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Hobo Dinner Foil Packets

Hobo dinner foil packets make an all-in-one campfire meal with tender potatoes and carrots wrapped around seasoned ground beef. Steam-sealed packets cook quickly over medium heat, then you open them to serve right from the foil for easy cleanup.
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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: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Form patties and prep packets
  1. Divide the ground beef into 4 portions and shape each into a thin patty.
  2. Lay out 4 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil and layer sliced potatoes, then carrots, then onions on each sheet.
  3. Place one beef patty on top of the vegetables in each packet and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon butter on top of each packet.
Seal and cook over campfire heat
  1. Fold the foil into sealed packets, crimping the edges tightly so no steam escapes.
  2. Place packets on a campfire grate over medium heat and cook for 25-30 minutes, with a flip halfway through.
  3. Look for a lively steam release when you open one packet at the end of cooking time and check that the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Rest and serve
  1. Carefully open the packets (watch for steam) and serve directly from the foil after letting them cool for 5 minutes.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the beef patties thin so they finish cooking at the same time as the vegetables. Refrigerate leftover packets in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat until steaming hot. Freezing is not recommended because the potatoes can soften too much after thawing. For a lighter option, swap half the ground beef for lean ground turkey or use an extra-lean beef.