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Hobo Dinner Foil Packets

Hobo dinner foil packets are an all-in-one campfire meal with tender potatoes and vegetables steamed in sealed aluminum. Each packet is flipped halfway, then opened to reveal ground beef, carrots, and onions bubbling hot over the grill.
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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: 700
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
Vegetables
  • 4 potatoes medium, sliced
  • 4 carrots sliced
  • 1 onion sliced
Seasonings
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
Butter
  • 4 tbsp butter divided
Foil
  • 4 heavy-duty aluminum foil sheets

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Form the patties
  1. Divide the ground beef into 4 portions and shape each into a thin patty.
  2. Set the patties aside while you slice the potatoes, carrots, and onion.
Build the packets
  1. Place 1 sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a flat surface and layer sliced potatoes, then carrots, then onions.
  2. Set 1 beef patty on top of the vegetables on the same foil sheet.
  3. Season each packet with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then top with 1 tablespoon butter.
  4. Fold the foil into a sealed packet and crimp the edges tightly so no steam escapes.
Cook over the campfire
  1. Place packets on a campfire grate over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  2. Watch for bubbling steam at the seams as a visual cue the packets are cooking evenly.
Finish and serve
  1. Carefully open each packet, watching for steam, and check that the beef is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
  2. Let packets cool for 5 minutes, then serve directly from the packets.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the beef patty thin so it finishes cooking at the same time as the potatoes. Refrigerate leftovers in sealed containers up to 3 days; reheat until hot throughout. Freeze yes (up to 2 months) after cooling, then thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven. For a lighter option, use 90% lean ground beef or a plant-based ground substitute and season as written.