Poutine
Servings 6 people
Authentic Canadian Poutine covers crispy double-fried French fries with homemade beef gravy and cheese curds for a savory cheesy appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Salt to taste
- 3 inches vegetable oil in a large deep pot for deep frying
- 2 pounds frozen french fries I like seasoned
- 2 cups white cheese curds at room temperature
Instructions
- Prepare the gravy first. It can either be kept warm on the stove or heated again when the fries are ready.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the chicken broth until fully incorporated - no lumps - then set this aside.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Whisk in the flour and allow that to cook for about 5 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the beef broth, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Then whisk in the chicken broth, cornstarch mixture. Allow this to come to a boil. Then turn down the heat and allow it to simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes, or until the desired thickness is reached, stirring every couple of minutes. Add salt to taste.
- While the gravy is simmering, pour your oil into a wide saucepan and heat it on high. Deep fry the french fries in batches so they are not crowded. Fry them at about 300°F for 5 minutes. Remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel allowing them to drain and cool. Fry them a second time for about 5 minutes (or until golden brown). The double fry will give them a nice crispy texture. If you didn’t use seasoned fries, salt the fries lightly after frying. Double frying is an important step! You may feel like it’s unnecessary, but it gives the fries an extra crispy layer so when you pour your gravy over top, they don’t become soggy!
- Place the fries into a serving dish. Sprinkle the cheese curds over the fries. Then pour the gravy over top. You can stir this up lightly with tongs. Serve immediately.
Notes
- We tried the fries 3 ways - deep-fried, baked in the oven, and in the air-fryer and we actually like the air-fryer ones best.
- Storage Instructions: Leftovers may be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. The fries will get soggy over time, so this dish is best reheated in the air fryer.
- I can’t find cheese curds - what could I use in place of them? The closest thing would be to use small chunks of block mozzarella cheese. This will not have the same squeaky texture as cheese curds, but the flavor will be similar.
- Can I make the gravy ahead of time? Yes, you could make it and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. But once you put it on the fries and curds it is best served immediately.
- Could I just use the air fryer or oven to cook the fries? Yes, both of these methods will work. For both methods, you will want to spray the fries lightly with cooking oil before cooking and lightly salt them when done. In the air fryer, frozen fries should bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping them at the halfway point. Bake them in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Is there meat that goes especially well with poutine? Yes! Try adding pulled pork! Shredded roast chicken goes well, too.
- What could I use to deep fry, besides vegetable oil? You could use peanut oil, canola, sunflower, or safflower oil. You must use oil with a high smoking point.
- Where can I find cheese curds? You should be able to find them in the deli section with specialty cheeses.
- As a vegetarian, what could I substitute? Poutine is also delicious made with mushroom gravy.
Nutrition
Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1674mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 352IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 298mg | Iron: 3mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/canadian-poutine/