Hobo Packets

February, 11th 2022 By Recipes by Sugar

Recipe Credit: Recipes By Sugar

Hobo Packets are a great recipe for camping as you can cook them on the fire, on a grill, or in the oven. Growing up I can remember always making these when I went camping with my grandparents. There are lots of different ways to make these, but this is the standard I grew up having them. The great thing about this recipe is if you have picky eaters you can easily leave out or add different items to their liking. Like my siblings and I did not like onion in these growing up but all the adults did. The great thing about this recipe is it is healthy and is easy to clean up. Kids also have a lot of fun assembling their own packet.

Ingredients for Hobo Packets

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 russet potatoes, sliced thin
• 1 small bag sliced carrots
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 stick butter
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Seasoning of choice

Utensils Needed

• Tin foil
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Mandoline (optional)
• Butter knife
• 1 inch baking sheet

Directions for Hobo Packets

Prep Time: 20 – 30 minutes / Cook Time: 40 minutes – 1 hour

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut up all your veggies and set aside. I slice my potatoes thin with a mandoline but you can use a knife too.
3. Place 3 – 4 pieces of tin foil on your counter top or table. About 2 feet long or a little less.
4. Take one piece of tin foil and in the middle of it, smear butter out into a small rectangle about 4 inches by 3 inches.
5. Next, place your potatoes down on top of the butter, season to taste.
6. Next, place your carrots on top of the potatoes, then your onion. Season to taste and add a small dollop of butter.
7. Now divide your ground beef into thirds or fourths depending how many you are making. Roll each part of the ground beef into a ball then flatten like a hamburger patty.
8. Season both sides of the patty to taste, then place on top of the veggies.
9. Add a small dollop of butter on top of the patty.
10. Now, wrap the food up with the foil. I fold it up nicely to seal it so the butter does not leak out as easily.
11. Then, repeat theses steps for each foil packet.
12. Once complete, place on your 1 inch baking sheet.
13. Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
14. Pull them out and flip them and put them back in for 20 more minutes.
15. Now, pull them out and see if the meat is cooked and how tender the carrots are. If everything is to your liking, you can pull them out. Usually takes a few minutes more. (The thicker you make them, the longer they take to cook).

Variations

• I buy imitation crab and throw it in the foil with butter and cook it with everything, amazing!
• We also do a foil packet of just broccoli for an extra veggie. Broccoli does not take as long to cook.
• You can thinly slice your veggies or dice them. I think it is easier to assemble with everything sliced.
• We tried zucchini with this. We thought it got too mushy, cooked to long. You could do it in a separate packet and remove when finished.
• You can cook these on the grill at 400 degrees. I would flip at the 15 minute mark and check them at 30 minutes. You can also cook them on a camp fire, follow these same directions.
• We mark the foil with each person’s initials so you know who’s is who’s.
• You can easily do this for a large group and have everyone assemble their own. Just lay out plates for the cut veggies, pre-form the hamburger patties, and have different seasonings out. Each person can go through the assembly line and make their own, then initial.
• Dairy-free swap out the butter for ghee or cooking spray.
• Whole30 use ghee and a Whole30 approved seasoning or use salt and pepper only.
• My husband loves to add Parmesan cheese to his once it is cooked.
• Growing up we always did salt and pepper only. But I like to add different seasonings now. Cookies is a great one or any burger / steak seasoning.