If you have ever spent any extended amount of time ‘back east', you know that diners are omnipresent eating institutions. While California knock-offs do their best with burgers, fries, and shakes, East Coast diners – be they in old train cars or the random building on the corner – have a special something.
Ever since a young age I was suspicious of mystery meat, so my favorite diner meal was always a grilled cheese with tomato and french fries with gravy. It wasn't until I became grown-up, and oh-so-refined, that I learned that the latter actually had a French and fancy name: Poutine (though probably Canadian in origin).
Most ‘healthy' folks gasp at this ‘heart attack on a plate', but true real foodies know that – when made right – most junk food can be transformed into a nutrient-dense powerhouse. Poutine is no exception.
When fried in coconut oil, tallow, or lard (the latter two from healthy animals), french fries are far less evil than we have been taught to believe. If you're concerned about the acrylamides (a carcinogen that occurs when starch is fried) you can follow this tutorial to actually ferment the potatoes before frying which reduces acrylamide formation.
Fermented fries are super yummy, but I often skip this step since it's extra work and we don't fry food on a regular basis.
Gravy made with homemade bone broth is so darn delicious, it's hard to believe it's actually good for you. Learn more about how to make it, and the amazing benefits of chicken bone broth and beef bone broth here.
Though often served with cheese curds or chunks of a mild cheese, this dish could easily be grain-free and dairy-free by skipping the cheese, opting for non-dairy fats, and using arrowroot to thicken the gravy instead of sprouted flour. Personally, I like to add a bit of broccolini for lightness and crunch (sacrilegious, I know), but the options for add-ons are certainly endless.
Any way I serve it, this is probably my most favorite comfort food that graces our family table.
Poutine ingredients
- 4 T. butter, lard, beef tallow, or coconut oil
- 4 T. sprouted flour or 2 T. arrowroot
- 4 cups beef or chicken stock
- 2 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste
- 4 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 cup lard, beef tallow, or coconut oil
- 2 bunches broccolini
- 16 ounces mild cheese or cheese curds, optional
Poutine method
For the gravy
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine 4 T. butter, lard, beef tallow, or coconut oil, sprouted flour or arrowroot, 1 T. sea salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until incorporated and no lumps remain.
- Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the beef or chicken stock, and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
For the poutine
- Peel the potatoes and cut in fries, 3-4 inches long by 1/4 to 1/2-inch wide.
- Bring a pot of filtered water to a boil. Add the potatoes and blanch for 3-5 minutes. Remove, drain and cool. Pat with a dish cloth until completely dry.
- Fry the potatoes in beef tallow, lard, or coconut oil until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Strain and reserve fat for future cooking.
- Pull broccolini apart into small bite-sized pieces and rinse well. Place broccolini in the pan over medium high heat and cover, steaming for 2-3 minutes until bright green.
- Place the fries and broccolini on plates. Crumble the cheese on top into bite sized pieces and pour hot gravy over top. Enjoy immediately.
Real food has only strengthened my love affair with this classic comfort food… What's your favorite junk food makeover?
French fries with gravy are never called poutine.
Poutine is a French-Canadian dish. It’s fries, brown gravy and white cheddar curds. The curds are not optional.
As a Canadian myself, I will back up Meg’s statement. We call french fries with gravy french fries with gravy. We call french fries with gravy and white cheese curds poutine. There are variations on the strict French-Canadian rule, but, as Meg’s says, curds are not an option for poutine.
…Does it really matter???
Yes. Yes it does. You wouldnt call something a cheeseburger if it didnt have cheese.
Hello! These look delicious. The only time I had poutine was in Canada and im sure it was NOT good for me, but oh so delicious. 🙂 So this is really random but I was wondering if you did Party Wave Wednesday anymore? I really enjoyed those post. Thanks!
I made this tonight! The fries were fantastic, I cooked them in tallow. DELICIOUS! However, I’d love a little clarity on the gravy. I used coconut oil and arrowroot, and I whisked it together and cooked it on medium. After about 5 minutes I had forgotten about it and burned the living daylights out of it (just over medium heat), so bad it stung my eyes. So I tried again, and whisked it a little more consistently. The instructions say to whisk it and then let it cook, but I assume you’re supposed to keep whisking it, since it burned for me when I left it alone. It didn’t really thicken as nicely the second time, and then the instant I added a splash of broth it sizzled and smoked and burned really horribly. I think I just need to get the hang of the method, but I don’t want to keep wasting ingredients. Any tips? Is coconut oil ok but not ideal to use? Thank you!
Hi Beth – Thanks for your comment! The coconut oil is fine to use, however the arrowroot might be cooking too long. What I might try is adding the arrowroot mixed with a little water or broth, during the last 5 minutes of cooking, and allowing it to thicken that way. Let us know if you try this method and how it turns out. 🙂
This has a name?!? Oh, I love french fries in gravy, one of my favorite things I could get from our “Amish market”. I know the benefits of bone broth, but my family keeps Kosher and can’t mix meat & dairy. If I wanted to do this with dairy, is there a good substitute for the broth?
Hi Holly – Thanks for your comment. Since I’ve only made it this way, I can’t say. If you try another variation be sure to let us know how it turns out. 🙂
Holly — In Canada, unless there are cheese curds in the dish, there is no special name for ‘fries and gravy.’ That’s just what we call it. Only with the addition of cheese curds, melted under the hot gravy, do we call it ‘Poutine’ (with a capital ‘P’ for emphasis!).
Strictly speaking, Poutine is not the name for French Fries with gravy but very specifically for French fries, cheese curds, & hot gravy (which then melts the curds and makes a stringy, delicious mess 🙂
And yes, it is a French Canadian (or Quebecois more accurately) dish.
I know you mentioned the cheese curds as an aside and said they were optional, but true Poutine does not make the curds optional…they are quite central to the experience! Just want to mention that for the sake of accuracy. Of course what someone does on their own time, in their own kitchen is up to them! 😉
I love your “real food” substitutions for this dish! It is indeed a wonderful comfort food on a cold winter (or heck, spring at this point!) day.
Severine
(from Quebec 🙂
sorry you haven’t got the link for the chicken broth and gravy and I am dying to make it
French fries and gravy is just that, french fries and gravy. Poutine has cheese curds. It can be made with any number of other things, BBQ sauce, pulled pork, chili, gravy etc. It originated in Quebec and has been a popular dish in Canada for a long time.
Hi,
I’m from Montreal, and poutine is most certainly a French Canadian dish. Traditionally made with thick cut french fries, beef stock gravey, and white cheese curds. I think it’s great that you’ve tried to make this a bit healthy with your ingredient swaps, but sometimes some things just need to stay classic- Call me nostalgic;)
Maggie
Being a Canadian, I’ve just got to say.. Poutine is not poutine without the cheese curds! Then it’s just fries and gravy.
Also a Canadian and I must say that poutine without cheese curds is simply…fries and gravy! 😀 You could do a raw, good commercial, or homemade cheese curd or shredded mozzarella!
I don’t know if it’s Poutine or not, but it looks delicious! I’ve never tried it YET, but I’m about to try it soon. Maybe even tomorrow! Tomorrow is Valentine’s day and maybe I will cook this for my husband. I’m sure he will love it!. Just imagine: candle light, music, fancy clothes, amber jewelry (I am an amber lover, so it’s important for me) and delicious food! And then going out for a movie or something like that… I think, I just planned my Valentine’s day!
Great post! And lovely recipe! Can’t wait to try it! Thank you for sharing!