Michigan Flag Michigan

Poutine

Poutine is comfort food at its best, combining fried potatoes, gravy, and cheese. Poutine is believed to come from Quebec, Canada around the mid-1950s. When a hurried customer asked for fries and cheese curds together in a bag it was deemed “poutine”—Quebecois slang for a mess. Gravy was added to the two ingredients in the 1960s. Poutine can be found on menu restaurants in states along the northern border of the United States. A variant of poutine called Disco Fries is considered a classic New Jersey diner dish, using shredded Cheddar cheese or mozzarella in place of cheese curds.

Recipe Servings: 4

Prep Time
10 minutes
+ 1 hour resting
Cook Time
40 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Slice potatoes lengthwise, about ¼-inch thick. Stack slices and cut lengthwise again into ¼-inch thick sticks. (Can use a French fry cutter for this step.)
  2. Place potatoes into large bowl of cold water and let rest for at least 60 minutes or up to 24 hours for extra crispy fries. Drain well and pat dry.
  3. Make gravy by heating 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium heat and then adding shallot and garlic. Cook 3 minutes.
  4. Add chicken and beef broths, ketchup, vinegar, peppercorns, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil.
  5. In separate pan melt butter over medium-high heat and add flour, stirring until slightly browned, about 2–3 minutes.
  6. Whisk stock mixture into flour mixture and simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes.
  7. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
  8. Line baking sheet with double layer of paper towel.
  9. Heat 2–3 inches oil in heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until thermometer reaches 350°F (or use deep-fryer).
  10. Fry potatoes in small batches until whitish yellow, about 8 minutes.
  11. Remove with strainer and drain on paper towels.
  12. Increase heat to high so oil reaches 375°F and fry potatoes again in batches until golden-brown, about 6–8 minutes.
  13. Transfer the potatoes to paper towel to drain.
  14. Season fries with salt and pepper while hot.
  15. Strain gravy.
  16. Place fries in shallow dishes and top with cheese curds and gravy.

Sign In

Please enter your user name and password or your library card number.