Weed Poutine Recipes: A Nod to Legalized Canada

Summer is over, Canada became the second country to legalize recreational marijuana, and the 2018-19 NHL season begins in less than a month; it's time to talk poutine. This non-delicacy is said to be the best food to eat after a night of drinking, but the rich dish also seems like a match made in munchy heaven. Which begs the question; can you make poutine with weed?

What IS Poutine, You Ask?

Somewhere between bar-fare and comfort food, poutine is a dish that originated in the Canadian province of Quebec in the late 1950s. Once mocked by non-Quebecers, poutine has become something of a point of cultural pride which has led to an increase in popularity, both in and outside of the French-Canadian province.

Poutine is a simple dish with a hat-trick of humble ingredients; that when added together, are greater than the sum of their parts. There are only three core components to poutine; French fries, cheese curds, and gravy, usually brown.

French Fries

This is the backbone of the dish, it goes on the plate first and gives it structural support.  Potato variety and fry-cut can all vary depending on the cook's preference, but one factor resonates with all Canadian poutine lovers; the French fries must be fried in oil. Air fried and oven baked fries do not make the best poutine.

For best results, soak the cut fries in water or beer and pat dry before frying. This will leach out some of the starch, allowing the fries to crisp up even nicer.

But if your goal is to get the most THC into your poutine recipe, then you might want to consider air-frying your fries with canna-oil.

Cheese Curds

Fries may be the backbone of this snack, but cheese curds are the star of the party.  Real fans know it's all about that squeaky cheese.  Poutine calls for cheddar cheese curds to be crumbled on top of the fries, although people have been known to experiment with other cheeses, like cut mozzarella.

Making your own cheddar cheese curds is possible but time-consuming and a bit complicated, most poutine cooks opt to buy quality cheese curds instead. The fresher the curd, the squeakier the cheese.

Gravy

Any Canadian will tell you that bad gravy is the easiest way to mess up good poutine.  Traditionally a brown beef gravy is poured over the curds and fries but there are tons of variations to the sauce.

Because of its acceptance of variation, putting pot in the gravy is the best way to make weed poutine.

So, in an effort to build international bonds through cannabis side dishes and avoid a typical American faux-pas; here are two weed-infused poutine recipes that will have even the deepest southerner singing "O Canada".

Beer-Bellied Weed Poutine with Brown Gravy

This poutine marries bud and brew into a succulent dish that would knock Justin Trudeau's socks off.

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs. russet potatoes; cut into 1/2-inch fries
• 2 cans of beer, Canadian lager recommended
• 3 cups of low sodium beef stock
• ¾ cup stout beer or more beef stock
• 4 tbsp cannabutter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; finely sifted
• 1 clove garlic; minced
• 1 shallot; finely minced
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• Canola oil for frying
• 2 ½-3 cups cheddar cheese curds

Instructions

1. Pour Canadian lager (or water) over cut fries and refrigerate. No less than 15 minutes, 2 hours being ideal.
2. While the potatoes are soaking, make the weed-infused poutine gravy. Melt the cannabutter in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Add flour, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook into a roux; 1-2 minutes or until a smooth paste develops.
3. Add the garlic and shallot, cooking until soft, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the beef stock, stout beer, ketchup, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire, and bring to a boil. Cook for 6 minutes or until thickened, continuing to stir.
5. Salt and pepper to taste and reduce heat and cover while you fry the potatoes. (Gravy can be thickened or thinned with flour or beef stock, respectively.)
6. Heat canola oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain beer (or water) from fries and dry with paper towels. Blot as much moisture as possible.
7. Do not add too many potatoes at once. Par-fry potatoes in small batches for about 4 minutes, or until barely crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
8. Increase the temperature of the oil to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Re-fry the potatoes in small batches between 2-4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Drain fries on paper towels sprinkle with sea salt.
9. Reheat the gravy. Divide the fries into portions and sprinkle cheese curds over. Pour hot gravy over the pile. Bong Appetit!

Traditional Poutine with Ganja Gravy

Mostly the gravy changes in this weed-infused poutine recipe. The French fries are prepared the same except instead of soaking in beer, here you will substitute with cold water.

French Fry and Cheese Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs. russet potatoes; cut into 1/2-inch fries
• Canola oil for frying
• 2 ½-3 cups cheddar cheese curds

Ingredients for Ganja Gravy

• 2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 1/4 cups turkey broth
• 6 tbsp cannabutter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/8 cup decarboxylated and ground cannabis (parsley can be substituted, poorly)
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pour water over cut fries and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water. Mix with a fork and set aside.
3. Melt cannabutter in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Add flour, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the roux turns golden brown.
4. Add beef and turkey broth, turn up the heat, and bring to boil. Continue to stir with a whisk, adding the cornstarch mixture. Simmer for 4-5 minutes or until gravy thickens.
5. Stir in paprika, season with pepper, reduce heat, and cover.
6. Heat canola oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain beer (or water) from fries and dry with paper towels. Blot as much moisture as possible.
7. Do not add too many potatoes at once. Par-fry potatoes in small batches for about 4 minutes, or until barely crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
8. Increase the temperature of the oil to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Re-fry the potatoes in small batches between 2-4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Drain fries on paper towels sprinkle with sea salt.
9. Reheat gravy, divide the fries, add cheddar cheese curds, and pour hot gravy over the pile. Sprinkle ground cannabis over each portion. Enjoy.

Penalty! High-Sticking with Cannabutter

The sideline referee gives you 420 seconds in the penalty hot-box. Now that you know how to make poutine with weed, you can recognize Canada legalizing cannabis by making pot-poutine and watching hockey.  This winning combination is guaranteed to make any cannabis crazy hockey fan drop the gloves and dig in.

So, take a slap-shot at one of these weed poutine recipes or try your own version. With any luck, your weed poutine just might be the next "Great One."

Disclaimer: All information on this site is for reference purposes only. Leafbuyer is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you try from the Website, or any website linked to from this site. You may not achieve desired results due to variations in elements such as ingredients, cooking temperatures, typos, errors, omissions, ingredient quality/potency, or individual cooking ability. Recipes available on the Website may not have been formally tested by us or for us and we do not provide any assurances nor accept any responsibility or liability with regard to their originality, quality, nutritional value, or safety. The cannabis amounts specified in this recipe are a loose suggestion. You should adjust the amount based on desired potency and the strength of your cannabis.