Poutine
One of our recent discoveries in traveling to Canada was Poutine. It is a very popular Canadian side dish and can be made in many different varieties. I have now tried 2 types of Poutine.
This can be made with country, poultry or brown gravy. The essentials are potatoes/fries (or sweet potato fries), cheese curds and gravy.
I have now done the fries on the smoker as well as inside, so I will give both options here.
Ingredients:
4 large Russet Potatoes or 2 large Sweet Potatoes, scrubbed or peeled
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Traeger Rib Rub or Smoky Brown Sugar rub - to taste
1 1/2 Cups Gravy (Country style, Chicken or Beef)
1 1/2 Cups Cheese Curds (any variety you choose)
*Meat - your choice. I used shredded chicken with Kentucky Bourbon marinade. The other once I did was using the Beef Steak Appetizers. You can really do any type of meat, it's up to you.
Directions:
1. Cut potatoes/sweet potatoes into fries, or wedges.
2. Put cut potatoes in a large pan and soak with water for 30 minutes. This will get out some of the starch.
3. After the 30 minutes, pat potatoes dry with a clean towel.
4. Pour Olive Oil on fries and mix with clean hands until the oil is well distributed.
5. Sprinkle on seasoning. Smoky brown sugar rub gives the fries a nice flavor, or the Trager rib rub. Stir with clean hands until there is a nice even layer of seasoning on the fries.
6. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, and layer fries in a single layer on baking sheet.
*If using a smoker, use hickory pellets and set temperature to high (450*) with the lid closed to preheat. Once heated, roast fries for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender and golden brown.
Put beef steak appetizers in a skillet. When you flip the fries over, add the skillet (with beef) to the smoker.
Remove and flip fries over to the other side and roast for 15 - 20 more minutes. Stir beef and make sure it is cooked and brown.
7. For oven: Preheat the oven to 450*. Cook fries for 20 minutes on one side. Then, flip them over and cook another 15 - 20 minutes until potatoes are tender and golden brown.
8. When there is about 10 minutes lefts of cook time start making your gravy, and heating your chicken. The shredded chicken I use is fully cooked, so you just need to warm it in the microwave for 3 - 4 minutes until warm.
I just use 1 Cup Gravy mix and 3 Cups milk/water. Cook on stovetop in medium saucepan. Stir until all lumps are gone. When gravy is thick turn heat down to lo until ready to serve.
9. To assemble, put the fries on the plate first. Next, add cheese curds (to taste) atop the fries. Then, add the meat (chicken or beef). And lastly, pour hot gravy over your plate so it melts the cheese curds.
I am still experimenting with the flavor profile of poutine in casseroles and other dishes. Once I get those worked out I will post them as well.