However you spell it groton, creton or conton I t is just yummy comfort food, making a batch for my 97 year old mother and my sister tomorrow. I am 70 year old man and our family recipe is very similar to this one, has been handed down thru the years. I am the only one in our family that makes it now, my late Polish wife loved it but always complained it was never spicy enough, my 2 daughters in their 30's don't like it but they are both PHDs, what do they know lol. Bon Apetite all.

Just a comment: I have my Memere's recipe and it is spelled Creton.

Sounds wonderful, will try it out this Holiday! Just a thought, perhaps "Maid-Rites" from IA are the beef version...?

By the way I'm from Nashua, NH. Now I live in Oklahoma and no one has ever heard of Gorton!!!!

My Dad was from Canada and always made Gorton and I loved it as a child! He died in 1962 and I still make it. I'm 76 now!!!

I was born and raised in Salem Mass. My family is Canadian French. Memere lived with us on Loring Ave. and we had Corton every Christmas. At that time, pork butts came with a thick layer of fat which made the spread so delicious. We spread it on fresh white bread with mustard. I still have the Boston bean pot but haven't made beans in years.

For this wonderful French spread I go to the local meat market and they can grind out a lb of pork lean. You don't want from a store. Put on toast with mustard. Then of course is the pork pies. Memere made for all. Don't forget Whoopi pie and cream puffs.

My mother use to make this. I made sandwiches with it with mustard. I looked in my mothers hand written book that she use to have her recipes. Could not find it so asked a friend of mine for it . I made it last nite and made a sandwich with it today. Brought back memories. Luv it! I would have made it years ago if I had gotten the recipe from my Mom. Being from Maine and French Canadian descent. It was a staple in my house.

Love corton, tried your recipe. Love it!

My mother-in-law came from Prince Edward Island. She made this every Thanksgiving as an ingredient in her alternative to dressing, not in the bird, of course, but as a side. I believe she made it as described above, and have a handwritten recipe she gave me, but by the time it was served, she had mixed it with potatoes, more like the toutierre I see described in one of the comments. But there was always plenty without potatoes for sandwiches after. It was an amazing and tasty dish. I found my handwritten recipe today, and came looking Online for how to use it and stumbled onto this very helpful recipe and thread of comments. Thanks to you all, I think I can bring this recipe alive with this additional information.

Lived in French Canada and loved croton. Never ever heard it called corton. Don't know where that came from!

The correct spelling is Creton. When it is spoken it will sound like "Corton" if spoken with the Canadian accent.

Pork butt is the best, and if boiled with the bone its even better. Ask you butcher for it, should be free.

I start with Milk as starter or half & half. Also adding lard later. If yours is to soupy you can add a tablespoon of plain breadcrumbs.

I also use some chopped garlic. Love this stuff have been eating it for 66 years. In our family you only made this in months with an R in it.

Hi Bob. I recall allspice as the main flavor plus an equal number of onions to. We are also French Canadian. You mentioned that it was made on the months with an R in them. I wonder if this is because the months containing an R the shellfish are reproducing and not very good to eat. It seems to be a recipe from coast. This is the best cooking site and I am thankful to all of you especially CM.

Hint for creamy groton: After the liquid runs clear, I start stirring the mixture every 1/2 hr. or so with my immersion blender. The groton becomes very spreadable after refrigeration.

My aunt used to make this every winter. But it had bread and celery in it. If there is anyone out there that remembers this recipe please post it.

Great Stuff. We grew up on it.

My Mem-mere always made corton. She always gave it to my Dad to put on sandwich bread. She made hers with pork shoulder. She has passed on now but I do have her recipe to keep my French-Canadian heritage alive!

Hi Heather,

My great grandmother always made French corton as she came from Canada. I always remember putting it on sandwich bread with mustard, so delicious. However she has passed along with her way of making it & now I'm looking to make some.

Could you share your recipe? Thank you.

I grew up in New Hampshire in a huge French-Canadian family. I was the biggest fan of Gorton. She passed away a few years ago and the recipe went with her. I am 66 now and this afternoon I am making my first pot of gorton. I looked at several recipes and for some reason had memories of allspice so I took the plunge. I did the right thing. It's a glorious afternoon. Thank you.

A quick follow up to yesterday. I chilled my Gorton overnight and found that it looked too rough not as smooth as I remember. I took out my potato masher, mashed for a minute and like magic - there It was. The taste was perfect it looked perfect and bottom line Mom would be giddy. thank you so much again

Yes, John, my mother told me about the potato masher 'trick'. She claimed to do this because the pork is not as fatty as it was years ago - also, for the same reason leave a bit more liquid in the finished product. And, by the way I do the masher several times while cooking...toward the end and usually again once it's done. By any chance do you also make salmon pie?