Poutine is a dish made up of fries, topped with a poutine sauce brown in color and a poutine cheese curd. The latter is commonly called couic-couic or skouik-skouik cheese in Canada, because of the noise it makes in the mouth when eaten. Its texture is both crunchy and fine. This cheese is particularly suitable for poutine, because it does not melt under the heat of the hot beef sauce poured over the dish. However, it will melt if you place it under hot fries! It is then necessary to measure the size of your grains and their place in the dish! You wouldn't want to end up with a runny cheese poutine! And for purists, this cheese is what makes or breaks poutine.
To prepare this snack, first cook your fries. Their size is a matter of personal taste. Is it your first time? We advise you to cut them finely so that they are crispy. Put the sauce to heat a few minutes before the end of cooking fries. Then place your cooked and still hot fries in a deep plate. Add the cheese curds to the fries, and top with the hot sauce. Poutine is eaten hot.
A restaurateur named Jean-Paul Roy says he invented the dish in 1964. He was already serving fries with a special sauce at his drive-thru restaurant, a dish he simply called "potato-sauce." After noticing that his customers were adding cheese curds in it, he had the idea of incorporating them directly into the dish, to give the cheese-potato-sauce.
As for the name of the dish “poutine”, it seems to come from the English word pudding. It is used to describe a mixture, usually quite messy, of several different foods. It is, however, a recipe whose origin is truly Quebec and which will become a symbol par excellence of the province.
The popularity of La poutine is then felt in the small towns of southeastern Quebec. The dish arrived in Quebec City in 1969, then in Montreal in 1983. Variants were created, such as Italian poutine with Bolognese sauce instead of poutine sauce. The Irish version is decorated with bacon bits. As for the vegetarian poutine, it is served with a vegetable and mushroom sauce. In Gaspésie, this snack is served with peas and chicken. In Montreal, you will find variations with smoked meat.
Chef Martin Picard has even created a version of poutine with foie gras, bringing together all the strata of Quebec cuisine on one plate. Poutine has definitely come a long way since its humble beginnings.
It was then exported to the United States, where its recipe was modified to accommodate American palates. Known as disco fries, American poutine is served not with poutine cheese curds, but shredded mozzarella.
FAQs
The original appellation was 50-50: 50% fries and 50% cheese. The gravy was then added and the name "mixte" was adopted. The name "poutine" as we know it today appeared only when large restaurant chains started selling that product.
What are poutine cheese curds made of? ›
the poutine cheese is a fresh cheddar made from curdled cow's milk and obtained without pressing. This recent invention was born in the 1950s to deal with an overproduction of milk in the rural areas of Centre-du-Québec.
How do they make cheese curds? ›
Cheese curds are formed by additives are introduced to milk to acidify and coagulate it. The coagulated milk is cut and heated to separate the liquid whey from solid curds. Cheese curds are typically then "cheddared" by stacking them, cutting them up, pressing them together, and repeating the process.
What are the 3 things that poutine is made of? ›
The basic recipe only calls for three ingredients: french fries, cheese curds, and gravy.
How to melt cheese curds for poutine? ›
“After putting the cheese curds on the fries, put them in the oven for a short time under the broiler,” recommends NipsyLinz. “This melts the curds a bit. Then put the gravy on.”
What is poutine called in America? ›
Poutine can be found on menu restaurants in states along the northern border of the United States. 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.
How is cheese made? ›
During production, milk is usually acidified and either the enzymes of rennet or bacterial enzymes with similar activity are added to cause the casein to coagulate. The solid curds are then separated from the liquid whey and pressed into finished cheese.
Are cheese curds just mozzarella? ›
Cheese curds are a younger, spryer cheddar.
While you can find mozzarella cheese curds, or other types of cheeses, it's almost always cheddar.
Are cheese curds raw cheese? ›
In many areas where fried cheese curds are common, the term "cheese curds", or simply "curds", refers to the fried variety; non-fried curds are distinguished by calling them "raw" or "plain" cheese curds.
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.
Classic poutine is made of a plate of hot and crispy French fries, topped with chunks of just melting fresh cheese curds, and smothered in a savory and salty brown gravy. It can be found in anywhere from fast food joints to gussied-up versions in more upscale restaurants.
Can you make poutine without cheese curds? ›
If you can't get cheese curds, the closest possible substitution if you want the poutine experience, would be torn chunks (not shredded!) of a full-fat block mozzarella cheese (NOT fresh mozzarella – use the kind you'd shred to put on top of pizza). You want it in chunks so it doesn't melt completely.
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.
Why is poutine only in Canada? ›
Only recently has poutine been introduced and gained popularity within other countries with many variations. Poutine originated in Quebec in the 1950's and was commonly found within snack bars, it wasn't until the 1990's that poutine became popular across Canada.
Is poutine healthy? ›
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. Triglyceride levels will rise even higher if you have alcohol in your system, which most people eating a late-night poutine probably do.
Why is poutine so delicious? ›
It is simultaneously familiar (everyone knows and loves french fries, with a sauce to dip them in) and new (adding the twist of a seductive squeak against the tooth from that fresh cheese curd). It is also cheap, filling and infinitely adaptable, especially upmarket (well, you can't very well take it down).
