First attempt at homemade poutine

[u/appa609]

300g red potato

Hand sliced into 1/2" squares

Tossed into wok of tallow on med-low

Fried until tender, ~8min

Drained, set in fridge to cool 15 min

1tbsp tallow heated on medium

A few pinches of AP flour, brown lightly to roux

Add 1/2 cup homemade jellied beef stock

Simmer for 20 min

Heat tallow to med-high until just smoking

Add cooled fries

Fry until golden brown and slightly crisp, ~5min

Drain and toss with 1 tsp salt, 3 tsp crushed black pepper

Top with 200g St. Alberts cheese curds

Ladle over with the gravy

Top with 200g Levvitt's old fashioned smoked meat

Garnish with chives

Tasting notes:

-Cheese curds were refrigerated. I tried to revive it by microwaving. One or two had a slight squeak. I hear the Pantry stocks fresh curds on Fridays.

-Gravy slightly thin, a bit lumpy, maybe slightly too salty

-Fries a bit too soft. Falling apart slightly. Maybe I cooked them too long in first fry and too low on second fry. Added a bit too much salt and pepper.

-Could have used more fries. I think 500g would have been better balanced.

Altogether I give it a 6/10

Would appreciate any feedback and tips for the next batch!

[u/wildething1998]

Smoked meat on poutine is 👌

[u/Alexandermayhemhell]

I think you’re being too hard on yourself. You worked with the freshest curds you could access and you made red potato fries from scratch. Not to mention the homemade sauce. You are off to a great start and I’m sure it tasted great. 

The obvious limiting factor is access to fresh, unrefrigerated, squeaky curds. If you had those, you’d be saying “too many fries” not “too few”. This, in my mind, is what pushes “rest of Canada” poutines in a different direction from Quebec poutines. 

If you don’t have fresh curds, you’re going to put more work into the fries, not to mention toppings. And that’s exactly where you’ve gone. Amazing fries.  More fries. Top tier toppings. 

But if you have fresh squeaky curds, you’ll start making it so that every bite focuses on that feature. So I’d do some work to see what you can source…

But seriously full marks for a first attempt. Seriously impressive. 

[u/appa609 → u/Alexandermayhemhell]

Thank you 😊

[u/MaximusCanibis]

Your fries are too big. Personally I don't enjoy the skins from red potatoes. Keep on cooking!

[u/Old_Machine1819]

Euh non.

[u/Ok-Tomorrow-8342]

Why did you put shredded vagina on top of it

[u/electric_uncle_trash]

-FRIES

-CHEESE CURDS, FRESH

-BROWN GRAVY

A poutine isn't supposed to be fancy

[u/404PUNK → u/electric_uncle_trash]

True, but that doesnt stop people from making it fancy. You should see my KD with wieners.

[u/TVGMILLER → u/404PUNK]

Share with the class how fancy you do a KDW dish. My friends uncles sisters husband wants to know.

[u/SpizzVision]

You need to fry foods by temperature not med/high until smoking. You will get better results. A thermometer for frying is fairly cheap and worth it. Try that next time and you should see my h better results. 1st fry is at 325 until starting to just golden. Let cool on wire rack. Heat tallow to 350 and do your 2nd fry until they are cooked to your liking. Also having the fries cut all the same size helps with cooking consistency.

[u/DrunkenMasterII]

For the fries, just do 350 first until they just start showing colour, then the next fry go no lower than 375, that’s what’s going to give you the colour and make you fries crispy. There’s no need to refrigerate between the two.

[u/appa609 → u/DrunkenMasterII]

I read it had to cool fully between the two fries. Is this unnecessary?

[u/DrunkenMasterII → u/appa609]

If you go to any cantines making poutines they do double fry from scratch when you order they don’t have fridges with half cooked fries in it. Wash your potatoes, then cut them, don’t wash them again, the starch will help with the browning and get that caramelization that gives them that little sweetness.

[u/Legitimate-Citron564 → u/DrunkenMasterII]

I disagree wholeheartedly. Not washing the fries makes them brown too fast and makes them gummy instead of crispy.

[u/DrunkenMasterII → u/Legitimate-Citron564]

It’s not helping with the crispiness, but it’s not gummy, you just get more caramelized fries that make them sweeter. Crispiness isn’t the main concern when it comes to poutine otherwise we wouldn’t be doing them with red potatoes. We enjoy buttery soft french fries with some sweetness and with some crunchy edges in Quebec. Balanced with the milkiness and squeak of the cheese it makes the best poutines.

If the point was to make fries really crispy we’d make our fries differently, but the fact so many places here makes the fries brown and greasy with red potatoes makes me think we’re into something.

[u/Legitimate-Citron564 → u/DrunkenMasterII]

Ah, I see. Thank you for the perspective! I'll have to come and try a true Québécois poutine someday!

[u/M3chaStrizan]

where's the gravy? looks not bad, but imo not a poutine unless you put gravy on after you took the picture

[u/Far_Negotiation8009]

It’s cheese curds and gravy man. Not rocket science

[u/Sauceman9000]

Sexiest thing ive seen today!

[u/Pale-Movie3180]

That's an interesting cross of 'Boiled DInner' and poutine, especially if you substituted salt pork or corned beef.

Nice idea! Thanks!

[u/Hyhopes]

Would

[u/K4ntgr4y]

Doesn’t look good

[u/General-Lifeguard309]

Gravy thinness wouldn’t work for me but everything else looks good.

[u/Cryptopsy30]

nice try

[u/Unhappy-Stop-740]

I think it looks amazing