Last time I posted Rochester Style Garbage Plates, it was an ode to Nick Tahou on his birthday, the evil genius behind piling greasy foods on a plate, leaving behind a legacy and tradition for all Rochester natives.
A Garbage Plate is a loaded dish of crispy home fries, hot sauce, macaroni salad and cheeseburgers topped with raw onions, condiments and slices of white bread.
This time around it to celebrate hubby and his friends traveling up to Buffalo, New York this weekend for a Buffalo Bills game. In his mind, nothing says fall football more than spicier-than-h*ll buffalo wings and Garbage Plates.
I know what you are thinking… “What in the world is a garbage plate?? I just see a pile of random food!” Ding, ding, ding- you got it! Garbage plates come in many varieties, but they are all comprised of three basic layers: the base, meat and toppings.
The base is generally crispy home fries and sometimes French fries. I liked to make mine in giant cubes, but to each their own.
Next comes more carbs in the form of macaroni salad. For a garbage plate, a dry mac salad made a day ahead of time is best. All the other condiments will result in it being too saucy if your mac salad is a wet one.
The one ingredient that never changes is what garbage plate goers call Rochester Hot Sauce. Not the usual Texas Pete, but instead beef simmered in onion, garlic, tomato sauce and spices to an almost chili-like consistency, but ironically not very spicy.
The base can consist of macaroni salad, baked beans, home fries or French fries. The meat layer can be just about any piece of meat, or non-meat, you can think of!
A traditional plate uses cheeseburgers or hamburgers, but you can also mix it up and get hot dogs, grilled cheese, fried fish, steak, Italian sausage or fried chicken fingers.
The toppings range from fried eggs, extra cheese, raw onion, sauteed onion, mustard, ketchup or relish. All plates are served with a side of buttered bread to mop up the extra sauce, the goal being to end up with a clean plate.
Not down for this long process, but want to try a plate? You can always purchase pre-made macaroni salad, canned mild chili and frozen home fries. Another little fact, health.com has rated the Garbage Plate the fattiest food in the entire state of New York, so please consume in moderation!
- 6 cups classic macaroni salad click for recipe
- 2 cups crispy home fries click for recipe
- 4 cups Rochester hot sauce click for recipe
- 12 frozen hamburger patties
- 12 slices American cheese
- 12 slices white bread
- butter softened, for buttering the bread
- ketchup
- yellow mustard
- raw onions , chopped
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Fire up the grill to high heat. Grill each hamburger patty 5 minutes on each side for a medium burger. Top with cheese and allow to melt for 1 minute, remove.
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Now you are ready to build your magnificent Rochester Style Garbage Plate! Take a large scoop of home fries, place on one side of the plate. Next, take a large scoop of macaroni salad and place on the other side of the plate. Top with 1-2 cheeseburgers, then raw onions and Rochester hot sauce. Finish with any desired condiments and serve with a slice of buttered bread. Enjoy your Rochester Style Garbage Plate!
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If you've tried this recipe, come back and leave us a comment!
James Nohe
Worked across the street from Nick Tahou’s for a few years. Ate more of these than I care to admit, and they are fantastic. THank you for the recipe, as I haven’t been able to duplicate the hot sauce to my taste yet.
Jessica at Savory Experiments
Glad you enjoyed it!
Penny
Being from Rochester, NY this item is a must after a night out! My favorite place is Mark’s Texas Hots, best garbage plates hands down. After 3 am on a weekend don’t be surprised to see a line at this spot. Make sure you request extra meat sauce on the side with your order. One order is enough to feed two adults; but most of us don’t share; LOL.
Jessica at Savory Experiments
Hey Penny,
We haven’t been to Mark’s! We are heading up for a visit next month and will be sure to check it out. I agree, no long night out should go without a Garage Plate!
Camesha
I can’t lie. I would eat it. It goes against ALL of my fitness goals though! LOL!
Racquel
I’ve never heard of Garbage Plates. It looks interesting and my husband would totally eat it. I’m not big on mixing all my food together.
Aunt Bee
My husband would be in heaven with this ‘garbage plate’!!!!!
Ann Bacciaglia
Pinned this to my KickAss Food board. I would totally eat this and think it looks delicious.
Katerina
We make something similar in Greece and it is delicious as I believe this dish is as well!
Jason
Why is this called a Rochester anything like it is some crazy New York concoction. Back home, we just called it “what we had”. Don’t understand that nonsense.
Carry on, ye of simple minds.
Sandra Shaffer
Smorgasbord! A little of this and a little of that! Super filling, just what I need to make for my son!
Tess
Ha ha garbage plate? I would definitely eat it I just would have to call it something else LOL
savoryexperiments
I agree, Tess, the name needs a facelift.
Tracey
I have never heard of anything like this! I don’t think I would be brave enough to eat it.
krystalskitsch
I just like that it’s paired with a Miller Lite! Yum! Sounds awesome.
Marybeth Hamilton
I don’t think I could eat it. But I have a feeling my husband would love it!
Christie
Garbage never looked so good! I would love to try that
Beth@FrugalFroggie
It looks yummy. I would eat garbage plates for dinner. And the left over beer.
Stacie
My husband will be SO happy to hear what he calls ‘This is what I threw together’ is an actual thing!! 😉
Heidy L. McCallum @The McCallum's Shamrock Patch
Rochester Style Garbage Plates sound like pure comfort and delicious! I’m loving this Throwback post series you have been doing!!!
Victoria
Yes, we eat garbage plates – except, we call them leftovers 🙂
In all seriousness, I’ve never heard of them before but we do combine Mac-n-Cheese with baked beans with sausage dogs or veggie burgers whenever they are still in the fridge the next morning. Who knew we were creating our very own garbage plate?
Have a wonderful weekend.
Blessings,
Victoria
Mom Does Reviews
Donna
Um, yeah! I’d absolutely eat a garbage plate! I know my hubby would, too. 🙂
Danielle @ We Have It All
Wow… I think I’m speechless haha. This is an interesting concept, I totally get why it’s called the garbage plate lol. I’m one of those weirdos who can’t have food touching another food so my gut is telling me to reach through the screen and separate all that food on the plates haha.
deb
Hmmm, not sure if I would eat it or not. However, I would definitely give it a try.
Nicole Brady
When in Rome… I like trying regional specialties and often seek them out when I travel. If it’s one of the unhealthiest foods in America, I’m pretty sure I would love it! LOL
Liz Mays
You’ve got to be kidding, right? Of COURSE I’d eat a garbage plate. Anytime!
Brett
We do SOAP (stuff on a plate) but I haven’t heard of a garbage plate. And I’m from ct!
savoryexperiments
That is cute Brett- and it sounds much better than “garbage”!
Femke - Desired Cooking
Being from New Zealand I have never heard of a garbage plate before! I do love anything with hot sauce though, so must be delicious 🙂
Pam
This looks like a really popular diner meal we had in St. Louis. Except there they called it a Slinger.
Chrystal @ YUM eating
There are times when my foods can mix, but for the most part I have a huge issue with my foods mixing on my plate. Weird, I know 😉
LydiaF
I’d eat it and enjoy it until a few hours later when I’d deeply regret it, hahaha.
Shell
I lived in Rochester for a year and my roommate got these all the time. I passed on them, though.
Janel (A Mom's Take)
I most definitely would eat a garbage plate. Looks delicious. Makes me hungry actually.
DONNA G
It looks just as good as we get then here in Rochester
savoryexperiments
Thank you Aunt Donna! David made them- you’ll have to give him the credit!
Toni C.
That dish is not for me, but my husband loves it. Another one that LOVES his Buffalo Bills! He was born & raise in Buffalo. Guess it’s time for us to make a trip up there.
savoryexperiments
Toni- you and I are the same page. He LOVES them, but I just can’t do it… all that food mixed together just bothers me.
April @ Everyday Fitness and Nutrition
I think my arteries clogged up just reading this! But it’s definitely an interesting concept!
savoryexperiments
Oh yes, everything in moderation, right?
Robin (Masshole Mommy)
That looks like heaven on a plate if you ask me. I wish I could have one for dinner tonite actually!
Kay Adeola
Yes I would eat a garbage plate,that looks so good I will have to try something like this here and see what the family think.