Crispy fries and squeaky cheese curds get all the love, but the gravy is what actually makes a poutine. This is the glossy, deeply savoury beef-stock gravy from my Canadian poutine, pulled out on its own so you can pour it over just about anything.
Watch the recipe
As I mention in my NEW free guide to get you motivated to cook better than you ever have at home, The Chef’s Mindset, going out to eat can be an awesome source of inspiration! If you know me, I’ve been playing around with achieving the perfect gravy alongside my poutine for many years. I find the most flavourful gravy comes from those at food trucks here in Ottawa, Canada. I did have a gravy recipe out when I first launched my poutine recipe about 5 years ago, but as time went on I knew it was still missing that extra punch of flavour. You’ll see in this recipe what to do to REALLY take your gravy to the next level!
I worked this gravy out while testing my full poutine recipe, and it was too good to leave buried in one post. A proper poutine gravy sits between a beef gravy and a savoury sauce — rich and beefy but still pourable, built on a butter-and-flour roux and seasoned with garlic, onion, Worcestershire and soy. It comes together in one saucepan in about 40 minutes, and it is just as good over mashed potatoes or a Sunday roast.
The One Thing That Makes It Work
Reduce first, thicken second. Once the base is built, let the gravy simmer until it has reduced by half — that is what concentrates the bouillon, broth and seasonings into something with real depth. Only then do you stir in a cornstarch slurry and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon. Thicken too early and you lock in a thin, watery flavour; reduce first and it tastes like it has been simmering all afternoon.
Pro tip
Add your liquids slowly and keep whisking. Stir the bouillon-and-water in first, then pour the broth in a steady stream while whisking the whole time — that is how you get a silky, lump-free gravy from the roux.
Tools Needed for Easy Poutine Gravy
Ingredients for This Poutine Gravy Recipe
Let’s break down what goes into the gravy — the full ingredient list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Butter
Beef bouillon paste: the beefy backbone of the gravy — dissolved in water before it goes in.
Chicken broth: the main liquid; with the bouillon it reads rich and beef-forward.
Soy sauce: adds extra umami and that deep brown colour.
Black pepper: freshly cracked has the most flavour.
Cornstarch: whisked with water into a slurry to thicken the gravy at the end.
How to Make the Best Poutine Gravy
Heat a saucepan over medium and add the butter and flour. Whisk well and cook out the roux until the raw flour smell is gone.
Combine the beef bouillon paste with water, then add it to the pan a little at a time, whisking until smooth. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth.
Add the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Bring the gravy up to a simmer and cook until it has reduced by half in volume.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little more soy sauce, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch together with water to make a slurry.
Stir the slurry into the gravy and mix well.
Simmer until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then set it aside until your fries are ready.
Bring the gravy back up to heat before serving, thinning it with a splash of water if it has become too thick.
Comments
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts!
Leave a review
Be the first to share how it went — your note helps other cooks (and earns the recipe its stars).