Hamburger Foil Packets

My family spent a lot of time camping when I was a kid and these Hamburger Foil Packets were one of our favorite things to make for dinner! They are a one-pan meal with tender carrots, potatoes, onions and a lean ground beef patty, all grilled (or baked) to perfection!

They go by many names, including foil meal packets, tin foil meals, foil packet meal for camping and foil packet dinners. And I recently found out they are also known as Hobo Dinner Foil Packets. But whatever you choose to call them, they are an easy and delicious little packet of comfort food goodness. You can make these at home on the grill or even in the oven! They are simple to put together and perfect for camping, cookouts or when you simply need an easy comforting meal.

💭 Top tip

I use a aluminum foil container, instead of fussing with making my own foil packets. It takes less time and it's much easier to check on doneness. You don't have to take the packet apart - you simply open the cover. They are also easier to balance on a campfire or eat on a picnic table. * I use the container size: 6 9⁄16 inches x 4 5⁄8 inches x 1 11⁄16 inches OR/ 16.7 cm x 11.8 cm x 4.3

 My Amazon recommendations (affiliate links) 

Speaking of doneness, did you know that temperature is the BEST way to check for doneness?  No more cutting into your meat mid-grilling, guessing or hoping it's done.
This thermometer is a game changer!

• I use my Thermapen for everything from baking pie and bread to eggs, casseroles, candy making and more!
• This amazing little tool instantly and accurately measures temperature with a quick poke. And it's not just for the grill, it's the go-to kitchen instrument trusted by the world's most acclaimed chefs and BBQ champions (it's one of Alton Brown's 'favorite things')!
• And it comes with a handy little chart that gives you chef recommended temperatures, as well as the minimum done temps for food safety. 

If you love cooking, baking or grilling, this tool is a must-have!

Click HERE to buy the Thermapen (affiliate link)

🥘 Ingredients

• lean ground beef * make sure you use lean ground beef or a) you will get too much fat cooking off into your foil dinner and b) the patty will not hold together
• potatoes- any potatoes will do
• carrots- make sure you slice these very thin or they won't cook through in time
• onion 
• butter- I use unsalted, but if you opt to use salted, make sure you use less (or no) salt.*you can always add more salt after
• salt
• pepper
• ketchup and/or gravy (optional)

🔪 Instructions

*See detailed instructions in recipe card

1. Add potatoes, butter, onions, carrot, salt, pepper and hamburger patty to each foil container
2. Seal (shiny side in)
3. Cook on grill (with lid down) or in oven at 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for 45 minutes to 1 hour (check for doneness at 35 minutes) *You can also cook them over a campfire
4. Eat right out of the foil container (just be careful because the container will be very hot at first). Enjoy with gravy or ketchup. 

⏲️ Cooking time

The cooking time and temperature is the same whether you make them on the the grill, a camping stove or in the oven. It's a little harder to regulate temperature when you're cooking over a campfire, but these foil containers are much easier to check for doneness (than messing with packets).  Cook on 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for about 45 minutes (check for doneness at 35 minutes), covered on grill, camp stove, fire or in your oven.

📖 Variations

• Ketchup: We always just ate our tin foil dinners with ketchup, but gravy is also a great addition.
• Gravy: You can easily make it over the campfire or grill with a packaged gravy, some water and a whisk (tastes similar to Salisbury steak)

• Mushrooms: If you want it to taste even more like Salisbury steak, add mushrooms!
• Margarine: use margarine instead of butter
• Dairy- free: Make them dairy-free by using vegan margarine, instead of butter

If you are looking for a yummy, easy "one-pot" comfort meal for camping, grilling, 

Print

5 from 6 votes

📋 Hamburger Foil Packet Recipe

Hamburger Foil Packets are a one-pan meal with tender carrots, potatoes, onions and a lean ground beef patty, all grilled (or baked) to perfection! They are delicious little packets of comfort food and an ideal camping meal on the grill, campfire, camp stove or even in the oven at home! 

Course dinner, main

Cuisine American, Canadian, North American

Keyword camping, foil packet, hamburger

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 527kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 2 lbs lean ground beef *formed into 6 patties
• 3 carrots
• 1 large onion
• 6 medium potatoes
• ⅓ cup butter, approximately * about 3 tsp butter per packet
• 1 ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp per packet
• 1 ½ tsp pepper ¼ tsp per packet

Garnish

• gravy
• ketchup
• additional salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat grill or oven to 350 degrees F/173 degrees C and spray the inside of 6 foil containers with non-stick cooking spray. * If you are using foil packets, spray the foil.
• Slice potatoes thin, as shown.
  
• Divide potatoes evenly between 6 foil containers/packets.
  
• Cut onion in circles, then in half.
  
• Add onions (dividing evenly amongst all 6 containers), 3 tsp of butter and ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper to each foil container.
  
• Slice carrots very thin. (or they will not cook through)
  
• Add carrots to the foil containers.
  
• Divide beef into 6 even sections and form into 6 patties.
  
• Add patties to foil containers, on top of veggies.
  
• Seal lid on top (shiny side in)
  
• Cook on 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, covered/lid down on BBQ or in oven. *Check at 35 minutes.
  
• It will be ready when fork easy goes through potatoes and carrots and meat is not longer pink. * The best way to check for doneness (for the meat) is with a an instant read thermometer (https://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4?tw=FoodMe)
  
• *Be careful because they are very hot on the bottom when they come off the grill, camp stove, out of the fire or out of the oven. You'll want to place on a heatproof surface.
  

Garnish

• Garnish with gravy or ketchup and additional salt and pepper, as desired.
  

Notes

💭 Top tip

I use a aluminum foil container, instead of fussing with making my own foil packets. It tastes less time and it's much easier to check on doneness (see NOTES for my Amazon recommendations). Speaking of doneness, did you know that temperature is the BEST way to check for doneness?  No more cutting into your meat mid-grilling, guessing or hoping it's done.
This thermometer is a game changer!

• I use my Thermapen for everything from baking pie and bread to eggs, casseroles, candy making and more!
• This amazing little tool instantly and accurately measures temperature with a quick poke. And it's not just for the grill, it's the go-to kitchen instrument trusted by the world's most acclaimed chefs and BBQ champions (it's one of Alton Brown's 'favorite things')!
• And it comes with a handy little chart that gives you chef recommended temperatures, as well as the minimum done temps for food safety.

If you love cooking, baking or grilling, this tool is a must-have!
For a limited time, use my affiliate link below to get 30 % off  (regular $99.00, now $69.00)!

Click HERE to use my affiliate link and get 30% off

My Amazon Recommendations (affiliate links)

Nutrition Facts

📋 Hamburger Foil Packet Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 packet)

Calories 527 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 125mg42%

Sodium 743mg32%

Potassium 1589mg45%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A 5428IU109%

Vitamin C 21mg25%

Calcium 59mg6%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1packet | Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 743mg | Potassium: 1589mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5428IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 5mg

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This post is part of the Country Cook's Weekend Potluck!