Best Cretons Groton Recipes

FRENCH-CANADIAN GORTON PORK SPREAD

Steps:

• Place the pork, onion, cinnamon, and clove into a saucepan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour in water to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the water has nearly evaporated, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally to ensure the pork cooks evenly.
• Use a potato masher or wire whisk to break the pork into thin strands. Pour off any remaining liquid, then spoon the gorton into a serving bowl. Refrigerate until cold before serving.

CRETONS (GROTON)

Steps:

• In a large sauce pan, add all the ingredients except the bread crumbs.
• Cook over medium heat, breaking up the meat mixture as it begins to cook over medium heat.
• Cook for at least 1 1/2 hours stirring often and breaking up the meat.
• The meat should be as fine as possible.
• When done, add the bread crumbs and cook for 15 minutes more.
• Remove from heat, and take out the cloves and bay leaves.
• Cool and place in small tin foil loaf pans.
• Wrap each pan well with plastic wrap and then tin foil.
• Keep in fridge or freeze.
• NOTE:.
• A suggestion has been offered to lessen the amount of breadcrumbs. Think about it before you commit to 1 1/2 cups.
• A layer of fat may coat the top; you can remove this as you use the spread.
• Spread on warm, unbuttered, toasted crusty bread. Yummy!

GORTON (FRENCH-CANADIAN PORK SPREAD)

Steps:

• Stir the pork fat, ground pork, onions, water, cloves, and nutmeg together in a large pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the pork is tender, at least 1 1/2 hours. Use a potato masher to mash the pork mixture every 15 minutes as it cooks.
• The longer you simmer the gorton, the better the flavor will be. Add water as needed to keep the mixture from boiling dry. When you're ready to stop cooking, let the liquid reduce as much as possible without letting it burn. Refrigerate the gorton overnight. Remove and discard the fat layer, or stir it into the meat for a creamier spread.

FRENCH CANADIAN CRETON

Steps:

• 1. Combine pork, onion, and garlic in pan and simmer over medium heat 1 hour.
• 2. Add cinnamon and cloves and cook 30 minutes more.
• 3. Add bread crumbs and cook 15 more minutes.
• 4. Drain in colander.
• 5. Pack tightly in small containers and refrigerate. Serve cold as a spread for crackers.

MOM'S FRENCH CANADIAN CRETONS

Steps:

• On medium high heat brown pork and turkey in the oil and olive oil mix. Using this mix the meat cooks at a higher temperature without burning the oil. While browning add onions and minced garlic; once browned add garlic powder, cloves, cinnamon, and sage, cover the top of meat mixture with salt (I prefer seasalt or kosher) and same, twice around the pot with pepper (preferrably fresh ground). Mix the meat and seasonings and add in boiling water to meat mixture, enough to cover the top. Bring to boil, lower to simmer about 3hrs. or until water is reduced to almost nothing. approximately half way through cooking process adjust your mixture with alspice, no more than a teaspoon should be required. I go by taste. Now to properly adjust the mixture for spreading purposes add in enough bread crumbs to absorb the remaining liquid in the pot. Using a hand blender puree meat mixture. Divide into containers and let cool before freezing or putting in fridge. yeilds 3-4lbs. Enjoy!

MY MOM'S FRENCH CANADIAN CRETONS

Steps:

• Put the ground pork, minced onion and garlic,dry mustard, allspice, salt and pepper in a medium size pot and begin to cook on med. high heatuntil meat looses some of its pinkness -- add the can of soup and water and cook till the mixture begins to bubble. Lower heat and let simmer 1/2 hr, stirring often so it doesn't stick.
• When the mixture has cooked and cooled, put into food processor and pulse -- careful not to make it too fine -- you want it a wee bit chunky but spreadable.
• You can put it into small plastic containers.or as mom does -- freeze in ice cube trays -- then pop out just one at a time.
• It's a good idea to seal with bacon fat -- unhealthy but it does seem to give it good flavor and keep it moist.

CRETONS

Steps:

• Place the ground pork, milk, onion and garlic into a large saucepan. Season with salt, pepper, cloves and allspice. Cook over medium heat for about 1 hour, then stir in the bread crumbs. Cook for 10 more minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to a small container and keep refrigerated.

EMERIL LAGASSE'S CRETON

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, add the pork and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
• Add the onions and garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the salt, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the milk and bread crumbs and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring to break up the meat.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Remove the lid and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and all the liquid is evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
• Transfer to a decorative bowl or several smaller ramekins, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled and firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Serve with thinly sliced French bread or toasted French bread croutons.

PORK SCRAP - PORK GUTON - CRETONS à L'ANCIENNE

Steps:

• Cook pork until no longer pink, do not drain.
• Add remaining ingredients; cook slowly for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Refrigerate until serving (preferably overnight).