You may have heard of hobo packets being used to cook meals on camping trips, but these foil packets can also be used at home as a quick and easy way to make sides or main dishes!
If you don’t know what hobo packets are, they can also be called steam packets and they are are foil-wrapped or parchment paper-wrapped meals cooked on a grill or over a fire.
The best thing about hobo packets is that they require little work and little attention so you can continue making other dishes while these are cooking.
In this video, I made sweet potato hobo packets with butter and brown sugar. They taste just like mini sweet potato casseroles when they’re done!
PREP WORK
The first step is to cut your vegetables or meat into pieces that are as similar in size as you can make them. I used a mandolin to slice my sweet potato so it was cut into thin, uniform slices. The more uniform your vegetables or meat is cut, the more evenly and quickly it will cook in a hobo packet.
ADD MOISTURE
You want to add a little moisture to your meal in the foil packet, so I added some butter on top of the sweet potato slices. I also added some brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon to amp up the sweet flavor from the potatoes.
WRAP IN FOIL
I then laid out two pieces of aluminum foil (you can also use parchment paper) cut to the same size and put all the ingredients on top of the foil. It’s important to use two layers of tin foil in case one layer gets punctured while cooking.
Next, you want to bring the sides of the foil up and roll the top down so fold the foil over so you completely cover the ingredients inside and create a seal.
COOK YOUR HOBO PACKET
After you’ve covered the ingredients in foil, put the hobo packet on direct heat on the grill for about 10 to 15 minutes. You will be able to hear the steam and moisture from inside the packet, so let that be a guide to tell you when the ingredients are cooked.
After 10 to 15 minutes, use tongs to open up the hobo packet to see if the food is cooked. If not cooked, allow it to sit on direct heat for a few more minutes. If cooked, use tongs or oven mitts to remove the packet from the grill. Be careful, the foil will be really hot.
SERVE
Open the foil up and enjoy your food inside the packet or scoop it out and put it on a plate.
There you go! Now you have a new method to try cooking your sides or main dish. This method is super easy, fail-proof and makes delicious meals!
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