Campfire Cheeseburger Hobo Packets (Printable Version)
Ground beef and vegetables wrapped in foil, cooked over campfire or grill with melted cheddar cheese.
# What You Need:
→ Meat
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large russet potato, thinly sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 oz button mushrooms, sliced
06 - 2 dill pickles, sliced (optional)
→ Cheese
07 - 4 slices cheddar cheese
→ Seasonings and Pantry
08 - 2 tbsp ketchup
09 - 1 tbsp yellow mustard
10 - 1 tsp garlic powder
11 - 1 tsp onion powder
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste
14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Optional Toppings
15 - Chopped lettuce
16 - Sliced tomatoes
17 - Additional ketchup and mustard
# Directions:
01 - Preheat your campfire, grill, or oven to medium-high heat (about 400°F).
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix just until evenly incorporated, being careful not to overwork the meat.
03 - Divide the seasoned beef mixture into 4 equal portions.
04 - Tear 4 large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (about 12 inches per side) and brush the centers lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking.
05 - Arrange potato slices in the center of each foil sheet, then layer onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms on top. Season the vegetables lightly with salt and pepper.
06 - Flatten each portion of seasoned beef into a patty and place one on top of the vegetables in each packet.
07 - Drizzle ½ tablespoon ketchup and a small amount of mustard over each patty.
08 - Fold the foil up and over to form tightly sealed packets, ensuring all edges are crimped closed to prevent leaks during cooking.
09 - Place the sealed packets on the campfire grate, grill, or in the oven. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
10 - Carefully open each packet, watching for hot steam. Place a slice of cheddar cheese on each patty, then reseal the packets for 2 more minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
11 - Serve directly from the packets or transfer to plates. Garnish with sliced pickles, chopped lettuce, tomato slices, and additional condiments as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Every single cheeseburger flavor you crave gets trapped inside that foil so nothing escapes.
- Cleanup is almost zero which means more time around the fire and less time scrubbing.
02 -
- Those foil packets hold a dangerous amount of steam so always open them away from your face and hands.
- Potato slices thicker than a coin will stay crunchy no matter how long you cook them so slice thin.
03 -
- Double up the foil if you are cooking over an open flame because a single layer can puncture and spill everything into the fire.
- Let the packets rest for two minutes after pulling them off the heat so the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out.