Homemade Poutine Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

Fries covered in cheese curds and then a super savory beefy gravy so the curds get all melty? Yeah, poutine is the BEST. Here’s how to make it.

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Homemade Poutine Recipe | The Modern Proper (1)

Photography by Gayle McLeod

Thank You, Canada, For Creating The Best Post-Drinks Snack in the World.

Indulgence, thy name is poutine. Squeaky melty curds, meaty rich gravy, and of course, perfectly crispy fries make for a platter of perfectly gooey and delightfully messy diner food as only the Quebecois could have dreamt up! And let’s be honest about the craving that poutine satisfies. Poutine is the ultimate post-drinks food. You stumble out of a bar with a gaggle of your best buds, and you know that you need something super hearty, super umami-ish, super delicious to soak up all those cocktails. The neon in the window of the diner across the street shines like a beacon—you’re gonna be OK. You scoot into a red vinyl booth and order the food of the gods—poutine to the rescue! But wait—you’re old! You don’t get drunk at bars anymore! You don’t live in NYC or Montreal anymore or within two blocks of a cute diner. And yet—you still crave poutine. Or at least, we do! So what’s a poutine-lover to do? You’ve got to make your own poutine! And so, we give you: Our best poutine recipe!

Homemade Poutine Recipe | The Modern Proper (2)

What is Poutine?

Similar to—but not the same as—disco fries, poutine is a delightful dive bar / diner snack that’s made up of french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. YEAH. WE KNOW. Genius. Pure genius. The beefy, meaty, savory gravy is all hot and lovely and when you pour it over the cheese-topped fries, the heat of the gravy melts the cheese curds and you end up with a super messy, richy, salty meal—yeah, it’s a meal—that is ideal for sharing. Some people dig in with their hands, but we think of it as definitely fork-worthy.

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The Very Best Poutine Gravy Recipe, Ever!

Our poutine gravy is pretty classic—a beefy, brown sauce that comes together fast and does what you need it to do! It ups the savory ante and it melts the curds into their gooey-squeaky best selves. Here’s what’s in our super yummy, beef poutine gravy:

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Let’s Talk Cheese Curds for Poutine

You know what cheese curds are, right? Well, if you’re from the Midwest, you probably do! If not, they might not be quite as familiar. Cheese curds are—as it sounds like they would be—the curds that are separated from the whey (the liquid or watery part of milk) in the cheesemaking process. When making hard cheeses, curds are pressed into big rounds or rectangles, but some people like to cut them up—unshaped and unpressed—and eat them right away! A fresh, salty, milky treat with an iconic ‘squeaky’ texture, they’re a key poutine ingredient. You’ve just gotta have them!

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How to Make Poutine

OK, you’ve got your components gathered! You’ve made the greatest fries, you’ve whipped up a deliciously beefy gravy, you’ve bought some yummy cheese curds and managed not to eat them all. You’re ready to make poutine!

  1. Make the best fries you possibly can! Our poutine recipe starts with homemade fries, but you don’t have to break out the deep-fryer for this (that’s a relief, right?). Baked fries are just so much easier, and we actually think that a little less grease is nice, since you’ll be drenching them in gravy anyway.

  2. Make the gravy! Get it simmering in a saucepan while the fries bake.

  3. Assemble your poutine! See, that actually wasn’t that much work after all! You can divide it between four individual plates, or serve it mounded on a big platter for sharing. Just be sure to get the order right! First the fries, then the curds, then drizzle it all with lots of hot gravy. By the time people are digging in, the curds should be getting good and melty.

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Tools You’ll Need:

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Too Much of a Good Thing

We love recipes like this—pure, unabashed delight! Food for the sake of “hey this tastes good!”. Poutine is nothing but fun and we’re ALL about it. We hope you love it as much as we do! When you make it, we want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

Homemade Poutine Recipe | The Modern Proper (2024)

FAQs

How is poutine traditionally made? ›

poutine, a Canadian dish made of french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. It first appeared in 1950s rural Québec snack bars and was widely popularized across Canada and beyond in the 1990s. Poutine may be found everywhere from fine dining menus at top restaurants to fast-food chains.

What is the American version of poutine? ›

The classic Canadian poutine Americanized by loading it up with sautéed shredded sirloin, chopped bacon and sautéed mushrooms.

What is the gravy in poutine made of? ›

Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the gravy. All-purpose flour: Equal parts flour and butter are combined to create a roux. This is what makes the gravy so thick and creamy! Beef broth: Use reduced sodium beef broth to prevent an overly salty gravy.

What are the 3 things that poutine is made of? ›

The basic recipe only calls for three ingredients: french fries, cheese curds, and gravy.

What does poutine mean in English? ›

poutine • \poo-TEEN\ • noun. : a dish of French fries covered with brown gravy and cheese curds - chiefly Canadian. Examples: Although classic poutine is a simple marriage of French fries, gravy, and cheese curds, the dish has inspired ethnic variations with different combinations of meats and sauces. "

Are cheese curds supposed to melt in poutine? ›

But do you know what a great poutine has, my friends? A great poutine has those chunky cheese curds; the ones that retain their shape despite being melted down by that thick, molten gravy. And if the cheese don't squeak? Then it's not a great poutine.

Are cheese curds illegal in the US? ›

(Raw or unpasteurized milk is banned in the United States, but luckily, cheese curds are 100 percent legal!) Once added, good bacteria called starter cultures and an enzyme called rennet begin to curdle the milk, with no trace of the sneaky ingredient found in shredded cheese.

What is poutine called in New Jersey? ›

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.

What is poutine called in Russia? ›

The dish is also popular in New Orleans including variations called Cajun poutine. Poutine spread to the United Kingdom, Korea and Russia, where it has been referred to as "Raspoutine".

What makes poutine so good? ›

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.

What is a good substitute for cheese curds? ›

What's a Good Substitute for Cheese Curds? Diced mozzarella is a good and readily available substitute for cheese curds; salted fresh mozzarella is probably closer in flavor, although commercial mozzarella has a bit more of the springy, rubbery texture of curds.

What is poutine called in America? ›

In the United States, some restaurants of New York and New Jersey propose their own mix of fries, gravy and cheese, called « Disco Fries ». In Latin America, we can enjoy a poutine on the isolated beach of Zipolite island in Mexico.

Which cheese is best for poutine? ›

Original Quebec poutine is made with white cheddar cheese curds. Although I prefer the beef gravy described here, there is also poutine gravy which I believe is a thinner chicken gravy.

What does poutine do to your body? ›

Your Arteries Will Clog

High triglyceride levels are a serious repercussion of high fat content in foods, and poutine is chock full of 'em. A large poutine, incredibly high in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and refined carbs, can raise the triglyceride levels in your blood for 6-12 hours after consumption.

Does classic poutine have meat? ›

There are versions of poutine that have meat, but the standard, “classic” poutine is only fries, gravy, and cheese curds. I treated myself to a poutine earlier tonight, a basic one, but the restaurant I got it from had a wide variety of choices.

How are you supposed 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.

What is the history of poutine râpées? ›

Though poutine râpée is known throughout Acadia, it is most popular within a 25-mile radius of Moncton. In the late 1700s, immigrants of German descent from Pennsylvania settled in Moncton, and historians believe that it was these settlers who introduced the potato dumpling to the Acadians.

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