Hey there! How are ya’? Good to have you drop by! Do you make these? Hobos. Probably my kids’ favorite summer meal. Super easy and leaves the kitchen pretty darn spotless. Not to mention a great way to work through the ground beef you have boatloads of when you buy beef in bulk! It is also a GREAT recipe to let the kids help with, layering on vegetables, sprinkling on spices, tearing off aluminum foil, and folding up the foil.
We use onions, potatoes, carrots, and ground beef. But you can use sweet potatoes, green beans, chicken, pork, or mix and match! We do these on the grill for great flavor and low mess, but you could also do them in an oven, too! My kids don’t eat sweet potatoes all that well, so I usually opt for potatoes. I peel them, which deprives them of some of the mineral nutrients, but right underneath the peel are “lectins.” Lectins can lead to increased intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) and some people have sensitivity reactions to lectins. Since I’m working hard to reverse some of these issues (with finally some fair success, I think), I choose to peel them if I eat potatoes. Also, for a make-ahead meal, these could be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to cook. Or cooked ahead of time and reheated in the oven.
Here is how we make our hobos or “hot pockets.”
Hobos
This makes five packets for me, but it could EASILY make more! I just get lazy.
2 pounds ground beef (grass fed beef imparts some extra health benefits)
1 and 1/2 onions, sliced into circles or as desired
1/2-1 potato or sweet potato per person, sliced
1 carrot per person, peeled and cut into coins, not painfully thin, but not so thick it takes them forever to cook
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder, optional
Onion powder, optional
Olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the vegetables
Aluminum foil
Parchment paper, optional (I recently learned to use it to minimize aluminum transfer to foods cooked in foil. Compliments of salixisme.wordpress.com)
1. Mix all of your vegetables together in a large bowl. Toss with just a little olive oil to coat, and sprinkle if desired with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. I found if I don’t use a tad of oil, the vegetables want to stick to the foil or parchment.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, place your ground beef. Season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. I probably use a teaspoonful of salt, 3-4 shakes of ground pepper, and a couple shakes each of garlic and onion powder.
3. Lay out large rectangles of aluminum foil and line with parchment paper if desired!
4. Place a pat of ground beef (remember this makes 5 pats for us, but it can easily be divided into more) on each rectangle of aluminum foil. I push the pats down into irregularly shaped patties. Top with the mixed vegetables.
5. Fold the packets such that all the contents will stay enclosed, or draw up all the sides like a “hobo” bag.
6. Place on hot grill for about 20-30 minutes. (Sometimes I cheat and open one up, checking to make sure the beef is done as I like it.) If you make them in the oven, it takes about twice as long. You just want to make sure your carrots and potatoes are tender and the beef is done. Steam escapes when you open so be very careful!
7. Remove from heat, and serve in packet or transfer onto a plate. I usually divide one in half for each of my kids.
8. My kids like to top with mustard and ketchup.
Family “gustar” report: 100% success (5/5 of us)! When a friend asked about what in the world to do with all of her ground beef, I suggested these. Her family of six loved them, too!
Certainly hope you’re having a great week!
~~Terri
The HSD 