Hobo Packets ~This Week’s Quick and Easy Meal!~
Submitted by Christy Jordan on Wednesday, October 8, 200841 Comments
In my quest to give you a quick and easy dinner recipe each week, I am bringing you hobo packets! These are a traditional boy scout meal and with good reason. Kids just love getting to “design” their own dinner and there is very little work for the adults. You know how you often feel you are running a short order kitchen? Having to make four or more different dishes to special orders can be so very frustrating. One doesn’t like onions, the other doesn’t like carrots, yadda yadda yadda. Hobo packets make that easy.
This recipe can also be modified to use chicken or even pork, but ground beef is my personal favorite due to its taste (I’m just so used to hobo packets with ground beef!), its convenience, and its cost. This can even make a great Vegetarian meal simply by omitting meat and adding more veggies!
Frugal and filling!
You’ll need: Potatoes, Carrots, Onion, aluminum foil, and a sauce if you would like to use one. These cook up just fine without any additional sauce but I like to add about two tablespoons of Dale’s Sauce.
Do you all have Dale’s Sauce? It is an Alabama product but I’m not sure how widespread it is.
Another product called “Moore’s Marinade” is just about the same thing.
and ground beef.
Peel and slice onion. Slice potatoes. I don’t peel my potatoes for this but you can if you prefer!
Make your hamburger patties. I made these for my in laws when they were here. We were going to a big music festival that day and I wanted something quick and easy for lunch with very little clean up.
Tear off a large sheet of foil and place your patty in the center.
At this point you can let your kids make their own if you like, now that you’ve already placed the nasty raw meat so they don’t have to touch it!
Put a few onion slices on top and then pull up the sides so it makes a bit of a bowl to hold the rest of our toppings.
Like this. Now top with your potatoes…
And carrots.
If you would like to add sauce, add about two tablespoons now. This will make enough juice to cook just fine without sauce if you want to just leave that out.
Now close that up kind of like a hobo sack!
I always add another sheet and close that up around it too, but you don’t have to.
If I have one that is different or for someone in particular, I like to have fun with it. This bunny rabbit is for my son and it doesn’t have any onions in it. 
Voila! Hobo packets!
Place these in your oven, right on your rack, and cook at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour, until meat is as done as you like and vegetables are tender.
All of the recipes Mama and I have seen for this say to cook it for twenty to thirty minutes, but we’ve NEVER had ours be done in that amount of time!
I place these in a bowl and just open them up a bit and let folks eat right out of the packet!
You can make these in the morning or even the night before and then just pop them in the oven when you are ready! I have also made them from start to finish the day before and then just put the packets back in the oven to heat up for supper.
Hobo Packets
Ground Beef
Onion
Potatoes
Baby Carrots
Aluminum Foil
Dale’s Sauce (optional)
Make patties out of the ground beef. Peel and slice onion. Slice potatoes into chunks. Place each patty in the center of a large sheet of foil. Top with onion, potatoes, and carrots. Add 2 T of sauce, if using. Close packet and seal well. Bake in oven at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour, or until done.
I am so glad I have one of these left in the fridge! I’m popping it in the oven to heat up for myself now!
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Many great things are coming up and the end of this month is going to hold a few great surprises!
HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!
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OH that was good! This is such a great fall meal!
Yummy yummy. I remember these from Girl Guides.
FYI, these can be made on a campfire too, with some modifications. Lay out one sheet of tin foil, lay a piece of wet newspaper on that, and then put down another layer of foil. Put everything in as usual, and place it in the fire. The newspaper acts as an insulator, so everything cooks but doesn’t get all burnt. Just thought you’d want to know, in case you’re headed to the woods!
I knew about the campfire thing (SCAdian days) but the newspaper – I’ve never heard that before and ITS BRILLIANT!!!
You have just forever changed my campfire cooking! Thank you so much!!!
BRILLIANT!!!!
Christy
Love the rabbit!
I used to make these all the time in Boy Scouts, they were called silver turtles. But as of late, we now know that cooking with aluminum foil causes severe long-term mental defects, namely alzheimers, just bear that in mind while you still can…
Thank you for that information! I’m sure readers will find it very interesting, especially when they have time to view leading opinions on both sides of the issue. In the interest of fairness, here is an excerpt from an article in The Washington Post:
The suspicion of a relationship between aluminum and (take your choice) Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s or Parkinson’s disease has been floating around for about 20 years. The brains of some Alzheimer’s patients have been found to contain abnormally high concentrations of aluminum, but nobody knows whether that is a cause of the disease or a result of it.
Because Alzheimer’s is a chronic disease that develops over a long period of time, the long-term ingestion of aluminum in drinking water, which is relatively easy to monitor, should be a logical way to search for a correlation. And yet, epidemiological attempts to link aluminum in drinking water with Alzheimer’s disease have been either inconclusive or contradictory.
There is little doubt that whatever aluminum leaks into our foods from cookware is a small fraction of the aluminum we ingest through normal eating, drinking and breathing on our aluminum- pervaded planet.
The full article can be found here:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/23/AR2006052300366.html
Have a great day!
Christy
Hi there.:) I used to make this for the grill but I never put hamburger in it. I will have to try that.:) By the way I made your Pizza rolls and they were a big hit. I made them on Sunday. I only had a little bit left.:) Thanks bunches for all your hard work.:)
Sharon:)
Hey Sharon! Thank you!! You know there is one very bad thing about pizza rolls, every time someone mentions them I get hungry for them all over again!
I’m so glad you tried them! That is one of my top recipes that I wish I could serve everyone just so they would know how easy and good they are!
Thank you for letting me know!!!!
Christy
This sounds awesome! I always have the hardest time trying to cook for one person. But this is great. I could make several of these and just throw one in the oven when I get home from work. I’m excited!
I’m also excited because my goomba self finally figured out how to add your little Blog Carnival image to my sidebar. I’m learning. Baby steps.
Well, Christy, I came across your site today and have spent at least a couple of hours making myself hungry by clicking on almost everything!! I, too, am a Southern girl!! I was born and mostly raised here in North Alabama. I have been back in North Alabama for the past 10 years. I am in Madison–just outside of Huntsville. Where in Alabama do you live?
Donna Hey! These are great for just one! I took my last one this morning (the things we eat for breakfast when the kids are gone!) and popped it in the oven. It was just as good, if not better than when they were first cooked, I’m happy to report!
As for your goomba self, oh lord I’m right there with you sister! I’m in the middle of a blog redesign and some days I just almost don’t want to get out of bed thinking about it. Thank goodness I found this wonderful person, Iris, who is taking the brunt of it on! She emails me with questions about my preferences, then I show the questions to my husband and he tells me what my preferences are, then I email them back to her!
Lisa Howdy, Neighbor! I graduated from Bob Jones! LOL
Husband is an engineer, so you know he works in Huntsville!!! How did you find me? I’m so glad you did!!! Give me a holler when you get a chance!
Christy@southernplate.com
What a cool idea! Hardly any washing up
Howdy Christy,
This is something I can definitely make when Iam in a hurry and want to get supper ready in no time. Just a question: Would this work using the frozen hamburger patties or do you prefer the fresh made patties better? Since I work wierd hours at times, and I usually have the premade patties in the freezer for burger and fries night, this would help
Hobo meals are so fun! We used to do these at Girls’ Camp all the time!
I have an award for you at my blog!
Hey Hayley (I love your name!) Thank you!! It sure is easy!!
City Cowboy Yup! Use those frozen puppies and don’t think a second thought about it! You don’t even have to thaw them, just make your hobo packets and put them in the oven while it is preheating and you’re good to go!!!
Stephanie I never got to be a girl scout ~sighs sadly~ I always wanted to but whenever a troop would form the leader always flaked out on us. I had the uniform and everything ~lip tremble~.
OOH and award??????????????? I’m going there now!!!! THank you!! I am working on a page just for my awards, which is why they aren’t showing up right now! MEGA web redesign in the works……THANKYOU!
Christy
wow! this seems to be so delicious! thanks for this i gotta try this one!
Escoofield -
http://alotofit.com
Have Fun!
Don’t forget to visit my blog!
Fun idea! I think my little one would enjoy doing these with me
Oh we make these too! I do them just a *wee* bit different, but basically the same. They are yummy and my family always loves them. I think I usually set mine to cook for about an hour.
I tried your method for with the biscuits for my chicken and dumplings the other night and it was just as I thought – SO much easier and less messy!
I made this meal tonight and everyone definitely ate it up! They gave me a funny look when I said “Hobo Packets” but now their mouths only water!
You are amazing!
Oh my word! This brought back memories of freezing while camping and having something to warm my hands with. Those Boy Scout days gave me a good appreciation for good, simple meals like this. Delicious stuff.
Hey Tomato Lady Thank you! I’m working my way up to a swan!!
Escoofield Hey, thank you! Let me know how it turns out! I visited your blog just this morning! Thanks for that!
Recipegirl Hey! Yes, my youngest just puts a few carrots in her packet but she feels like the master chef when she does!
Kingsqueen Yes, it does take about an hour for me, too. Can you believe there are actually recipes that say twenty minutes? Worries me that someone might eat them after that time!
Oh you tried Chicken and Dumplings, YAY!!! I’m so glad you liked them!!! I could just live on the things but I especially love them when my Mama makes them for me!
Liane YAY! I’m so glad you liked them and thank you so much for letting me know!!!! You are SO SWEET!!!!
I just love all of y’all, honestly!!!!
Carl Oh Carl, you are a man who knows what you are talking about!! Makes me think of SCA days. Even though you are freezing, its so neat being around a campfire at night. Peaceful and exciting at the same time.
I am still holding out hope that we will be able to wear long sleeves soon. Hope your fall is in full swing!!!
Thank you all so very much for reading Southern Plate and for taking the time to comment!!!
Gratefully,
Christy
Awesome recipe.. the boys are going to love this!
These look so yummy and easy! I used to have this with pork chops and potatoes as a kid…brings back great memories and with a new twist! Thanks!
oh wow, i’ve got to try this. I’m going to be gone all afternoon and was looking for something i can make ahead of time. This is perfect. Thanks.
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Eric carlson changed his hair color and his name but this is not hidden, only ignored by the authority’s and media
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im from Wisconsin and we make ours with thick chunks of chicken breast and a bit of butter… my mom raised me on these and they are never a disappointment!
Christy –
My Mama-in-law had taught these to her kids, I learned them in Girl Scouts (like so many others!) – but neither of us had ever heard them called Hobo Packets…….. for whatever reason it makes my daughters Crack Up!!!
Thanks for your fun ideas.
I was in Girl Scouts, and even went to a few Girl Scout camps during summer. But I didn’t learn about these until hubby explained what his sister learned to make at home ec when she was a young teen. My Girl Scout pack had two girls competing with each other for badges, and we had sleep overs with pajama fashion show contests. So maybe you didn’t miss much, because my memories of Girl Scouts is kind of lame.
Dale’s Seasonings looks slightly familiar, but I can’t remember why. I only use salt and pepper (a lot of that) on our packets.
Thanks to the first anonymous commenter about how to cook these in fire; I figured there had to be a way to make these in the fireplace, but was scared of making a smokey, burnt mess.
Heya, Christy -
Wow, you cook great, and you used to SCA too? What events did you do? It’s been years since I’ve been, but I still miss it…
Love your blog, and I’m gonna try these too.
If you look on Reynolds Wrap, the individual sheets packages have a lot of these style recipes on them.
I like mine with whole mushrooms in!
Made this lat night for dinner. LOVED it. The carrots were still a little hard after an hour so I had to cook them another 15 minutes. Will make again. Kids loved it.
We love this meal. My kids don’t like carrots but they like squash so it’s an easy recipe to modify to satisfy anyone’s taste. I simply leave the carrots out of theirs and add a few slices of yellow squash.
This dish looks awesome!! It looks like just the thing I could make for two people. I’m always on the lookout for dishes that I can adapt to my husband and me. There are just the two of us now, with our kids grown and gone out of the house…so, it can be kinda tough to prepare easy and delicious meals for us…without any wasting of food!! Thanks for all of your fantastic recipes…many times, as I read them, my mouth literally begins to water…and lots of times, I’m reminded of the amazing meals my Mom and my Grandmother cooked…it brings back such sweet memories of these two truly, awesome Southern cooks!
Love your site…keep up the great work.
I absolutely love these! We’ve always called them Hobo Dinners, and I’ve never seen anyone else make them in decades. I was introduced to them as a child on a camping trip. Same basic idea, but prepared in the coals of a camp fire. Brilliant!
I love these as well. We also use smoked sausage or italian sausage with variations on veggies. Thanks again for all your wonderful info!
I had to explain what these were to my Brit hubby. I’m making them today and using Cubed Steak as the meat. Something you might want to try is….put the veggies on the bottom and the meat on top instead of the other way round- that way the flavor of the meat is dripped onto and infused into the veggies . The meat takes less time to cook than the veggies do so that’s good too. Potatoes & Carrots take about 45 mins to an hour to cook thru- meat only a half hour- and with the longer cooking veggies on bottom it only takes about 45 mins instead of a whole hour.
With the chicken hobo pckets I like to put Lemon Pepper and a pat of butter on to season.
I LOVE your site!!!
These are delicious!! Everyone in my family LOVES hobo packets. I normally make mine just as you do except I add a sprinkle of grated cheese to the top. Also sometimes I’ll add a can of green beans. Very kid friendly and so simple to throw together. I also like to do a chicken teriyaki version where I use chicken breasts, teriyaki sauce red potatoes, a can of diced pineapple and sweet bell peepers.
At first I had trouble with the hamburger being overdone and the veggies not quite cooked. I put the veggies in the bottom of the packet and the burger on top. Problem solved!
Thanks for the great recipe!:)
This was awesome. I made it over the weekend and it was a big hit here in my home and think we will have it at least once a week! SOOO easy to prepare. Next time I think I will add mushrooms too.
We didn’t have the sauce but it was great!
Thanks for these great recipes you are sharing with us!!!
Christy,
I have very fond memories from the 1970’s of my mother making “hobo pies” we called them. We put butter, salt and pepper, raw ground beef, onion, carrots or corn and potatoes. I’ll never forget the feeling of getting my OWN hobo pie! It was the coolest thing to me as a child! (It was kind of like getting Jiffy Pop Popcorn in that foil topped aluminum pan that rose when you popped the corn! We didn’t buy that often – we popped our own corn – so it was a treat!) We LOVED Hobo Pies!! I’m so glad to see you put it on here. I had forgotten about them.
Take it from my own personal experience; KIDS LOVE THESE!!!!!
Thanks so much! I was so happy to find Dale’s Sauce at the military commissary!
This is another winner. I used boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of hamburger patties which worked great. Thanks again.
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