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Hobo Foil Packets

Hobo foil packets are an all-in-one campfire meal with tender sliced potatoes and vegetables cooked alongside seasoned ground beef in sealed aluminum foil. The packets steam as they cook, so everything comes out juicy and perfectly soft after a quick 5-minute rest before serving.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
rest 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef or stew meat
  • 1 lb ground beef or stew meat
potatoes
  • 4 potatoes sliced
carrots
  • 4 carrots sliced
onion
  • 1 onion sliced
green beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) green beans drained
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
butter
  • 4 tbsp butter
heavy-duty aluminum foil
  • 4 heavy-duty aluminum foil 4 sheets

Method
 

Prep the meat
  1. If using ground beef, form the meat into 4 patties; if using stew meat, divide into 4 portions so each packet gets an even layer.
Assemble the packets
  1. On each sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, layer the vegetables in this order: potatoes, carrots, onions, then green beans.
  2. Place one portion of meat on top of the vegetables in each foil sheet.
  3. Season each packet with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then top with 1 tablespoon butter so it melts during cooking.
  4. Fold the foil into sealed packets, pressing edges closed to prevent steam leaks.
Cook over medium campfire heat
  1. Place the packets on a campfire grate over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway for even cooking.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the packets cool for 5 minutes before carefully opening, so steam doesn’t escape too violently.

Notes

For best steam and tenderness, press foil seams firmly so no juices leak out during the flip. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat until hot throughout. Freezing is not recommended because potatoes can turn mealy after thawing. For a lower-fat swap, use lean ground beef (or trim stew meat) and reduce butter to 2 tablespoons total.