Learn how to make real poutine at home with my Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe. I will show you how to make it, as well as explaining exactly what exactly poutine is, for the uninitiated.
What kind of a Canadian food blogger would I be if I didn’t have a recipe for Canadian Poutine on this blog? Poutine is a wonderful and delicious concoction of fries, gravy and cheese curds and is one of the most quintessential Canadian dishes! So if you already know how great this dish is and are just looking for a great, authentic poutine recipe to make at home, skip on down to the recipe. I’ve got you covered! If you’d like to learn more about Poutine, read on!
What cheese to use for poutine?
When it comes to poutine, it’s really all about the cheese curds. Real cheese curds are what makes a poutine “authentic”. Cheese curds are simply solid pieces of curdled milk, that can be either eaten alone as a snack or, in Canada, added to fries and gravy to make poutine :) Cheese curds can be found in white or yellow colour. White cheese curds are the ones you want for poutine.
Substitute for Cheese Curds in Poutine:
If you can’t get cheese curds, the closest possible substitution if you want the poutine experience, would be torn chunks (not shredded!) of a full-fat block mozzarella cheese (NOT fresh mozzarella – use the kind you’d shred to put on top of pizza). You want it in chunks so it doesn’t melt completely. Don’t be skimpy. Some cheese curds are the size of my baby finger. That’s part of the poutine experience – the chunks of warm, softened cheese and shredded just won’t cut it because it melts completely and mixes in with the gravy. (Cheddar is not the best substitute. Even though cheese curds are technically cheddar they don’t taste like it. The taste is much more mozzarella-like – soft, pliable, subtle taste, squeaky :)
How do you make poutine gravy?
I’ve included a perfect poutine gravy recipe below for you! If you’ve eaten a lot of poutine, you’ve probably experienced a wide range of gravy tastes. Some are clearly chicken, some are dark and beefy. I think the perfect one is somewhere in between. I looked to French-Canadian chef Ricardo for a reliable and authentic recipe. Let’s face it, the French-Canadians know poutine! His gravy is 2/3 beef stock and 1/3 chicken stock, for a lightened up beef gravy. I think it’s perfect.
How to pronounce Poutine:
If you are an English speaking Canadian, you’ll almost certainly pronounce it “poo-teen” (emphasis on the last syllable). French Canadians might suggest that it should be pronounced as “poo-tin” (again, with the emphasis on the last syllable). I say, if you find yourself in Quebec, you could try the latter – pretty much anywhere else in Canada and elsewhere, the former will serve you well.
How to eat poutine
Even if you are strictly a person who eats fries with your hands, when it comes to poutine, a fork is the only way to go! The combination of lots of gravy and melted cheese is a mess to eat any other way.
Cook’s Notes for Authentic Canadian Poutine
French-Canadians would probably recommend starting your poutine gravy with canned broth (vs. the boxed variety). I personally find it a little too salty for my taste, but that might be just the brand I use.
If you use canned, definitely taste before adding additional salt to your gravy. Don’t skimp on the freshly ground pepper in the gravy, though :)
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Get the Recipe: Authentic Canadian Poutine
Ingredients
Poutine Gravy:
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 20 oz beef broth
- 10 oz chicken broth
- Pepper, to taste
For Deep Fried Fries:
- 2 lbs Russet potatoes, (3-4 medium potatoes)
- Peanut or other frying oil
Toppings:
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese curds, (Or torn chunks of mozzarella cheese would be the closest substitution)
Instructions
- Prepare the gravy: In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture turns golden brown.
- Add the beef and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Stir in about HALF the cornstarch mixture and simmer for a minute or so. If you'd like your gravy thicker, add a more of the cornstarch mixture, in small increments, as needed, to thicken. Season with pepper. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary, to taste. Make ahead and re-warm or keep warm until your fries are ready.
- For Deep-Fried Fries: Prepare your potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks. Place into a large bowl and cover completely with cold water. Allow to stand at least one hour or several hours. When ready to cook, heat your oil in your deep fryer or large, wide, heavy cooking pot to 300° F.
- Remove the potatoes from the water and place onto a sheet of paper towel. Blot to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
- Add your fries to the 300°F oil and cook for 5-8 minutes, just until potatoes are starting to cook but are not yet browned. Remove potatoes from oil and scatter on a wire rack. Increase oil temperature to 375°F Once oil is heated to that temperature, return the potatoes to the fryer and cook until potatoes are golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined bowl.
- To Prepare Poutine: Add your fried or baked fries to a large, clean bowl. Season lightly with salt while still warm. Add a ladle of hot poutine gravy to the bowl and using tongs, toss the fries in the gravy. Add more gravy, as needed to mostly coat the fries.
- Add the cheese curds and toss with the hot fries and gravy. Serve with freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Hey there!
Thanks for the recipe! I look forward to trying it out! My husband and his family are from Canadian and keep telling me about the Gouda cheese that was always on their Poutine. Is that a form for cheddar curds?
Hi Heather. Sorry for the delay. Missed your comment somehow. Anyway, I’ve never heard of Gouda used in Poutine (and I’ve eaten a lot of it). Cheese curds are produced through the process of making cheddar cheese. They are very mild tasting and melt easily. The closest in taste, would be chunks of mozzarella.
oh ya, i want to ask you something. when are usually Canadian serve this dish? and what kind of drink usually perfectly match with it? thank youuuu
Poutine is a lunch or dinner dish. I like it on it’s own, but many with bigger appetites have it as a side for a hamburger, for example. It’s diner/fast food, so often eaten with a carbonated soft drink (Coke/Pepsi).
thank you very much.
i’m from Indonesia, and i have never try the authentic recipe of Poutine before. but now i’m attending Culinary Arts class which is lets me to looking for an interesting food from another country. then i found this website, so i’m very grateful to know this recipe, so i can try and modify this recipe in my cooking class.
You’re welcome, bilqis. Enjoy. It’s not gourmet, but it’s certainly delicious :)
The most important is to use Canned Broth, preferably Campbell. More concentrated Flavors. and give to the flour a brown color. This is poutine sauce, it’s not fancy ingredients who give the good gravy.
Good tips. Thanks EM!
Thanks so much for posting about poutine. I’ve never had it before, but I’m going to surprise my husband with it. He’s from Toronto and moved to Virginia two years ago. I whipped up some Nanaimo bars during the holidays and they were a hit with him and our friends here. I’m so glad I found your site (via foodie crush) and am looking forward to exploring past posts and new posts.
Thanks for stopping by, Celestine. I hope you can find real cheese curds in Virginia for you poutine. He will love it. Trust me :)
We had poutine for the first time on a trip to Canada three years ago and it has been a favorite memory for our family to remember how stunned the waitress was when we asked what it was. I was thrilled to surprise my family here in Alabama with it during this cold snap last week. It was great – thank you!
I love that Alabama enjoyed a little Canadian poutine to go with the cold weather (that also probably blew down from Canada – um, sorry about that :) Thanks for coming back to let me know. Hope it’s warmed up for you.
We were back to “no need for a coat” afternoons this weekend! Not bad for mid-January.
Sounds heavenly! It’s -3 C. today (high 20’s in the Fahrenheit scale) and it feels surprisingly balmy. We’re saying the same thing – not bad for mid-January :)
OMG! Your poutine looks AMAZING! I love, love, love poutine (like any good Canadian) and I want yours. :)
Thanks so much, Stephanie. First time I tried to make at home and it was more than worth it! Btw, I’m still dreaming about your breakfast taquitos. I’ll be trying those this weekend.
Good Lord, Jennifer! Just what I needed. Looks absolutely divine.
Thanks Renee. It had to be, since I actually got cheese curds in my Christmas stocking! (My husband gets very creative with his stocking stuffers :)
I actually had no idea what Poutine was until I read your post today (makes me sound so worldly right? :p) but it looks crazy good, like the ultimate comfort food. Hopefully I’ll get to visit Canada someday and then I’ll know exactly what I need to try while I’m there!
We’ve tried hard to keep poutine “our little secret”, Alexandra, to keep it all to ourselves. Don’t want to have a run on cheese curds or anything ;)
Seriously though, it probably looks like a hot mess to some people but it really is the ultimate comfort food. It will cure whatever ails anyone! Hope you get a chance to try it.
Gracious, I love poutine! It is certainly a rarity in restaurants around here, but whenever I see some I pounce on it and order a full portion. This is not always a great idea as I have had nearly-inedibly salty to terribly bland poutine, or with silly additions such as bell peppers, or bacon (really? Can’t we leave bacon out of it once in a while?). This is a wonderful way to make it RIGHT! I agree that the gravy should be between chicken and dark beef. Perfection :) Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks Sophie and enjoy! We don’t get as many really bad poutine offerings in Canada, because they’d never get away with it ;) The gravy always seems to be what makes or breaks a poutine.
There are a lot of “gourmet” poutines here, as well, usually with meat on top (pulled pork, brisket, chili). I’m a purist though. I always order it straight up :)
I’m pretty sure it’s way to early in the morning to be craving poutine, but now that’s exactly what I’m craving!!
Thanks a lot. Hmph.
Better start rummaging through the kitchen… :P
It’s never too early for poutine, Hanna. Just go with it :)
I’m such a sucker for poutine and this looks completely irresistible!
Thanks so much, Chung-Ah. It is hard to resist ;)
I’ve never had the chance to try poutine, but it looks like the ultimate comfort food!
You must try it sometime, Laura. It is the ultimate comfort food. It’s soul-satisfying.
The sight of these make my mouth water!
Thanks Tasha. Me too (and I just had some!)
I am definitely one of those Canadian bloggers who’s missing a poutine recipe and now I don’t need one!! I am SO EXCITED to try this at home!! xx
So glad. Enjoy! I’m sure the scent of them is still lingering in the air here. (In a good way :)
I second that – though I would need to veganize mine, but this recipe is a great starting pad (I wouldn’t have thought to include cornstarch in the gravy!)
How else do you thicken gravy, but with cornstarch?
Hi Alyssa, I’m not sure what your question is. If you don’t want to use cornstarch, you can just use flour.
My question was to KSENIA. I always use cornstarch.
Actually, Alyssa, I usually use flour as well. For some reason, I don’t love the texture of things thickened with cornstarch… But I’ve recently used it in pie filling, and I didn’t mind it! So maybe it’s just a matter of finding the right ratio.
Instant mashed potatoes make a superb thickener (in some dishes) !