Poutine 🇨🇦

Poutine

Ingredients

- 6 large russet potatoes
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 50g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter
- 50g (¼ cup) flour
- 300ml (1¼ cups) beef stock
- 200g (7 oz) cheese curds
- salt
- oil for frying

Method

1. Scrub the potatoes thoroughly, then slice them into 1cm (½-inch) thick sticks. Place the cut potatoes in a pot of cold water with a generous pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are just tender but still hold their shape.
2. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then spread them out on a wire rack with a tray underneath to catch any excess water. Allow them to air dry for at least 30 minutes – the drier, the better for frying.
3. Heat your oil to 160°C (320°F). Fry the potatoes in batches until they’re a pale golden colour and the outsides are set. This fry is just to cook them lightly. Remove from the oil, place them back on the wire rack or tray, and let them cool for 35-40 minutes.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and whisk until the flour is fully absorbed. Gradually add the beef stock, about ¼ cup at a time, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Bring the gravy to a simmer and cook until it thickens to your desired consistency. Season with salt to taste.
5. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry the chips again for 7-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil, drain briefly, and season with salt.
6. Pile the hot fries onto a serving plate, top with cheese curds, and pour the warm gravy over everything. Serve immediately and enjoy!

[whytee]

the canadians have come out in force to critique this but they are right…thicker gravy, smaller curds and WAAAY more of them! All in all a fantastic first attempt

[mathieunadeau]

Québec-er here and this looks lovely!

Thicker sauce and a bit more curds would be even better though.

Thanks Andy!!

[jeffdoherty]

Smaller fries, thicker gravy, more cheese Andy!

[amandakhan]

The Québécois gave us (Canadians) the BEST COMFORT FOOD in the whole world! ♡♡♡♡♡ 🤤🤤🤤🤤 YUM!

[JauneSale]

As a quebecer, This needs way more cheese under and over and smaller so it can soften. The sauce is also super liquid.

[agtronic]

As a Quebecer, I have to say it’s a great effort considering you don’t have poutine stands at every corner to get a feel for what it should be like. As someone who will probably need a triple bypass pretty soon, I consider myself quite the expert on poutine. Contrary to what some have said, your fries are NOT too thick. While thin-cut fries are common in some places, they aren’t true to the original style.

The best, most authentic poutines use thick-cut fries that soften under the sauce, taking on a subtle sweetness. This comes partly from the two-step frying process and partly from using aged potatoes. As potatoes age, some of their starches convert to sugars, which caramelize beautifully during the second fry.

The sauce is where many fall short. A truly standout poutine needs a gravy that hits all the right notes—a balanced blend of chicken and beef flavors, with a slight spicy kick. It should be thick, glossy, and rich enough to coat every fry.

And, of course, the cheese curds are non-negotiable. They must be fresh and squeaky, a testament to their quality. Around here, poutine spots get daily deliveries from local dairies, ensuring every bite has that perfect texture and flavor.

[amyrotella]

I am from Montreal, Quebec, and the French guy who commented is right. You needed to add a lot more cheese. If you come to Montreal, you should go to the famous restaurant that serves all kinds of poutine called LA BANQUISE, 994, Rachel Street East, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2J 2J3. They serve the best poutine. All-in-all, the poutine originated in Quebec. Some put cornstarch instead of flour to make the gravy clearer and shinier. Good job Chef!

[louisdesautels]

As much as I agree with the comments, this is one of the best first attempts at poutine I've seen by a non-canadian, maybe even by a non-quebecer!

[ulogy]

Hello from Canada! More curds! Thicker gravy! Even more curds! Also the gravy should be hot enough to melt the curds. Don't forget, more curds.

[LadyVineXIII]

Finally!! Someone who gets the fries crispy and the gravy hot!! Thank you. I would thicken and spice that gravy a bit more, but I am still glad to see it done right for once. Thank you for this.

[scottyscave]

Poutine invented in Warwick, Quebec 🇨🇦 in 1957. More cheese on that Andy. Cheers from St.Prime, Lac St. Jean Quebec😁🇨🇦 Some of the best…Restaurant Poutinville, Saint Roch, Quebec City.

[ShawnS]

Québécois here. We are never satisfied when anyone outside of Quebec tries to attempt this as we feel it doesn’t do our beloved poutine justice. HOWEVER, this looks pretty darn good in its own way.

Hard to get your hands on the actual cheese Kurds that we have here. 10/10 effort.

[obsidyenneg]

Ooh. Poutine. Yum.

Looks good. Cheese curds are cut too big, and need some more. Gravy a little thin.

[RobertRouleau-ch]

I'm canadian and this is one of my fav truck foods .. we love our poutine here lol

[darrensim]

Can never go wrong with chips and gravy, adding cheese curds will only make it better.

Give me poutine!

[josephpaluba]

The man fan dried the potatoes. I bow to you master chef!!!

[KingMacbean]

I would have liked to see a thicker gravy, smaller cubes and more of them and then wait for it to melt

[joshuaworth]

From all the comments I've seen Canadians are keeping it polite. Nice. Gotta agree with the critiques but now I want some Poutine hahaha

[RuffTechStudio]

!!! More cheese curds chef ! You want the sauce between brown sauce and bbq sauce for the best flavour and consistency!

Much love from Montreal chef
P.S an other version that is a banger for me is sweet potatoes french fries, black peppercorn sauce and the cheese curds !

[Pedrogog]

Omg! It warmed my heart. I lived in Vancouver in 2010 and I really miss Canada and poutine.