Recipes

Texas-Style Poutine (If There Was Such a Dish), Because Gravy Makes Everything Good

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Recipe and photo by Spring Sault

Poutine (pronounced “pooteen” if you’re anything other than French-Canadian, and “pu-tsin” if you are) is originally a French-Canadian dish from the province of Québec. Their version of this tasty dish is made using French fries topped with cheese curds and finally smothered in a light brown gravy. Often imitated, never duplicated, this fast-food dish can be found in a number of restaurants across Canada as well as some establishments in the northern United States. No longer considered simply a “greasy spoon” concept however, poutine (or creative facsimiles) has turned up in fine dining restaurants which often entails the use of some form of meat (sometimes pulled-pork, other times buffalo-style chicken, etc.) and pubs and food trucks are picking up on the phenomenon, while international food chains such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King are selling their mass-marketed models. Why is everyone jumping on the poutine bandwagon? Because gravy makes everything good. So, here’s how Texans should enjoy a big plate of poutine if they were ever inclined to try and concoct it.

Texas-Style Poutine

Texas-Style Poutine (If There Was Such a Dish), Because Gravy Makes Everything Good

INGREDIENTS:

Texas-Style Poutine Gravy:

3 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

20 oz beef broth

10 oz chicken broth

Pepper and salt, to taste

 

For the Fries:

2 lbs Russet potatoes (3-4 medium potatoes)

Vegetable or your choice of frying oil

 

Topping:

1 – 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

First, prepare the Texas-style poutine gravy. (This can be made ahead and refrigerated, or it can be made in advance and simply kept warm until your fries are ready.) In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water and set it aside. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring regularly to form a roux. Continue stirring for approximately five minutes, until the roux turns a golden brown in color. Now add the beef and chicken broth and turn the heat up to bring to a boil, stirring the mixture with a whisk. Stir in the cornstarch and water mixture, reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes until the gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Now for the French fries. Wash and scrub your potatoes and cut them into ½-inch thick fries. Place them in a large bowl and cover them completely with cold water. Allow them to sit for at least an hour to a maximum of several hours (depending on when you’re ready to cook.) When it’s time to cook, heat the oil in your deep fryer or a large, wide, deep and heavy frying pan. Your oil temperature should be 300 F. Remove the potatoes from the water and place onto a sheet of paper towel or tea towel to dry. Blot them to remove excess water and moisture. Add your fries carefully to the oil and deep-fry them for 5-8 minutes – just until the fries are starting to cook but aren’t yet browned. Remove the fries from the oil and spread them on a wire rack (for drainage). Increase the oil temperature to 375 F and return the fries to the oil to cook until they are golden brown. Remove them to a paper towel-lined bowl to drain.

To prepare your Texas-style poutine, plate your fries and season them with salt and pepper. Add a generous handful of shredded mozzarella cheese on top, and a ladle of the hot poutine gravy. Repeat layers if necessary, to create the size of plate/dish you would like to serve (translation: consume!) Season again with salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

This recipe for Texas-style Poutine first appeared on TexasHillCountry.com.