Name: Québec Cretons (Pork Spread)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 350 min
Yield: 8 portions
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 454 g medium-ground pork, cold; 30 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 150 g yellow onion, finely chopped; 250 mL unsalted chicken broth, preferably low-sodium; 1 g ground cinnamon; 1 g ground cloves; 2 g dried parsley; 30 g plain dry breadcrumbs, unseasoned; 2 g fine salt; 0.5 g ground black pepper

Wide breakfast-table view of a crock of Québec cretons and toast with a knife spreading the pork mixture. — A knife spreads the chilled cretons onto crusty bread.

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 75 minutes

Total 350 minutes

Calories 190 kcal per serving

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Québec Cretons (Pork Spread)

Cretons is a Québec charcuterie-style spread made mainly from ground pork, onion and seasonings. It is packed into a mould and chilled until firm, then served as a spread. It is distinct from cretons de panne, which is made from pork fat rather than ground meat.

Recipes vary by household. This version follows a Québec pork recipe with broth, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, cloves and parsley. It uses pork only; versions with milk, veal or different spices are separate variations.

Practical

Keep the raw pork refrigerated until you are ready to cook. Use a separate board and utensils for raw pork, then wash hands and surfaces well.
Simmer gently with the lid on so the pork cooks through without drying out. Stir every 10–15 minutes to prevent sticking.
Use a digital thermometer to check that the centre reaches at least 71°C, the safe temperature for ground pork.
Add breadcrumbs after cooking and mash while the mixture is warm. Chill for at least 4 hours before judging the final texture.

Ingredients

For the pork spread

454 g medium-ground pork, cold
30 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
150 g yellow onion, finely chopped
250 mL unsalted chicken broth, preferably low-sodium
1 g ground cinnamon
1 g ground cloves
2 g dried parsley
30 g plain dry breadcrumbs, unseasoned
2 g fine salt
0.5 g ground black pepper

Directions

Method

Soften the onionKeep the pork refrigerated until needed. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until softened.
Cook the porkAdd the ground pork. Break it into small pieces and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes until no large raw clumps remain. Keep utensils that touched raw pork away from cooked food.
Simmer with broth and seasoningsStir in the broth, cinnamon, cloves, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 55 minutes, stirring every 10–15 minutes.
Reduce and check the temperatureUncover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring, until most free liquid has evaporated and the pork mixture is thick. Check the centre with a digital thermometer; ground pork must reach at least 71°C. If needed, continue cooking and check again.
Make it spreadableRemove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs. Mash firmly with a spoon or briefly pulse with an immersion blender until finely textured and spreadable, while keeping a little texture. Taste and adjust only after the pork is fully cooked.
Pack and chillSpoon into a clean shallow container or small terrine mould and press down. Let it stand briefly, then refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, until firm.

Practical

Serving

Serve chilled or cool, spread on toast or crusty bread. Bread is a serving suggestion and is not included in the yield or nutrition estimate.

Make-ahead

Keep covered at 4°C or colder for up to 3 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. If reheating a portion, heat it to 74°C and serve promptly. Do not repeatedly warm the whole batch. This is a refrigerated spread, not a shelf-stable preserve.

Storage and reheating

The spread can be made up to 3 days ahead. Pack it into a shallow container, cool promptly and refrigerate covered; allow at least 4 hours to set before serving.

Control points

There is still a lot of broth after uncoveringContinue simmering uncovered and stir often so the mixture does not stick.
The spread seems loose before chillingPack it and chill for at least 4 hours before adding more breadcrumbs; it firms as it cools.
The texture is too coarseMash more while warm or pulse briefly with an immersion blender. Avoid making it completely smooth.
The mixture catches on the panLower the heat and stir more often. Add a small splash of broth only if the pan dries before the pork is cooked through.

Nutrition

Serving sizeAbout 1/8 of the batch
Calories190 kcal
Carbohydrate5 g
Protein11 g
Fat14 g
Fibre1 g
Sodium190 mg

Rounded estimate per one-eighth batch using generic USDA FoodData Central ingredient composition and approximate weights. Pork leanness, broth sodium and breadcrumb brands vary; unsalted broth is assumed. This is not a laboratory analysis or a product-label value.

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat and milk. Breadcrumbs contain wheat and butter contains milk; check the broth and breadcrumb labels for additional allergens and cross-contact statements. Keep raw pork separate from ready-to-eat foods and wash hands, utensils and surfaces after contact. Cook ground pork to at least 71°C. Refrigerate the finished spread within 2 hours, store at 4°C or colder, and use within 3 days. Reheat a serving to 74°C if desired.

FAQ

How are cretons usually served?

Cretons is commonly spread on toast or crusty bread. Serve it chilled or cool so it holds its shape but remains easy to spread.

Is cretons the same as cretons de panne?

No. This version uses ground pork. Cretons de panne refers to a preparation made from pork fat rather than ground meat.

Québec Cretons (Pork Spread)

Simmer ground pork with onion, broth and warm spices, then mash it with breadcrumbs until spreadable.
Pack and chill the mixture so it sets into a savoury spread for toast.