8 Sugaring Off Recipes at Sweet Prices

Maple syrup season is a yearly event that has everyone looking forward to the arrival of spring—and with it milder temperatures which allow maple tree sap to flow freely. This year, we’re spreading the syrupy joy at the table with an affordable menu made with simple ingredients, including eggs, legumes and bacon. These recipes, inspired by traditional sugar shack dishes, will definitely please the crowd.

1. Bacon, Beans and Egg Sheet-Pan Breakfast by RICARDO

Shakshuka and baked beans come together in this revisited recipe where vegetables, coated in a mixture of tomato, molasses and harissa, are cooked on a sheet pan. Add the white beans just before cracking the eggs into the holes in the mixture and bake again until the egg whites are cooked for an original meal served with toast.

2. Maple Cocktail Wieners

This easy-to-prepare dish showcases the taste of maple syrup, a must-have during the sugaring off season. Sweet chili sauce, Dijon mustard and sambal oelek round out the sauce, which complements the mini wieners.

3. Puffed Sugar Shack Style Omelet

This omelet will help you recreate the sugar shack atmosphere at home. To ensure that the mixture retains a nice puffy texture throughout its cooking, sprinkle the buttered surfaces of the cast iron pan with grated Parmesan cheese. This trick also has the advantage of adding flavour to the omelet, which is served right out of the oven.

4. Old fashioned pea soup with ham

The dried yellow peas that are the base of this recipe are among the most inexpensive ingredients in your pantry. Take them out the day before to soak them in water for several hours. In a saucepan, sauté vegetables with bacon and onions before adding the drained peas, broth and spices. Let everything simmer over low heat and add the ham in the last 30 minutes of cooking for a hearty soup perfect for weeknight dinners.

5. Homemade Crispy Pork Rinds

This homemade version of pork rinds is just like the ones served at the sugar shack. Make sure they are crispy by cutting the salted bacon into thin slices, but to do this freeze the piece of fat beforehand. The slices are then blanched and left to dry in the fridge before going into the deep fryer.

6. Braised ham, green grape sauce

In the spirit of a low-cost meal, we prefer to cook a toupie-style ham rather than a large bone-in ham, which costs more. Replace the brown sugar with maple syrup to add a “sugaring off” touch to the cooking liquid of the meat and to the green grape sauce for a great way to satisfy those with a sweet tooth, especially the kiddos!

7. Maple Fondue

The best way to end a sugaring off season on a high note is to bring everyone together for a decadent maple fondue. The unctuous preparation made with cream, maple syrup and cornstarch is quick and easy to throw together. It’s served with a variety of fruits and pieces of cake and/or donuts that you just have to dip into the mixture for peak maple pleasure!

8. Maple Syrup Sugar Pie

What we love about a sugar shack-style meal is the certainty of ending it on a sweet note. This pie, which is prepared with a homemade pastry crust, meets those expectations perfectly. Pour in the maple syrup mixture before baking it in the oven. Once it has cooled, cut it into wedges and serve with a scoop of ice cream.