Instant Pot Garbage Plate–a homemade version of the Garbage Plate that you’ll find in Rochester, NY. This is extreme American cuisine at its finest! Cook the delicious meat sauce in your Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Note: the SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe card below
Instant Pot Garbage Plate
Do you want to eat something called a garbage plate? Haha! It has a very unflattering name. The Garbage Plate got its start in Rochester New York at a restaurant called Nick Tahou Hots. The original version started in 1918 and was called “Hots and Potatoes.” It was basically a plate piled high with fried potatoes, baked beans, hot dogs, onions, mustard, and a chili-like meat sauce.
Years later the dish was nicknamed the “Garbage Plate.” The restaurant was a popular place for college students who would see the huge plate of food coming out of the kitchen and would say to their waitress, “can I get one of those plates with all the garbage on it?” The name stuck and the tradition has continued until today.
Today, this unique dish is a popular item all over the Rochester area. There are different versions of the dish but basically it starts with a starchy base and then topped with hot dogs or cheeseburger patties, then the meat sauce, onions and mustard. Sometimes the garbage plate is served with rolls or bread to sop up all the sauce.
WHOA! It’s a lot, I know. However your homemade version can be as simple as a hot dog with the meat sauce on top or you can get extreme with all the layers. If you do that you may want to have some Tums on hand at your house! Skyler and I shared a homemade garbage plate and we both loved it…we were both very full!!
- The garbage plate is an extreme dinner. If you’d prefer just serve the meat sauce over hot dogs (sort of like a chili dog). Another idea is to serve the meat sauce over spaghetti noodles. I really loved the meat sauce and think you will too!!
- The meat sauce is made by first browning the ground beef and then adding in seasonings. It’s pressure cooked using the soup button on your Instant Pot (if you don’t have a soup button just use the manual/pressure cook button). Then you will simmer and reduce down the meat sauce by using the saute setting without the lid. You don’t need to stir or babysit it as it reduces. I used this time to prepare the other garbage plate ingredients.
- The meat sauce can be as spicy or bland as you like it. I started with a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Remember you can always add more as you need it but you can’t take it away!
- I liked using 80/20 ground beef as it has some fat and flavor. Don’t worry about draining the grease.
- I love cooking frozen fries in my air fryer*! Perfect every time!
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in the 3 or 8 quart pot with no changes.
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Instant Pot Garbage Plate
- Total Time: 9 minute
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A homemade version of the Garbage Plate that you’ll find in Rochester, NY. This is extreme American cuisine at its finest! Cook the delicious meat sauce in your Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Ingredients
For the meat sauce:
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 1/2 cup minced dried onions
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups water
- 1 Tbsp better than bouillon beef base
For the garbage plate:
- French fries
- Baked beans or macaroni salad
- Hot dogs or cheeseburger patties
- Ketchup and mustard and hot sauce
- Diced onions
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Brown for about 5 minutes. Add in the onions, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, cinnamon and salt. Coat the meat well. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Pour in the water and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Add in the beef base.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 20 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. Let the meat sauce simmer for 15-20 minutes and reduce down. Salt to taste. If you’d like it more spicy add extra cayenne pepper.
- While meat sauce is simmering prepare the other ingredients.
- To make a garbage plate start with a layer of fries, then baked beans or macaroni salad, hot dogs/cheeseburgers, squirt of mustard and ketchup, a scoop of the meat sauce and finally a bit of hot sauce and diced onions.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the beef and break it up. Brown for about 5 minutes. Add meat to slow cooker. Add in the onions, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, cinnamon and salt. Coat the meat well.
- Pour in the water and add in the beef base.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Remove the lid, turn slow cooker to high and cook without the lid for 4 hours.
- Salt to taste. If you’d like it more spicy add extra cayenne pepper.
- To make a garbage plate start with a layer of fries, then baked beans or macaroni salad, hot dogs/cheeseburgers, squirt of mustard and ketchup, a scoop of the meat sauce and finally a bit of hot sauce and diced onions.
Notes
The garbage plate is an extreme dinner. If you’d prefer just serve the meat sauce over hot dogs (sort of like a chili dog). Another idea is to serve the meat sauce over spaghetti noodles.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: Pressure cook 20 minutes and simmer for 15 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I am a Rochestarian!!! Imagine my surprise when I came across this recipe. It made my heart so happy. You must come try the real thing. There is nothing in the world like it. 🙂
I believe you Erin! I will come and try!
I’m from Rochester, NY as well as the above commenter. Garbage Plates are yummy and a cultural icon as stated before. My husband and I live full time in a motor coach now and travel the country. We do have a seasonal site at a campground in the Rochester area that we stay at in the summertime so we can get our fix of Garbage Plates. Oh and see family and friends 😉 In the winter we travel and are in TX and other places. Can’t wait to try your version of the meat sauce and compare.
I love how you said you go back to Rochester for the garbage plates! That just shows how great they are. I love to hear about your adventures!
This sounds so fun!!!
It is!!
Ive been to Rochester and had the garbage plate and LOVED it! Thanks for the recipe! Do you have a recipe for fries in the air fryer? I’m not real confident with that applilance.
I’m jealous! I feel like a need to make a trip to Rochester! I just google how to make fries in the air fryer. And I just use those directions. I don’t have my own recipe.
I have lived in Rochester, NY my entire 67+ years on earth.
The Nick Tahou Garbage Plate is a cultural icon.
They are simply delicious. I’ve had the original and many of the copycat versions that are here as well.
I’m talking seriously delicious!!!
Many stars and musicians made a point to stop at Nick Tahou’s very late at night. They used to be open 24/7.
If you ever make it here, do yourself a favor and try one!
Now I really need to make a trip out to Rochester just to try it!!!