Pork Scrap Pork Guton Cretons à Lancienne 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.

MEMERE'S CRETON (FRENCH CANADIAN PORK PATéE)

Steps:

• Combine the pork, onions, and garlic in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for about one hour.
• Add the cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper and continue simmering for about 20-30 minutes more.
• Add bread crumbs and simmer for about 15 more minutes. (For a spicier mixture, more cinnamon or cloves may be added.).
• Place a colander in the sink, and pour the creton mixture into it to drain off excess liquid.
• Place the cooked creton in several small containers (such as empty margarine tubs or small bowls), packing the mixture down tightly.
• Refrigerate. Serve cold as a spread for French bread or crackers.

MY MOM'S CRETONS (AKA GORTON) AND TOURTIERE

Steps:

• If your meat is too lean, cut up 1/4-1/3 pound Salt Pork, and render into lardons. Remove the salt pork bits, then continue the recipe, omitting the salt. Do not use bacon for the extra fat, bacon is smoked. You can use Lard, 1-2 T, in a pinch.
• Put all ingredients into a large sauce pot, just covering by an inch with the water.
• Mix together.
• Simmer on low, stirring frequently for 3-4 hours.
• Add water as needed to keep moist and from sticking.
• After the allotted cooking time you should have simmered the mixture down till there is about an inch of combined fat and water.
• Taste to check the seasonings. If your spices are old, you may need to re-spice the mixture
• (with the same amounts), then cook out the raw taste a bit.
• Transfer to a bowl to cool, stirring to keep fat suspended in meat.
• Serve warm on toast, or cold for sandwiches.
• For Tourtiere mix the same mixture with 3 0r 4 mashed (dry) potatoes,
• allowing them to suck up the moisture.
• Allow to cool, and ladle into pre-pared pie crusts.
• Egg wash and bake to specifications.

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!

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.

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.

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.

PORK SCRAPS

Steps:

• Discard water.
• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• Place salt pork in a single layer in a skillet.
• Place in oven or over very low heat, turning often so that all sides brown evenly.
• When sufficiently crisp, drain well and serve sprinkled over the top of your favorite savory dish.