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Hobo Dinner Foil Packets

Hobo dinner foil packets steam ground beef, diced potatoes, carrots, and onion in a buttery sealed pouch for tender, cook-through meat. Cook over campfire coals or a grill until the potatoes are soft and the beef is fully done with minimal cleanup.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef, formed into patties
  • 1 lb ground beef Form into 4 patties.
diced potatoes
  • 4 medium potatoes Dice into small, uniform pieces.
carrots, sliced
  • 2 carrots Slice small for even cooking.
onion, sliced
  • 1 onion Slice for steady steam cooking.
butter
  • 4 tbsp butter Use a pat in each packet.
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder Season each packet.
paprika
  • 1 tsp paprika Add color and smoky flavor.
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper Season to taste in each packet.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Assemble the foil packets
  1. Lay out 4 large sheets of heavy-duty foil on a flat surface with space to fold each packet closed.
  2. Place a beef patty on each foil sheet and top with diced potatoes, sliced carrots, and sliced onion.
  3. Add 1 tbsp butter per packet, then season each one with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  4. Fold the foil over the filling and seal the edges tightly so steam stays trapped inside the packet.
Cook until tender and cooked through
  1. Cook the packets over campfire coals or on a grill at an active, covered heat for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the beef is cooked through.
  2. Carefully open one packet to check doneness, looking for soft potatoes with no pink in the beef before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep potato and carrot pieces small and uniform so everything finishes at the same time. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in foil or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because potatoes can turn grainy after thawing. For a dietary swap, use ground turkey or plant-based beef patties in place of the ground beef.