Hobo Dinner Foil Packets {Portion Fix/21 Day Fix}

Hobo Dinner Foil Packets are a favorite childhood memory. It is family-friendly because of the easy-to-customize and simple ingredients.

I recently created a Santa Fe Chicken Foil Packet. Recipe HERE.

After they were a hit, I decided to pull the classic ground beef-based one my mom used to make. When I was a kid in the 1960-70s mom liked to be able to throw something in the oven and not have to fuss over it till it was done. We lived in Southern California so she would make them and my dad would grill them, to keep from heating the house up. 

What are the simple ingredients that go into Hobo Dinner Foil Packets?

The ingredients for you and your family might vary slightly. They are things I keep on hand almost all the time!

• lean ground beef or turkey
• sliced potatoes
• mushrooms
• onions
• peppers
• and spices

That is it. Simple. The spices I use are just salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb Blend. The Mrs. Dash gives me a ton of flavor without having to drag out every jar in my spice cabinet! 

Assembling these Hobo Dinner Foil Packets

The very 1st ingredient and one of the most important is the FOIL. You need to use a good heavy-duty one. I use the regular size not the extra-wide. Tearing off about 12 inches will make a square. Spray the middle of each square with olive oil spray so that your 1st layer won’t stick to it. 

The 1st layer I put down is the potatoes. I slice them really thin on my mandolin slicer. At the thickness, I use I can get 10 perfect slices to fit into my yellow container and that is close enough. A little salt and pepper on some layers will assure flavor seeps thru it all. 

I am going to be making 2 smaller packets for 1 serving, so 5 slices per packet would be 1/2 Yellow per packet. If you make 1 big packet you will have to cook it a little longer. 

I want them on the bottom so that they are the closest to the bottom of the oven so that they cook thru. 

The next layer I make is of mushrooms. I use fresh ones if I can, I like the juice they make to help cook the potatoes and steam the rest of the ingredients. If I have to use already sauteed or canned mushrooms I add a tablespoon of broth to the packet to make up for some of the moisture of the fresh ones. If I am going to use peppers I add them on top of the mushrooms. 

For pickier kids who won’t want mushrooms, onions, and peppers… you could use canned green beans or corn. Pick ingredients you know they will eat, and sometimes that may only be the meat and potatoes!

How to finish making these foil packets

The next layer I add is my ground beef patty. Again depending on my serving. I either make one big patty or 2 smaller ones out of one Red container. Today I made myself 2 packets for 1 serving!

This is the layer that I use the Mrs. Dash on. The flavors seep down as the ground beef cooks and releases its fat and meat juices.

 

My last layer is the onion, again I want their flavor to go all the way the entire packet.

A little more salt and pepper on the top and you can start folding the “packet”. Make the long seam 1st, making sure to make it as tight as you can. 

Then fold the ends up good and tight. I never turn my hobo packets 1/2 way thru cooking because I don’t want to chance the moisture leaking out of them. (Don’t ask me how I know it can.)

And there can be a large amount of liquid in them sometimes. The mushrooms, onion, and meat all make some. Sometimes I drain the liquid out of the foil when the packet is finished cooking. But most of the time I just eat use it like “a’jus”, in a juicy mess! 

I am only going to give the recipe for 1 large or 2 small packets. You can multiply the ingredients for more servings easily. One pound of ground beef will yield about 3 Red containers.

I LOVE to put a serving of bbq sauce, steak sauce, or ketchup on top of mine! HERE is a great bbq sauce recipe.

You can find a clean bottled bbq sauce if you know what you are looking for! I have some info about condiments HERE.