Poutine has been popping up on many American restaurant and bar menus lately. This delicious Canadian comfort food is finally coming down to America. What is it exactly? Why would you want it on your menu? Continue reading to learn more about this delicious snack food and how it can increase the profits of your restaurant or bar.
Poutine: What is it?
Poutine, a Canadian fast-food favourite, is made from french fries covered with cheese curls and gravy. It is a popular appetizer that combines salty cheese curds and meaty gravy with crunchy french fries. Poutine makes a great bar snack and is a good choice for pairing with light beers or bitter IPAs. If you want to make Poutine authentically, you cannot substitute the cheese curds. Cheese curds can be found in speciality delis or cheese shops.
What does Poutine mean?
It is not clear what the meaning of “poutine”, as it is commonly known, means. Many believe it is derived from the pudding word in English and French. Others believe it originated in Quebec, where it is a slang term meaning “mess,” which was how the dish was described at the time.
History of Poutine
The history of this dish is similar to the origins of the term “poutine”. Although there are many origin stories for Poutine, they all go back to 1957 in rural Quebec. The only thing is that the first Poutine was made with only french fries and cheese curds. The gravy was added in 1964.
It became popular in the U.S. in the late 1970s. However, it was originally called “disco fries” in America. It was very popular in New Jersey and New York and was often eaten after a long night of dancing and partying, hence the “disco”. Disco fries are similar to Poutine, but there are some differences. Disco fries had shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese instead of cheese curds.
Poutine is a Popular Food
This savoury snack food is loved by people across the United States and Canada. It is also a great choice for business owners because it is affordable. It only requires three ingredients to make the basic recipe: gravy, cheese curds and french fries. You don’t need to make gravy, except for a standard French fry cutter or commercial deep fryer.
Poutine Costs
Poutine is very affordable, so you could make a good profit even though you may list it on your menu at a low price. We created Poutine and then compared it to the prices on other menus across the country.
Margin of Profit
The cost of ingredients to make one serving of Poutine costs about $1.50. A plate of Poutine in America can run up to $14. Most American restaurants charge around $8 per portion. This gives you a large profit margin, even though you may use additional ingredients (such as meat, aioli, or mushrooms).
- Prices on the Menu: $8
- Food cost per serving – $1.50
- Profit Margin Per Serving – $6.50
How to make Poutine
There are many ways to make Poutine, and you can add additional ingredients. We decided to make classic Poutine. Traditional Poutine is made from freshly cut and deep-fried french fries, with cheese curds on the top. The gravy is then added to the bottom. You can see the video below for how to make Poutine.
Poutine Ingredients
- 1-2 large Idaho potatoes
- 1/2 tbsp. 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/2 clove minced garlic
- 1/2 tbsp. minced onion
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1 tbsp. 1 tbsp.
- 1/2 tbsp. cider vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp. Peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tbsp. 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 tbsp. 1/2 tbsp. flour
- 1 cup cheddar cheese curds
- To taste, use kosher salt and black pepper
How to Make Poutine
- Thoroughly scrub the potatoes, then cut them into 1/2-inch sticks with a french fry cutter.
- For about an hour, soak the potatoes in cold water. Before frying, drain and dry the potatoes well.
- Add oil, onion, garlic, and heat in a saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes.
- To the saucepan, add the vinegar, peppercorns and Worcestershire sauce.
- Mix all ingredients and bring to boil.
- Melt the butter in a separate saucepan. To make a roux, add the flour.
- Mix the roux in a bowl for 3 minutes or until it turns a light brown.
- Mix the roux with the stock mixture.
- Allow to simmer for around 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Strain the sauce using a china strainer.
- Salt and pepper to your liking; season the liquid.
- Cook the potatoes till they are golden.
- Add your fries to a plate and cover with cheese curds. Add your gravy and serve.