Creton Quebecois: an intermediate recipe for canadophiles

It’s not every day that you can boast that you’ve created a culinary genius out of pigtail. In fact, the mere mention of the trim can relegate you to the ranks of Sam’s Club’s Bulk Bologna brigade.

Alliteration. The tactic of a very naughty writer.

But fear not, as your days of overlooking lower-class meats and spending money on commercially produced pâté are over (in case you beat this challenge, of course). The simplicity of this recipe, labeled intermediate only for the attention required, will keep it at a good price for a long time.

And yes, it freezes wonderfully.

Creton Quebecois is pork pate, and when made with patience and attention to detail, you will have a variety that competes with, if not directly mimicked, the best foie gras that flies in from the Dordogne. This recipe originates from the monasteries of the lower St. Lawrence River valley of Quebec, and made its way south to the mill towns of New England in the last years of the American Industrial Revolution. Traditionally, it is served on crackers or as a sandwich spread.

“When they are done correctly, like those of Father Wright, at the Collège de Sainte-Anne de la Pocatière, of Mrs. Trudelle, of Charlebourg, they are delicious. The Laurentian cretons are of two varieties: those made with leaf fat, which are frugal and well known; and cretons made from finely ground meat. Father Wright’s cretons, for the exclusive use of priests, had such a reputation for excellence among the students of the Collège de Sainte-Anne that, through their skill , sometimes he would steal a bowl, to make it his delight, like a forbidden fruit, in secret. Unfortunately, these delicious cretons are no longer to be found, not even in the priests’ refectory. Father Wright took the secret to the grave “.

(Excerpts translated from an original French text by Marius Barbeau describing Cretons. CMC, Marius Barbeau fonds, circa 1940, B273 / 10 / 110a).

Preparation: Buy (or harvest) 1 pound. pork shoulder. If you take it out of the store, ask your butcher to grind it, not once, but twice. Any butcher worth his salt will indulge you in this endeavor. Don’t think more than yourself getting a leaner cut of meat. You wouldn’t overpay, but your fat content will drop to nothing, so your pate will turn into nothing more than a dry paste, suitable for putty work and sidewalk repair. Pony raises $ 1.39 / lbs. and get to work.

If taken from the field, make sure you have a table grinder or a friend who can, as the meat must be ground twice. Twice, I tell you. Did I mention that it needs to be shredded twice?

This process does a couple of things. First, you chew the pork to make it easier to cook to the desired consistency, and second, you incorporate the excess fat into the meat, making it harder to undo during cooking. You want this fatty liver, think goose liver if your health groggy brain tells you otherwise.

The Quebecois Creton Recipe

1 pound. Pork butt, twice ground

1 medium yellow onion, minced or grated

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup of water

Mix all ingredients well in a medium saucepan, using your hands if necessary. Cover partially and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until most of the liquid evaporates. Stir occasionally to avoid burns. Pour the mixture into a cold container at room temperature and cover with a kitchen towel. Stir vigorously after 1/2 hour to reconstitute the separated fat and refrigerate until cold. Freeze in attractive, usable portion shapes.