Hamburger Hobos With Vegetables in Foil Packets

by Alli

So far, it’s been a mild winter here in South Carolina. We’ve haven’t had any snowstorms. We’ve had major snowstorms a few times. When it’s cold (or snowy) outside, I like to make easy hamburger hobos. 

Hobos are seasoned hamburger patties covered with chopped veggies, wrapped in foil and baked in the oven. It’s a complete meal cooked in foil packets. 

Snow Storms In The South

As soon as the weather report mentions the word snow, the grocery stores immediately sell out of bread and milk. My husband usually fires up his smoker and goes on a smoking rampage, smoking everything from sausage to brisket. He will not run out of meat in case we are plunged into a world without electricity.

I Made Hobos Last Night

Last night was the perfect night to make hobos. I rarely cook burgers like this during the summer. It’s way too hot to fire up the oven. 

I’ve been making hamburger hobos since my grown children were little tots. It’s an easy, complete meal all wrapped up in its own little foil packet. Cleanup is a breeze and the entire family loves this easy meal. 

Hamburger Hobos on plate with veggies

How To Make Hamburger Hobos

For this recipe, you’ll need:

  • Ground chuck or ground beef (I always use ground chuck. I like that ground chuck comes from the front beef shoulder. Ground beef comes from the leftovers after cutting beef into roasts and steaks.)
  • Garlic powder, salt, and pepper
  • Potatoes (washed and thinly sliced)
  • Carrots, sliced
  • Sweet onion, sliced
  • Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • Green peppers, sliced
  • Butter or olive oil (if using lean ground beef)

Form ground chuck into patties. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Place in the center of a large square of foil.

Hamburger Patty seasoned with salt and pepper, on foil lined plate

Add sliced onions and mushrooms.
Hamburger Patties topped with mushrooms and onionsAnd add the remaining veggies.

Hamburger covered wth carrots, potatoes and onions

Cover completely with foil and place on a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender. The juices from the ground chuck add flavor to the veggies and keep them moist and tender. I never use lean ground beef for this recipe. 

Note: If you do use lean ground beef, add a pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil over the veggies before wrapping with foil. 

Change It Up

The great thing about these Hamburger Hobos is that you can change up the veggies to suit your taste. If you don’t like mushrooms, leave them out. 

This recipe makes eight servings because I have a large family. It’s easy to make 4 servings. Instead of two pounds of ground chuck, use one pound and use half the veggies. 

If you like Hamburger Hobos, you will love these recipes:

Yield: 6-8 servings

Hamburger Hobos

Hamburger Hobos on plate with veggies

Hamburger Hobos are seasoned ground chuck patties and assorted veggies baked in foil packets.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. ground chuck
  • Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
  • 8 small potatoes, washed and thinly sliced
  • 4 cups carrots, sliced
  • 1 large sweet onion, sliced
  • 1 package mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 2 green peppers, sliced
  • (I sometimes use sliced squash, whole kernel corn, etc. - make it your own)
  • Pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil, optional
  • Aluminum foil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375. Tear off eight large squares of aluminum foil.
  2. Make eight ground chuck patties and place one on each foil square.
  3. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  4. Layer veggies on top and add another sprinkling of garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  5. If you are using lean ground beef, drizzle olive oil or place a pat of butter on top of the veggies to keep them moist.
  6. Fold the top of each square of foil so that the food is completely covered. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until meat is done and veggies are tender.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 488Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 101mgSodium 239mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 6gSugar 7gProtein 35g

Did you make this recipe?

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13 comments

Amanda Smith February 12, 2014 - 9:09 am

Ice is nothing to laugh at! I am a northerner, but Ice Storms scare me. give me 12 inches of snow any day, but not ice! We’ve had more than 35 inches of snow so far in 2013 here in
Indiana.

I love hobo dinners. My mom always made them but I haven’t in years! She always added a bit of cabbage too. These sound sooooooo good. I need to make these soon. Maybe for my Grandma’s Birthday. She’ll be 90 in a few days.

Reply
Alli February 12, 2014 - 9:25 am

Yes, ice is very dangerous! So far we are just having lots of snow, but they are calling for ice, as well.

Reply
Sherree Phillips February 12, 2014 - 9:14 am

I have made these before but I put a spoon of cream of mushroom soup on each one. It is a change but good. I have also used pork chops instead of ground beef.

Have a great day,
Sherree

Reply
Alli February 12, 2014 - 9:24 am

That sounds good, too – the cream of mushroom soup and the pork chops! Last night when I made them, I skipped the beef on mine and just had a veggie one.

Reply
Shirley @ Intelligent Domestications February 12, 2014 - 9:57 am

We like to make these on the grill in the summer. Very smart for you and your husband to plan ahead with meals. We are in middle Georgia, expecting the ice storm here this afternoon so we have made some preparations as well. I Pinned your Yummy dish to my Good Eats board 🙂

Reply
Kristen from The Road to Domestication February 12, 2014 - 1:54 pm

Looks yummy!!! Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a snow or ice storm where I couldn’t leave my house LOL

Reply
Anna @ Northern Homestead February 12, 2014 - 2:02 pm

Ok, now I know whats for supper. This looks so so yummy. Thank you for sharing! Oh, and I am sorry for your snowstorm experience, we should keep it all up here, shouldn’t we 😉

Reply
Renew Your Space February 13, 2014 - 1:20 pm

We like to grill these too – yummy! Be careful out there – what a crazy winter! ~Renee

Reply
Sue S. February 13, 2014 - 4:17 pm

My Mom used to make packets of sliced potatoes and butter on the grill. Yum! Here in the Northeastern PA we have just gotten 12″ plus of snow and now it is raining and sleeting too. I live in outer center city of a mid size town in PA, there is no where else to put the snow when you shovel. In my alley behind my home, there is two huge piles of snow on either side of my garage and across from there is the side of a house where crabby people live. It’s okay for them to park in front of my garage, but heavens if I toss one shovel full of snow on their sidewalk that they do not even shovel. Anyway, I think that everyone is ready for Spring. Thanks for letting me vent. Be safe.

Reply
Paula@SweetPea February 17, 2014 - 7:55 pm

I haven’t thought about this recipe in years. I made these for a 4-H demonstration contest when I was in 4th grade. I loved it when my mom let me make these for my family.

Reply
Alli February 18, 2014 - 7:53 am

This is an old one, isn’t it? I had not made it in years until the other day my husband said, “You know those little packets you used to make when the kids were little? I sure would like to have one.” I had not remembered how easy it was to make and how flavorful.

Reply
Brian August 31, 2023 - 2:44 pm

This use to be a common meal for me at scout camp & retreats but we called them “Boy Scout dinners” and always cooked them over coals of fire or a BBQ pit.
I’m sure the oven does just as good and quite well, and now I know the correct temperature and time for doing them in the oven.

Reply
Alli September 1, 2023 - 11:15 am

My kids loved these when they were growing up. I imagine they are even better cooked over the coals of a fire. Yum!!

Reply

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