Your Next BBQ Will Need a “trash Plate” Station.
During college, when it would get a full three seconds warmer in upstate New York, my friends and I would go out to get trash dishes. Yes, this dish is a lot like its name—opening a trash can after a backyard party—but for a certain type of person, this dish is a menagerie of summer delights. I am that kind of person, and maybe you are too. I’d like to invite you to a world where all your favorite BBQ foods can live together on one plate. Join me, okay?
The Rochester Garbage Plate, also called the trash dish, is a source of pride for upstate New Yorkers. He is said to have been created by Nick Tahoe Hots , although I don’t know if anyone else is vying for that title. Me and my friends would get it in a random roadside driving situation.
The dumpster plate consists of all the classic backyard party favorites: a grilled cheeseburger, hot dog or bologna piled atop French fries (or french fries), sharing space with a pile of macaroni salad and a scoop of baked beans. Beef chili is served on top along with chopped raw onions and a strip of yellow mustard. For some, this combination may be terrifying, but others have been eating side dishes this way their entire lives.
List of products on the trash plate:
While you may not subscribe to the original version of the trash plate (I realize baked beans, mustard, and pasta salad might be a little offensive), I still think the trash plate is completely open to interpretation. Even Nick Tahoe Hots’ order form shows a wide variety of options, including grilled cheese or grilled ham. No matter the person, there is a great side dish combination for everyone. This means that adding a DIY trash collection station to your next dinner party is a good and smart idea.
To make a great trash bowl, consider the formula: grilled protein + salad (preferably topped with mayonnaise) + fried or baked potatoes + dressing. Serve grilled chicken thighs, fried fish, tofu or soy sauce glazed pork belly. I love macaroni salad, but you could offer German potato salad or even coleslaw instead. I don’t know who would argue with fries or fries – they’re gluten-free and vegan – so you can leave them out and the sauce is up to you. The classic “hot sauce” is similar to hot ground beef chili, but you can offer vegetarian chili, and for a lighter option I would recommend pico de gallo or salsa verde.
If you decide to stock classic trash bowls, there’s no need to emphasize it—you can buy almost all of the ingredients pre-made in the deli section of your grocery store. However, if you are preparing part of the dish at home, the best advice I ever received was from A. A. Newton about pasta salad: be sure to overcook the pasta .