What's poutine you ask? What's Poutine????? Really? It's only the best in French Canadian bar food. Essentially it's french fries, topped with gravy and cheesy curds. It's cheesy, beefy, french fry, greasy goodness. And I top mine with bacon because, well.... it's bacon.
Ingredients (this will make about 3 huge servings)
2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes rinsed and scrubed, cut into french fry size pieces
12 oz thick sliced bacon, cut into 1" chunks
1 quart beef stock (homemade preferred)
3 tbsp flour (all purpose or bread flour)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt to taste
4 oz super sharp white cheddar cheese (I used 2 year aged Vermont white) cut into thin chunks
Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Method
Making the perfect french fries:
1. Cut the potatoes into french fry sized pieces. I used a french fry cutter that I got at an antique store. If you don't have one, cutting them by hand is totally fine.
2. After cutting, submerge the potatoes into a big bowl of iced water.
3. Heat oil in pot to 350 degrees.
4. Drain fries in small batches and fry until barely gold. Remove to draining rack. DO NOT SALT!!
5. After you have fried all the fries, put them in the freezer for at least an hour. (Use this time to make the gravy)
6. Reheat oil to 350 degrees.
7. Fry fries for second time until golden brown. Around 4-5 minutes.
8. Remove to draining rack and lightly salt while still hot.
I know this seems like a huge pain in the butt. Frying them twice makes them crispy and delicious. I cute and fried a 5 pound bag and only fried 1/2 of it the second time. I froze the other half. I can either bake or fry them at a later date. Waaaaaaaay better that the store bought ones.
Gravy
1. In large pot, fry diced up bacon over medium heat until crispy.
2. Remove bacon to drain, leaving oil in pot. Remove small amount of fat to separate small saute pan.
3. Whisk in flour, cook until golden brown, stirring constantly.
4. Slowly add beef stock, whisking to mix flour mixture making sure there are no lumps. Add balsamic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and red pepper. Bring to a low simmer. Whisk occasionally.
5. In separate small saute pan with bacon fat, saute onions and garlic until soft.
6. Add onions to stock mix.
7. Continue to cook over medium low heat until reduced by about 1/3rd. About 45 minutes to an hour. Gravy should thicken up on it's own.
Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place double fried french fries in glass baking dish.
3. Sprinkle cheese all over french fries.
4. Pour gravy over fries. (I like a lot of gravy. I used about 2/3rds of the above recipe and saved the rest, if you don't like a ton of gravy, stop reading my blog. Or use less and be a miserable person. Whatever.)
5. Top with cooked bacon.
6. Cover loosely with foil and toss in the oven.
7. Cook until bubbly, about 5-10 minutes.
8. Crack open a few beers and tuck in.
Ingredients (this will make about 3 huge servings)
2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes rinsed and scrubed, cut into french fry size pieces
12 oz thick sliced bacon, cut into 1" chunks
1 quart beef stock (homemade preferred)
3 tbsp flour (all purpose or bread flour)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt to taste
4 oz super sharp white cheddar cheese (I used 2 year aged Vermont white) cut into thin chunks
Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Method
Making the perfect french fries:
1. Cut the potatoes into french fry sized pieces. I used a french fry cutter that I got at an antique store. If you don't have one, cutting them by hand is totally fine.
2. After cutting, submerge the potatoes into a big bowl of iced water.
3. Heat oil in pot to 350 degrees.
4. Drain fries in small batches and fry until barely gold. Remove to draining rack. DO NOT SALT!!
5. After you have fried all the fries, put them in the freezer for at least an hour. (Use this time to make the gravy)
6. Reheat oil to 350 degrees.
7. Fry fries for second time until golden brown. Around 4-5 minutes.
8. Remove to draining rack and lightly salt while still hot.
I know this seems like a huge pain in the butt. Frying them twice makes them crispy and delicious. I cute and fried a 5 pound bag and only fried 1/2 of it the second time. I froze the other half. I can either bake or fry them at a later date. Waaaaaaaay better that the store bought ones.
Gravy
1. In large pot, fry diced up bacon over medium heat until crispy.
2. Remove bacon to drain, leaving oil in pot. Remove small amount of fat to separate small saute pan.
3. Whisk in flour, cook until golden brown, stirring constantly.
4. Slowly add beef stock, whisking to mix flour mixture making sure there are no lumps. Add balsamic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and red pepper. Bring to a low simmer. Whisk occasionally.
5. In separate small saute pan with bacon fat, saute onions and garlic until soft.
6. Add onions to stock mix.
7. Continue to cook over medium low heat until reduced by about 1/3rd. About 45 minutes to an hour. Gravy should thicken up on it's own.
Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place double fried french fries in glass baking dish.
3. Sprinkle cheese all over french fries.
4. Pour gravy over fries. (I like a lot of gravy. I used about 2/3rds of the above recipe and saved the rest, if you don't like a ton of gravy, stop reading my blog. Or use less and be a miserable person. Whatever.)
5. Top with cooked bacon.
6. Cover loosely with foil and toss in the oven.
7. Cook until bubbly, about 5-10 minutes.
8. Crack open a few beers and tuck in.