Creton Quebecois

 Ingredients:

14oz back fat

7 tbsp water

1½ cups onions chopped

1 tbsp garlic chopped

4 tsp unsalted butter

1 2/3 lbs ground pork

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1 cup crackling

1 1/3 cup milk

1 tbsp ground cloves

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp allspice

1 tbsp ground savory

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Crackling:

·    To make the crackling cut the backfat into 2cm sized cubes and place in a large pot or dutch oven with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat abd simmer gently for 45 minutes. Strain in a sieve. Save the liquid fat, which will solidify into lard for other uses. The cooked pieces of fat left in the sieve are cracklings (their should be about 1 cup)

Creton:

·    In a large sauce pan over medium heat, sweat onions and garlic in butter

·    Add ground pork and cook until it begins to brown

·    When the pork is almost cooked through, add the bread crumbs, crackling and milk. Continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes

·    Drain the meat in a sieve, reserving the cooking juices

·    Transfer the meat into a food processor and pulse for 2 to 3 times, but not more. (if the mixture is too dry, add a little of the cooking juices)

·    Add the spices and adjust the seasoning to taste

·    Line a terriine with plastic wrap and pour in the creton mixture and cover

·    Let the  creton set over night in the fridge

(like all charcuterie, creton needs to be quite salty at the time of preparation so that the seasoning is just right after they have chilled)

Storage:

 will last for one week in the refrigerator