Home > Dinner > Hobo Foil Packets Hobo Foil Packets May 19, 2020 | 41 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. A twist on classic Hobo Foil Packets using sausage instead of ground beef. We’ve got the classic carrots, onions, and thinly sliced potatoes. A truly comforting, filling, and hearty meal that’s great for a no-mess meal or campfire dinner! What is a hobo pack? Hobo foil packets have always been second nature to me; we had them all the time growing up! With a dad and two brothers that were very into Boy Scouts and camping, we enjoyed hobo packs often. Essentially a hobo pack is a bundle of cut-up ingredients wrapped up in foil and cooked over the coals of a campfire. We love them so much, we even eat them when we aren’t camping! Most hobo packs combine ground beef, potatoes, carrots, and a whole lot of ketchup. My twist on those typical packets is to replace the ground beef with sausage since more times than not the ground beef ends up nearly inedible (which explains needing at least half the container of ketchup to get it down!). In a foil pack, the ground beef is pretty much stewed, making it hard, chewy, and near flavorless. We’ve found that replacing the beef with sausage still gets you all the flavors of traditional foil packs with loads more flavor and a great texture. Plus, the sausage also goes with lots of ketchup — a must-have topping 🙂 QUICK TIP What’s with the name Hobo Packets? Here’s how they got that name. Hobo Foil Packet ingredients Hobo Foil Packs aren’t complicated, but you’ll want to make sure you have the ingredients uniformly prepared (to recipe specifications) so that everything can be cooked in time. Here’s a quick run-down on the main ingredients: Sausage: We use smoked sausage in these packets. They’re already cooked, so there’s no question about whether the meat will be cooked through in time, and won’t get the rest of the ingredients overly greasy. It’s a bit trickier with regular sausage; just like using ground beef, it ends up having an odd texture. Yukon gold potatoes: I love using Yukon gold (sometimes just called gold or yellow potatoes) in these hobo packs — they’ve got a delicious buttery flavor. You can peel the potatoes, but the peel is so delicate on Yukon golds, I don’t bother peeling. The important thing with these potatoes is to make sure they’re very thinly sliced: 1/8th inch thick. Use a mandoline slicer for quick prep here! Carrots: Use whole carrots here (not baby carrots)– again, no need to peel (lots of flavor and nutrients are in the peel), just wash them throughly. Thinly slice these and cut large rounds in half. Yellow onion: The onion also needs to be very thinly sliced. Again, a mandoline slicer makes this quick and easy! Seasoning As far as the seasonings go, we’re keeping it simple while adding delicious flavor to these Hobo Foil Packets. Here’s what we use: Italian seasoning Dried basil Dried parsley Paprika Dried thyme Salt and pepper: Always add to personal taste preference, but remember, if the meal feels like it’s lacking or dull, it may be as simple a fix as adding a bit more salt and pepper! Toppings If you’re familiar with Hobo Foil Packets, you know they basically require loads and loads of ketchup. 🙂 Ketchup is our favorite topping and it goes exceptionally well with all the ingredients. I highly recommend Heniz® (not sponsored) for the best flavor. If you aren’t a fan of ketchup, you could try one of these alternatives: Freshly grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (I recommend avoiding pre-shredded cheese– it has a tendency to resist melting in these foil packs and makes the potatoes greasy.) Fresh herbs such as thyme or Italian parsley BBQ sauce is another great sauce to drizzle on; I recommend a plain variety of BBQ sauce. How to fold a hobo pack Rip out 4 strips of heavy-duty foil, each one about 2 feet long. Separate the seasoned potato, carrot, onion, and sausage mix equally into the center of each square of foil. To seal the foil packet, bring the short sides together in the middle and gently fold down to completely seal. Then, roll up the ends. The foil packs are ready to cook! Hobo Packet Tips Seal the foil packets tightly. Since these packets need to be flipped, make sure the seal is good and tight on these so liquid doesn’t seep out — they’ll burn and have much less flavor without that liquid. Use heavy-duty foil for the best results on the grill. There is no need to double-wrap these packets in multiple layers of foil (and if you do, they will take longer to cook). Time can vary depending on the actual size of veggies and actual heat of coals/oven/grill, so when checking for doneness, only check one packet at a time. Remember, every time you open a packet to check, it releases steam and will add an extra couple of minutes to the cooking time. Campfire cooking is the hardest time to estimate because of so many varying factors (heat of the coals, how many packets are cooking, the outside temperatures, etc.). I recommend checking one packet at 20 minutes but be prepared that they can take up to 40-45 minutes to finish. (If it’s taking longer than that, the coals are not hot enough.) Transfer the cooked meal to a plate or another layer of foil before eating; once cooked, the foil gets pretty charred and flimsy — it won’t hold up well to eating. Foil: It doesn’t matter if the shiny or dull side is touching the food; it makes no difference. (Source) Can you make these packets ahead of time? Yes! Prepare Hobo Foil Packets according to the directions and seal up the packets. Throw them in the cooler and they’ll be ready to go when it’s time to put them on a grill or coals over a campfire. I don’t recommend making these more than a day in advance. I also don’t recommend freezing pre-assembled foil packs. More campfire meals: Pesto and Sausage with sun-dried tomatoes Philly Cheesesteak Dinners with ground beef Sausage and Veggies Jambalaya even the rice cooks in the foil pack! Italian Sausage and Veggies with an Italian-inspired seasoning blend Garlic Herb Sausage, Shrimp, and Veggies reader favorite recipe! FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Hobo Foil Packets 5 from 18 votes - Review this recipe A twist on classic Hobo Foil Packets uses sausage instead of ground beef, and the standard carrots, onions, and thinly sliced potatoes. A truly comforting, filling, and hearty meal that's great for a no-mess meal or campfire dinner! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Hobo Foil Packets 5 from 18 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe A twist on classic Hobo Foil Packets uses sausage instead of ground beef, and the standard carrots, onions, and thinly sliced potatoes. A truly comforting, filling, and hearty meal that's great for a no-mess meal or campfire dinner! Course Dinner Cuisine American Keyword Hobo Foil Packets Prep Time 25 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Total Time 55 minutes Servings 4 foil packets Calories 530kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $6.92 Ingredients▢ 1 package (14 oz) smoked sausage, (beef, chicken or pork) cut into coins▢ 3 cups thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes▢ 2 cups (3-4 large) thinly sliced carrots▢ 1 large thinly sliced yellow onion▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried parsley▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder▢ 1 teaspoon paprika▢ 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated▢ Serve with: ketchup, fresh herbs (optional)US - Metric USMetric InstructionsPREP: If you are using the oven, preheat it to 400 degrees F. If grilling, prepare the grill by heating to medium-high heat (425-450 degrees F.) Tear off four sheets of heavy-duty foil and lightly spritz with cooking spray. If you aren't going to be cooking this meal in foil packs (See Note 1), line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.PREP VEGGIES: Cut the sausage into coins. Thinly slice the potatoes (about 1/8th inch thick). Thinly slice the carrots and cut large carrot slices in half. Thinly slice the yellow onion. Add the sausage, potatoes, carrots, and onion to a large bowl.SEASON: Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of oil and all of the seasonings (Italian seasoning, dried basil, dried parsley, garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, and salt and pepper). Add salt and pepper to personal preference (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Toss everything together until well combined.DIVIDE: Divide the mixture evenly among the four prepared sheets of foil. Cut the butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and cut each tablespoon piece into 4 smaller pieces. Add four pieces of butter to the foil packs (1 tablespoon per foil pack). Seal the foil packs tightly so no air escapes, but do not double wrap the foil (use only one sheet of foil per pack, or the cooking time will be off). To seal the foil packet, bring the short sides together in the middle and gently fold down to completely seal. Then, roll up the ends.COOK: Grill for 20-30 minutes or until veggies are fork tender (flip the foil packs at the halfway point). To bake foil packs, place foil packs on a sheet pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until veggies are fork tender. Campfire cooking: add to hot coals and cook for 20-30 minutes. Be aware they can take up to 40-45 minutes depending on the actual temperature of the coals, actual thickness of cut veggies, outside temperatures, how many foil packs are on the coals, etc. There is great variance in cooking these over coals.GARNISH: Carefully open the foil pack, watching for steam to be released. If desired, garnish with fresh herbs (we like fresh thyme) and serve with ketchup drizzled over everything or on the side. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Cooking methods: The actual heat on stovetops, ovens, grills, and campfires varies greatly. I have tested this recipe using all four methods and am sharing the timing I found to be perfect. Time can also vary depending on the size of veggies, so my best advice would be to check just one packet at a time. Remember, every time you open a packet to check, it releases steam and will take an extra couple of minutes in comparison to the other packets cooking. Stovetop (no foil): Place the entire mixture into a large Dutch oven (or half of the mixture into a large skillet) over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until the veggies are crisp tender (about 12-15 minutes), adding additional olive oil as needed. Lower the heat if anything is burning or browning too much. Oven (no foil): Line an extra-large sheet pan (15 x 21 inches) with parchment paper. Pour the entire mixture onto it and bake at 425 degrees F for about 30-35 minutes, turning the ingredients at the halfway mark. Oven (foil packs): Divide the mixture evenly onto four sheets of heavy-duty foil and wrap them so the foil is completely sealed. Place the foil-wrapped packets on a sheet pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. The time really depends on your preference — at 30-35 minutes everything should be crisp tender and cooked through. For very soft veggies, leave them in 38-40 minutes. Grill (foil packs): Divide the mixture evenly onto four sheets of heavy-duty foil and wrap them so the foil is completely sealed. Place on a pre-heated grill (medium-high heat; ~450 degrees) and grill for 20-25 minutes. Flip once halfway through the grilling process. Campfire (in foil packs): Divide the mixture evenly onto four sheets of heavy-duty foil and wrap them so the foil is completely sealed. Cook foil packs in the hot coals of a campfire until the potatoes are tender, around 20-40 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes, depending on the heat of the coals. We found these cooked in about 20 minutes with hot coals. Make ahead: Prepare foil packs according to the directions and seal up the packets. Throw them in the cooler and they'll be ready to go when it's time to put them on a grill or coals over a campfire. I don't recommend making these more than a day in advance. I also don't recommend freezing pre-assembled foil packs. Nutrition FactsServing: 4servings | Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.6g | Protein: 12.4g | Fat: 42.3g | Cholesterol: 91.8mg | Sodium: 659.4mg | Fiber: 5.3g | Sugar: 6g We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
What a great idea. I never thought to use sausage instead of a hamburger. We love to make these for camping and the sausage would be so much easier with less mess. Doing this for our next camping trip for sure. Reply
love these, thank you, did not have boy scouts in the family growing up only seeing them now but much appreciated, easy and I like how all the flavors meld together Reply
I made this for my family last night and it was a huge hit! So much flavor, the kids didn’t even want ketchup and they even ate all the veggies! Will be adding this to the rotation – thanks so much!!! Reply
What a great idea using sausage. When we do foil dinners, we use a cabbage leaf, put everything in it & another leaf on top. The cabbage keeps everything inside from burning. Then wrap in heavy duty foil. Another tip on hamburger is to buy 80/ 20 instead of lean. If you have lean , then add 1/2 strip of bacon. The cabbage also gives it great flavor. Reply
It was yummy. I added celery. I did not have Italian seasoning so to your list I added garlic, oregano. So good and super easy on the grill for 30 minutes Reply
I am planning on making this for a group of 12. Will that make a difference on the time cooking? Reply
Fabulous. I’ve made it several times now and it’s really good with sliced sweet potatoes and red pepper added. Thank you! Reply
In the notes you say to add sun dried tomatoes and pesto but they’re not listed in the ingredients. Did I miss something? Reply
This was spectacular. I made it on a sheet pan, used a turkey kielbasa, added peppers and yellow zucchini to the other veggies. Spices were spot on. When my husband says how good something is multiple times throughout a meal, I’m a happy girl. Reply
Do you think it would work with frozen sliced carrots? Would I need to make any adjustments? TY! Reply
If they’re pretty thinly sliced I think it will be okay. The packets may have a bit more liquid and less browning/charring unless the carrots are thawed first Reply
LOVED this recipe! I actually forgot to put in the butter and it still turned out great. Used it while camping with kielbasa. One thing I did is wrapped the foil packet in wet newspaper and then another layer of foil and then put in the campfire. The newspaper burned, but the food did not. (I read this tip somewhere else.) This is a recipe I’ll continue to make at home and not just while camping. Reply
I made this for dinner tonight and used Johnsonville Brats (precooked with beer and spices, then sliced) and added minced garlic to the veggies! Very tasty! Reply
Wondering if these would work in the air fryer and at what temp for how long ~ we don’t have a grill and the air fryer still cuts down on heat in the house ~ thanks!! Reply
