This is another French Canadian specialty from my childhood growing up in Montreal! Cretons de Quebec is a sort of pork pate served most commonly as a spread for toast at breakfast.
Personally, I always thought it had an acquired taste and I never saw the need to acquire it. My sister, however, LOVES the stuff!
When I was in Quebec City a while back, I tried it again. I think it’s important to try foods again once in a while as our taste buds do change. It was good but still not spectacular.
Then, I learned that many of the locals in Quebec like to add some mustard or jam over top when they eat. Let me tell you, that made all the difference for me.
Blackberry jam and Cretons de Quebec are a pretty tasty combination. Since then, I’ve tried it with apple butter. The apples and pork go together really well.
Cretons de Quebec Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground pork (try it with ground turkey if you’d prefer!)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 medium onion – finely diced
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground allspice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup bread crumbs (depending on how thick you want the mixture to be)
Instructions:
Cook the meat in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Note: you can drain off some of the fat if you prefer, but if it’s too dry, you won’t end up with the creamy texture you’re looking for. Some even add extra lard and one person I spoke with said they add bacon fat!
Add the onion, garlic, and spices and cook until onions have softened slightly. Add the milk and bread crumbs and continue to simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
Be sure to stir occasionally until the milk mostly evaporates and the mixture starts to thicken.
Remove from the heat and taste. Adjust seasoning as desired.
This is served cool or even cold from the fridge (which is where it should be stored). Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before serving to allow it to firm up.
Cretons de Quebec
Cretons de Quebec is a sort of pork pate served most commonly as a spread for toast at breakfast. Try it with blackberry jam or apple butter.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork try it with ground turkey if you’d prefer!
- 2 cups milk
- 1 medium onion – finely diced
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground allspice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup bread crumbs depending on how thick you want the mixture to be
Instructions
-
Cook the meat in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Note: you can drain off some of the fat if you prefer, but if it's too dry, you won't end up with the creamy texture you're looking for. Some even add extra lard and one person I spoke with said they add bacon fat!
-
Add the onion, garlic, and spices and cook until onions have softened slightly. Add the milk and bread crumbs and continue to simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
-
Be sure to stir occasionally until the milk mostly evaporates and the mixture starts to thicken.
-
Remove from the heat and taste. Adjust seasoning as desired.
-
This is served cool or even cold from the fridge (which is where it should be stored). Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before serving to allow it to firm up.
Connie says
It doesn’t sound like something I’d like but I bet my father-in-law would have.
Donna Trice says
My mother was born in Quebec. I have been eating this for 65 years. My aunt taught me to make this. I have never seen it made with milk and breadcrumbs ! The amount of spicess I that are in this recipe would hardly flavor this spread.
We used 2 cups of water and sprinkled each spices and salt and pepper generously over the meat.
Cyn Gagen says
Yes apparently there are some regional/family differences. I learned to make it from a dear family friend who was born in Quebec and was a chef so maybe he changed it a bit too. Perhaps I will experiment with more spices in it. Thanks for the suggestion!
Angela Cristina Pelletier says
Hi, can you share your recipe?
Cyn Gagen says
The recipe is right in the blog post. 🙂
Kurt Pelletier says
Yeah my mother and my aunt and my grandmother never made it with milk they did use some bread crumbs can you send me your version of the creaton I’ll be appreciate it cuz when they all passed away they never wrote it down so I made it once with them when I was a kid I know what’s in it basically the closest I ever came to was Triple D when they did the little diner in Peabody but they’re no longer there either thank you [email protected] thank you very much
Micheline Drolet says
I will surely try the recipe. I’m from Quebec. I make my recepie for creton.
Have a good day
Micheline
Cyn Gagen says
Let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions to improve it!
Gillen Reed says
This looks like a great recipe and I can’t wait to try it, it’s hard to find it here in English New Brunswick. It’s the only one I found with the addition of milk and I think milk is important to make the pork tender and the paté smooth. I will post again to let you know how I made out. 🙂
Cyn Gagen says
I can’t wait to hear how it turned out!
Linda says
Just made this version yesterday. At first, I questioned using the milk, as my Quebecois family used mashed potatoes, but I like it and think the milk or mashed potatoes could be used. Next time, I am going to add a bit more of the spices. Once chilled (overnight), I ran the pate through the food processor, making it nice and creamy. My sons all loved it on toasted bagels this morning with mustard, and sweet pickles on the side.
Cyn Gagen says
Oh I love your ideas!
Catt says
Yesss I make it with potatoes tho its a meat pie recipe and its oiled to cook with potatoes and water from potatoes its almost the same thing as my pies I make
marcelle livernoche says
Instead of breadcrumbs,I use uncooked grated large potato it will help to thicking,fromSte Ursule,Québec.
Josee Boudreau says
My mom is from Quebec City and you NAILED this recipe. Made it for my FIL. Served cold on toast and topped with mustard ❤❤❤Thank you!!!!
Cyn Gagen says
Yay! I am so glad you liked it!
Pauline A. Landry says
I am French-Canadian and grew up on this spread. We called it “Gorton”. We did not use milk. I make it still but use ground turkey. After much experimenting, I find that 2 lbs. ground turkey, 4 cups chicken broth simmered together with a finely chopped large onion work for me. I use Cajun spices. When this has simmered a proper length of time, I add 1 cup quick oats and simmer on low heat until reduced to proper consistency — usually 45 minutes. I’ve always eaten this on toast and some mustard. Bon appetit!
Tom Hardman says
I have always called it Gortons and my memere made it with extra leaf lard Imake a little healthier version without the lard .
allspice cinnamon and. Clove Salt and pepper to taste
Pauline A. Landry says
I am French-Canadian and grew up on this spread. We called it “Gorton”. We did not use milk. I make it still but use ground turkey. After much experimenting, I find that 2 lbs. ground turkey, 4 cups chicken broth simmered together with a finely chopped large onion work for me. I use Cajun spices. When this has simmered a proper length of time, I add 1 cup quick oats and simmer on low heat until reduced to proper consistency — usually 45 minutes. I’ve always eaten this on toast and some mustard. Bon appetit!
Cyn Gagen says
That sounds DELICIOUS! I love how there are regional and family differences among recipes. I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
Pauline A. Landry says
Thank you for considering my recipe.
Wezi Bowker says
My family has enjoyed creton for many generations. We use only salt, pepper & sage (or poultry seasoning). None of us like the other spices in our creton. I like it best on toast with thinly sliced pickles!
Cyn Gagen says
Oh interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Donna says
Hello I looked at your recipe and it is similar to how I prepare it. I use very little bread crumbs and load up the spices. And from my Aunt, I learned years ago to use evaporated milk instead of regular milk. It’s all good and brings back many memories of years ago.
Cyn Gagen says
Ohhh I’ll try the evaporated milk. Thanks for the tip!
Leanne says
I’m so excited to try this. I remember my mother serving something like this when I was young. I’m curious, how long does it keep in the fridge.
Annick says
I grew up in Quebec, and I lived there until I was 19. A big part of my family is still there. We always had cretons in the fridge for breakfast. Fat is very important… some people actually leave it on top when it’s left to firm up. Most people like mustard on it, but let me tell you, you have to try it with Cheese Whiz on top.. A thin layer of Cheese Whiz on top of the creton layer on a toast is just the zip one could really get used to! Thanks for sharing your recipe!!!
Cyn Gagen says
Ohhh great idea! I never thought of that but I bet it’s delicious. Can’t wait to try it.
Michelle FD says
Back in the 1980 I lived in Hull QC (across the river from Ottawa ON). Creton was always a periodic breakfast “treat”, because it was said to be unhealthy (and my French-Canadian Dad and I could eat a whole container or block in one sitting). In the 1980s I stayed with work friends in Quebec City for one of the Carnaval parade weekends. Our hosts set out a big Quebec-er breakfast, with eggs, all breakfast meats, fricassé potatoes, baked beans (fèves au lard), toast and creton … and made us try Cheez Whiz & creton toast (their way was to spread Cheez Whiz to melt on hot toast then top it with creton). OMG, we were hooked. Our parents, family and friends thought it was gross-sounding and wouldn’t even try it. Ny then-boyfriend/eventual husband already ate toast and creton as a “special” treat on leisurely holiday mornings like boxing day and holiday Mondays – and since that Quebec City breakfast, Cheese Whiz & creton on toast became became our new tradition.
I stumbled upon this recipe today, almost 2 years after your comment. For medical reasons and as of recently, I can no longer eat beef or pork, so I’m in that beginning stage of gathering recipes to try. I had already saved ahomemade “clean” Cheez Whiz recipe and – “turkey” caught my eye in this recipe as something I can eat. It will be nice to have portions of this comfort food in the freezer for those times when you just don’t know what to eat.
In the end, I appreciated your comment Annick as it brought back such great (and frigid February) memories.
More importantly, your comment is the first time since discovering “creton & Cheez Whiz” decades ago that I have ever seen anyone mention that combo.
Cyn Gagen says
I have never heard of eating it with Cheez Whiz but I bet that’s delicious.
LOUISE J RAKER says
I am from Montreal and we never put milk in our cretons. We add water while cooking them and they are delicious.
Cyn Gagen says
Thank you for sharing your variation! I grew up in Montreal but this recipe came from a dear friend who was a chef from Quebec City. I know that there can be regional differences. I am going to try yours with the water – can’t wait to try it!
Carmen says
I have been looking for some different ideas for meat spreads and this fits the bill . Very satisfying
Clifford says
You let it simmer with a cover or no cover.
Cyn Gagen says
I use a cover but I’m not sure that it really matters. I’m going to try it soon both ways and report back about the differences.
Marcel says
I’m From Gatineau or Outaouais Region and I Grew up with it. We Call it Creton and our Family recipe has 1 cup of milk add water if it goes to dry don’t use lean Pork the milk makes it richer and silky. The spice is cloves or allspice but use to taste cinnamon is a no no where I’m from Originally. Do not use Butter use 1 TBSP of Lard, some recipes have butter but that makes it hard . Rolled Oats or Quick Oats makes it better than Bread crumbs.
I’m in my 60’s now and Live In Australia. I’ve Been Making this for 35 Years Our Family Recipe is very close to the Little Nomads recipe website
Cyn Gagen says
Interesting. Thanks for sharing your version. It’s a bit different than the one I grew up with in Montreal but it sure sounds good!