These easy Tin Foil Dinners are sometimes called a “Hobo” dinner. They’re tried and true camping meals that are hearty and satisfying.

hobo dinner

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EASY TIN FOIL DINNERS

Let me just start by pointing out the obvious – these are ugly. It’s impossible to make these look pretty. Believe me I tried. But let’s face it – there isn’t much about camping that is pretty. I just went camping two weeks ago up in the mountains and pretty much hung out in my pajamas the whole time with no makeup on and without brushing my hair.

Our dinner the first night was an epic fail. A Pinterest epic fail. We tried cooking pizza rolls in foil. The dough burnt in some places and was a doughy mess in others. We definitely won’t be trying those again.

The second night we made these tin foil dinners. We called these Hobo dinners growing up. They have beef, potatoes, onions, carrots, and cream of mushroom soup. For some reason, these are absolutely the best thing to eat when you’re camping.

Hearty and comforting. It’s hard to screw these up. I made 18 of these ahead of time and froze them for our trip. They transport well in a cooler.

Easy Tin Foil Dinners - a camping tried and true recipe. Also called "hobo" dinners. So good! the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

The best way to cook these is over coals rather than an open flame. Depending on the size of your patties and veggies it could take from 45-90 minutes. Really, it’s hard to overcook your beef and veggies and you definitely want to error on the side of more cooked. You can also cook these in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE THESE:

  1. For the oven method: Preheat oven to 350 ℉. For the campfire version, build a fire until you have hot coals. Spray four 12×18 inch squares of foil with cooking spray.beef patties
  2. In a medium bowl, add the beef and onion soup mix. Mix together and form into four patties about 1/2 inch thick.carrots and onions potatoes
  3. Divide the veggies evenly between the four foil pieces, piling in the middle. Season well with salt and pepper. Add additional spices as desired. I like garlic powder.
  4. Place a hamburger patty in the center on top of the potatoes, carrots, and onions. beef and veggiesSpoon about 1/4 cup of the cream of mushroom soup on top of the beef patty. foil packetsFold foil up and over, sealing tightly. If making ahead, you can refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
  5. For the oven method: Bake for 40-45 minutes or until veggies are tender. For campfire method: Cook over campfire coals for 45-90 minutes, checking periodically and turning and rotating until done.

hobo dinner

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Easy Tin Foil Dinners - a camping tried and true recipe. Also called "hobo" dinners. So good! the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Easy Tin Foil Dinners

Christy Denney
4 from 4 votes
These Easy Tin Foil Dinners are sometimes called "Hobo" dinners. They're tried and true camping meals that are hearty and satisfying.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • heavy duty foil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 )1 ounce) package Lipton Onion Soup mix
  • 2 cups diced frozen hashbrowns, (or peeled and cubed fresh potatoes)
  • 2 cups peeled and sliced carrots
  • 1 large onion, sliced, (about 1.5 cups)
  • 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
  • seasonings: salt, pepper, onion powder, or garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • For the oven method: Preheat oven to 350 ℉. For the campfire version, build a fire until you have hot coals. Spray four 12x18 inch squares of foil with cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, add the beef and onion soup mix. Mix together and form into four patties about 1/2 inch thick.
  • Divide the veggies evenly between the four foil pieces, piling in the middle. Season well with salt and pepper. Add additional spices as desired. I like garlic powder.
  • Place a hamburger patty in the center on top of the potatoes, carrots, and onions. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the cream of mushroom soup on top of the beef patty. Fold foil up and over, sealing tightly. If making ahead, you can refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
  • For the oven method: Bake for 40-45 minutes or until veggies are tender. For campfire method: Cook over campfire coals for 45-90 minutes, checking periodically and turning and rotating until done. *My nieces and nephews like to eat theirs with ketchup.

Notes

Source: This version is from my brother-in-law Ryan Denney
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course

hobo dinner

hobo dinner