I’ve made it with mozzarella and monterey jack cheese (both really great). Basically, any white melty cheese would work, have fun with it!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
Wow that this is such an interesting recipe. I have never seen fries like that with gravy so now I must try this!
Shawn
You must try it at least once. Think about mashed potatoes with gravy… it’s just fried potatoes with gravy and cheese… makes sense! 😉