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Hobo Dinner Foil Packets

Hobo dinner foil packets deliver an all-in-one dinner with tender potatoes, carrots, and onions steamed alongside thin beef patties. Cook them over campfire heat in sealed foil for easy cleanup and juicy, savory results.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
potatoes
  • 4 potatoes, medium sliced
carrots
  • 4 carrots sliced
onion
  • 1 onion sliced
salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
butter
  • 4 tbsp butter
heavy-duty aluminum foil
  • 4 heavy-duty aluminum foil sheets

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the beef and packets
  1. Divide the ground beef into 4 portions and shape each into thin patties.
  2. For each foil sheet, layer sliced potatoes, carrots, and onions, then place a beef patty on top.
  3. Season each packet with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then add 1 tablespoon butter on top of the beef.
  4. Fold foil into sealed packets and crimp the edges tightly to prevent steam from escaping.
Campfire cook
  1. Place packets on a campfire grate over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through so they cook evenly.
  2. Carefully open the packets and check that the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, watching for steam.
  3. Let the packets cool for 5 minutes before serving directly from the packets.

Notes

Pro tip: slice potatoes and carrots evenly so they finish tender at the same time as the beef patties. Refrigerate leftovers in sealed containers up to 3 days and reheat until hot through. Freezing is not recommended because foil-steamed vegetables can get softer after thawing. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef (90% lean) to reduce total fat while keeping the packet method the same.