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Hobo Dinner Cheeseburgers

Hobo dinner cheeseburgers made as foil packet burgers with thin beef patties, sliced potatoes, onions, and bell peppers baked on a campfire grate until tender. You’ll open the packets to reveal melted American cheese over vegetables and juicy burger bites.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rest 5 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef patties
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste Use to season the patties.
Foil packet vegetables
  • 2 potatoes Thinly sliced.
  • 1 onion Sliced.
  • 1 bell pepper Sliced.
  • 4 tbsp butter Divide into 1 tbsp per packet.
  • 4 heavy-duty aluminum foil 4 sheets, used to form packets.
Cheese topping
  • 4 American cheese Use 1 slice per burger.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Form patties
  1. Divide ground beef into 4 portions and form into thin patties, seasoning both sides with salt and pepper.
Assemble foil packets
  1. On each sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, layer sliced potatoes, onions, and bell peppers into an even mound.
  2. Place 1 burger patty on top of the vegetables and add 1 tablespoon butter over the patty.
  3. Fold foil into sealed packets, pressing edges tightly to keep steam in.
Cook on campfire grate
  1. Place the sealed packets on a campfire grate over medium heat and cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.
  2. Open one packet to check that potatoes are tender; if not, reseal and cook 3-5 minutes more.
Melt cheese and rest
  1. Open packets and add cheese slices directly to the burgers, then reseal briefly to melt the cheese for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Let packets cool for 5 minutes before serving from the packets.

Notes

For best texture, keep the beef patties thin so they cook through while the potatoes soften inside the foil. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat packets in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because potatoes can turn mealy after thawing. Dietary swap: use reduced-fat cheese slices if you want a lighter option without changing the foil-packet method.