Hamburgers, Potatoes & Onions IN Foil! (Hobo packets)

One of the meals I most remember growing up is this one.  We called it, "Hamburgers, Potatoes & Onions in Foil" but I believe some people call these, "Hobo Packets." 

No matter what you choose to call it, this is a delicious, simple meal that pretty much everyone likes at my house.  You can tweek by adding other vegetables (squash, carrots, peppers, mushrooms) or just use potatoes w/ onion powder.  Lots of options!  

My husband is a flat-out meat and potatoes man, so for his packet I just use the hamburger patty, sliced potatoes, salt, pepper & some onion POWDER (because he doesn't like real onions).  The potatoes cook perfectly soft.  We like to bake ours a full hour and a half to crisp the bottom of the burger.  You eat this like a hamburger steak - without a bun.

Make sure to use a fairly lean cut of ground beef.  That does make a huge difference in the finished product.  (A higher fat content gives you a pretty small burger after cooking.)

ALSO - be careful when opening them up.  The steam can burn.  We dump them on our plates before serving but you can probably eat them from the foil packets if you were camping, eating outside, etc.

Here's how we make Hamburgers, Potatoes, Onions IN Foil / Hobo Packets - AT HOME MY WAY:

Hamburgers, Potatoes & Onions IN Foil

Hobo Packets

 

 

Ingredients:

• Ground Beef (lean) - to make fairly large patties
• Potatoes-I usually peel and slice two large potatoes (lengthwise) per packet
• Salt, Pepper
• Sliced Onion or Onion Powder
• Other vegetables like zucchini, squash, peppers, carrots, mushrooms (optional)
• Foil
• Cookie Sheet

Directions:

  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Tear off a large piece of foil (app. 14" long) for each packet.

Form the ground beef into large patties but not too thick.  Place each patty in the center of a piece of foil.  Flatten a little (we like ours thin).  Salt & pepper the patty.

 

Peel and slice (lengthwise) the potatoes on top of the burger patty.  Top with other vegetables, or just onion powder, salt & pepper.

  

Bring the sides of the rectangle of foil up and fold a few times to seal.  Bring the other two corners up, folding a few times to seal.

 

Place the packets on a cookie sheet and bake 1 1/2 hour @ 350 degrees.  (If you like your burger juicier and less "well done", bake 1 hour.)

  

Remove from oven and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.  BE CAREFUL when opening the packets.  The steam will burn you!

Here are some pics of the process: 

Start out with your patty first:

 

 

This is Doug's packet - No onions, just onion POWDER, salt & pepper.

 

 

Here's mine.  I love potatoes, onions & carrots all baked together.

 

 

 

Fold over and seal the narrow sides first.

 

 



Make sure to fold tightly to seal so nothing leaks out.

 

 



 

Place the packets all together on a cookie sheet and bake - 1.5 hours for a crispy finish.

 

Here's sweet Brandy.  If you aren't going to eat all of yours -I know someone who wants a bite.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Gina