Loaded poutine with pulled pork and bacon

A decadent Canadian-inspired comfort dish loaded with crispy chips, smoky pulled pork, rich gravy, bacon and melted mozzarella.

Cut:
  • Portions: 6
  • Prep: 10 minutes
  • cook: 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the pulled pork

  • 800 g pork shoulder/Boston Butt
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) garlic powder
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) onion powder
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) brown sugar
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
  • 100 ml chicken stock
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 4 sprigs thyme

For the chips and bacon

  • 900 g frozen straight-cut chips
  • 200 g diced bacon

For the gravy

  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) flour
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

To assemble and serve

  • 120 g fresh mozzarella, torn
  • 1 spring onion, green part only, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) chopped chives

Method

For the pulled pork:
Rub the pork shoulder with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Using the sauté function on a pressure cooker, heat a good drizzle of olive oil and brown the pork shoulder on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Add the apple cider vinegar, chicken stock, garlic cloves and thyme to the pressure cooker. Set to the meat function and cook for 1–1½ hours or until soft, tender and easy to shred. Alternatively, do the same process in a Dutch oven (cast iron casserole dish), cover and cook in the oven at 150 °C for 3–4 hours until tender. Remove the pork from the cooking liquid and shred using 2 forks. Strain the liquid and reserve it for the gravy.

For the chips and bacon:
Cook the frozen chips according to the packet instructions. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towel.

For the gravy:
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Gradually whisk in the reserved cooking liquid until smooth and thickened. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble:
Arrange the cooked chips on an ovenproof serving dish. Top with the pulled pork, spoon over the gravy and scatter with the mozzarella and crispy bacon. The hot gravy should melt the cheese; if it doesn’t, bake it in the oven for 5–8 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

To serve:
Serve the poutine hot, garnished with chopped spring onions and chives.

Serving suggestion: Serve as a hearty match-day sharing dish straight from the oven, with ice-cold drinks and a crisp green salad on the side to cut through the richness.