# Hobo dinner



## NAchef (Aug 17, 2006)

I did a search and was surprised not to come up with anything.

Anyway, I am going camping this w/e and was wondering what different recipes everyone had for hobo dinners.


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## Constance (Aug 17, 2006)

Here are all kinds of hobo dinners:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,hobo_dinners,FF.html


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## Constance (Aug 17, 2006)

Here's another site with a lot of good camping recipes:

http://www.utahoutdooractivities.com/recipesmaindishes.html


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## mugsy27 (Aug 17, 2006)

hobos earlobe marinated in merlot, olive oil and bay leaf is quite delicious!!  be sure not to poke him with a stick b4 u cut it off though...they can get quite "antsy".

however...if that does become a problem for you, a bottle of nighttrain usualy will calm and distract them enough for you to slice off the most juicy and tender parts of the hobo!


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## NAchef (Aug 17, 2006)

haha

I will remember that next time I eat a hobo! haha


Thanks for the links Constance. Have you tried any of those that you like?


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## Constance (Aug 17, 2006)

Not really. I used to camp a lot, but we usually grilled burgers, steaks, pork steaks, brats, hot dogs, corn on the cob...things like that. I also brought a lot of food from home...potato salad, slaw, tomatoes for slicing, etc. 
Seems like we made hobo dinners at Girl Scout camp, but that's been eons ago, and the S'mores were the only thing I really remember.


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## Walt Bulander (Aug 17, 2006)

*Hobo dinners*

I remember them from Boyscouts.

Hamburger
Carrots
Celery
Onions
Potatoes
Salt & pepper
All cut up and sealed in aluminum foil and set in the coals of a campfire.

Usually burned on one end and raw on the other! (Maybe we should have turned them, from time to time)


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## BreezyCooking (Aug 18, 2006)

The one meal I remember from my Girl Scout camp days was called "Glop", & it was actually quite good - good enough for me to actually make it once I returned home.  It wasn't made in a packet, but rather in a large dutch-oven-type pot over the campfire.  Consisted of (if I recall correctly) rice, ground beef, canned stewed tomatoes, & cheese (American, I believe).

I have to admit that my "camp cuisine" has improved greatly from those days.  As an adult camper, I bring along a little 2-burner propane stove, a large skillet, a saucepan with cover, & a cooler full of provisions that enable me to make omelettes or other breakfasts involving eggs & breakfast meats, grilled sandwiches for lunch, & the likes of turkey piccata, stirfries, or other such stuff for dinner.  And I've learned to always bring extra, as 9 times out of 10 the people we go canoeing/camping with provision themselves with things like doughnuts for breakfast & hot dogs for dinner (which is fine unless that's all you're having 3 days in a row. . . ), & I end up feeling badly - lol!!


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## shpj4 (Sep 25, 2006)

I have never had a Hobo dinner and will be interested in hearing what our other chefs and cooks have to say about it.

Thanks.


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## bjcotton (Sep 25, 2006)

Constance, there are some brats in this neighborhood you could grill.  I'd even provide the sauce!


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## Chef_Jen (Sep 25, 2006)

at a camp i use to work at we did hob o breakfast... cooked over garbage cans..

we did eggs bacon beans etc was really good cooked on the lid of cans...


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## outdoorcook (Jan 1, 2007)

There are many ways to make Hobo Dinners.  Typically they have some type of meat, some vegetables (potatoes, carrots, onions, tomatoes), other desired ingredients (rice, soups, garlic cloves), and seasonings (salt and pepper, onion powder, any seasoning that you have and like).  The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.  See How to Make and Cook Foil Dinners for other ideas.


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## Cathysue (Jan 24, 2007)

Back in the 1980's I was a Girl Scout Day Camp Director. From past experience with Hobo Dinners, we found if you added an ice cube along with all the ingredients it helped to steam the food and slow the burning process!!


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## amber (Jan 24, 2007)

Stick, hot dog, fire


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## outdoorcook (Jan 25, 2007)

Cathysue said:
			
		

> Back in the 1980's I was a Girl Scout Day Camp Director. From past experience with Hobo Dinners, we found if you added an ice cube along with all the ingredients it helped to steam the food and slow the burning process!!


 
Great tip, CathySue! I do remember someone suggesting that, but I have never tried it. I often put rice in mine, and just before I seal it all up, add a little water to help steam the rice (and the rest of the food). 

I have seen some who put newspaper in between two layers of foil and then wrap the dinner in that. They say that it helps keep the food from burning.

And then there are those that partially microwave the food before wrapping in foil, so all they have to do is warm it up at the campfire, but that is cheating to me!


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## Shellygloo (Mar 19, 2007)

To me, this is what a hobo dinner is...

Large dutch oven or have even seen new galvenized steel garbage cans used, placed over a fire.

Meaty ham bones and lots of smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized chunks
several cabbages, cut in 1/8
lots of carrots, cut in big bite sized chunks
lots of onions, quartered
several heads of garlic, with skins off and separated into cloves
at least a couple of pounds of fresh tomatoes, quartered
several pounds of potatoes, cut in quarters
Any other fresh veggies--green beans, zucchini, peppers, etc. cut into bite sized chunks
Fresh ears of corn, broken into 1/2s or 1/3rds
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil this mixture until veggies are tender.  Yummiest.


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## Mr. P (Mar 19, 2007)

Walt Bulander said:
			
		

> I remember them from Boyscouts.
> 
> Hamburger
> Carrots
> ...


Hey, mine never burned! Darn they were good, weren't they?!!!


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## Uncle Bob (Mar 19, 2007)

Mr. P said:
			
		

> Hey, mine never burned! Darn they were good, weren't they?!!!


 
Were good???? Man I fixed these about two weeks ago. They ARE good


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## Mr. P (Mar 19, 2007)

Uncle Bob said:
			
		

> Were good???? Man I fixed these about two weeks ago. They ARE good



I know, everytime I camp I have one.


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## SizzlininIN (Mar 20, 2007)

Growing up mom would make what she called Hobo Hash.....in fact I fixed it for brunch Sunday.  Its where you fry potatoes in veg oil, crumble in fried bacon and then scramble some eggs and add the egg mixture to the potatoes and bacon....season with s & p. 


Not sure if this is considered Hobo food or even if the above is but something I make when camping is fried potatoes in aluminum foil. I slice the potatoes not super thin but not real thick, slice or dice some onion, add s & p and dollop with butter and wrap with heavy duty aluminum foil and put it on the fire and turn every so often.
For a dessert slice a banana (still in the skin) long ways but not all the way through and pry the banana open some and add pieces of chocolate and mini marshmellows and then wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil and put on the fire......doesn't take long to cook. Its ooie and gooie and soooooo good.


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## Mel! (Mar 20, 2007)

Hello NAchef 

What about Bulgar wheat? U can use it, wherever u would use rice. 
But, it is not as inconvenient to cook as rice, while camping. U only have to add boiling water, and then it is ready to eat, after around 20 mins. 

Mel


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## Mel! (Mar 20, 2007)

and it is also good with salad.
and it is dry, like rice, before preparation, so it wont go bad, when stored not in a fridge.

Mel


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## JillBurgh (Jun 26, 2008)

I never heard of Hobo anything and a relative brought me some hobo beans recently. They were so delicious. Like baked beans with ground beef and brown sugar, I think. Anyone have a TNT recipe for Hobo Beans?


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## jpmcgrew (Jun 26, 2008)

My hobo dinner would be a big bottle of wine, bread, cheese, hard salami and maybe a candy bar.


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## buckytom (Jun 26, 2008)

i made a really good hobo stew when i was on vacation one night. sadly, i took an ambien, and don't completely remember what i put in the pot. but it was good.

from what i remember, i had some 85% angus burgers that had to be cooked or tossed by the next day, so in the middle of the night browned some diced onion, diced green peppers, and sliced garlic in a deep saute in evoo, set aside, and then made small meatballs out of the burgers and browned them. i deglazed the pan with some iced tea, then added the peppers/onion/garlic back to the mix, along with some dried herbs de provence, worcestershire sauce, a can of baby peas, along with a a large can of baked beans.

it was sort of a vegetabley baked beans with meatballs.

i would like to make it again, this time as a version of cottage pie, topped with mashed potatoes and baked.


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## JillBurgh (Jun 27, 2008)

buckytom said:


> it was sort of a vegetabley baked beans with meatballs.
> 
> i would like to make it again, this time as a version of cottage pie, topped with mashed potatoes and baked.



Iced tea sounds like a neat twist. I love the meatballs idea. I think I will try the Hobo Beans recipe from my aunt, but instead of just mixing in ground beef I'll do meatballs a la BuckyTom. Thanks for the ideas!


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## buckytom (Jun 27, 2008)

cool jill. let me know how it comes out. 
i left the meat alone, and just made small balls directly out of the machine formed patties. this made the meatballs more firm and a little more tough, but i kinda liked that about it in the dish. the pure beef flavor comes through the beans and veggies better.


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## JillBurgh (Jun 27, 2008)

Sweet! Thanks for the tips


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## JeannieGoZoom (Apr 19, 2009)

We have been making our version of Hobo Stew for a couple summers now. We have found the best technique is to put a large square of foil on a paper plate holder. Stack them to make the foil form into the plate holder. Spray the foil with cooking spray. 
It has worked best for us to have a potato type item on the bottom. We have used shredded hashbrowns from the refridgerated section or canned sliced or diced potatoes.
Then we have an assortment of meat and veggies, plus spices.
I usually cut the steak into small strips. The younger kids like ground beef. If using chicken, I get the already cooked packaged chicken (Tyson) because then I know it will be cooked and it stores in the camper well until ready to use.
Veggies can be the mixed frozen variety, canned mushrooms, or for an asian flair - water chestnuts, baby corns, and oriental veggie mix.
Some sort of liquid is needed. We have tried steak sauce, a small pat of butter, beef broth, or soy sauce. Then season to taste with cajun seasoning, garlic pepper, lemon pepper, montreal steak seasoning, etc.
Finally we wrap up the packets. Using a popsicle stick or flat food pick, write your initials on the stick and wrap it into a second layer of foil so it sticks out to id your packet. This allows for the different level of doneness.
We have a tripod that goes over the campfire coals. We can usually get 6 packets on the swing and can raise and lower the rack depending on the heat of the coals and the weather. 45 minutes is usually a good time.
Nothing tastes better.


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## babetoo (Apr 19, 2009)

let the hobo make his own dinner. lol


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## blissful (Apr 28, 2009)

babetoo said:


> let the hobo make his own dinner. lol



This reminds me of the saying that cannibles say "Clowns taste funny".

We mostly made our hobo dinners, double wrapped foil, hamburger, carrots, onions, potatoes, S&P, cooked right over the coals of the fire. My three sons and I made 20+ dinners one night, assembly line fashioned, and it turned out wonderful. Followed by homemade icecream. Dinner around a fire is always fun.


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