Pre-made foil dinners

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Can you make foil dinners ahead of time and freeze them? Looking for a no prep no mess meal.

[bmc]

I know you said dinners, but we pre make hamburger patties, wrap them in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and freeze them. When we go camping we put them in a cooler and they will start to thaw. When it comes time to eat them, we unwrap them, get rid of the plastic, and lay the burger on the foil, on a grate, over the fire. Then we usually throw some venny brats on the foil too.

Brian

[pushbutton]

the biggest issue with pre maid foil dinners would be your heat conrol when reheating them...if you can manage and maintain a low slow heat...great...if you have a higher less controllable heat, it would be best if you were able to thaw them out first.

[Fishinguy40]

We do it all the time. Like PB said, heat control is the key. Don't be in a rush to cook them. Put them over a medium bed of coals on a grate, drink a beer and flip em occasionally so they cook even and don't burn.

[woodsmanmn]

So is the correct way to cook a foil dinner is to drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, .....

[Ralph Wiggum]

On a tangent, what do you guys call foil dinners?

We call them hobo dinner or just hobos.

[grousehunter]

So is the correct way to cook a foil dinner is to drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, drink a beer, flip, .....

I only have the drink a beer part down so far

[SkunkedAgain]

Years ago I started making foil dinners for BWCA trips. I'd cube up the following:

-Potatoes

-Ham

-Onion

-Garlic

-Carrots

I'd put several 1/2 Tbs slices of butter on the tinfoil, then layer all of the ingredients (potatoes/ham/etc) on top. As I layered, I would sprinkle generously with Lowry's seasoned salt. Before folding up the tinfoil, I'd toss several more 1/2 Tbs slices of butter on top. I then carefully roll up and fold the tinfoil and stick it all in the freezer. These were great to just toss on the corner of a fire grate or on the edge of coals and slow cook.

Some of the keys that I've learned since are:

1) Do not make thick packets as they take longer to cook. Make long/wide, flat tinfoil packets.

2) Pre-cook the potatoes and carrots if you don't want them to be crunchy. I'll pre-cook them half way so that they are partially cooked but not even close to mushy.

3) Don't be afraid of adding butter. It will leak out of the foil when you turn the packets and it makes everything taste good.

4) Don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients. Ground beef, bacon, cubed chicken, and just about any vegetable will work.

These also make great ice packs since everything is frozen prior to travel.

[Comit 2]

This isn't a foil dinner but some of you might find it usefull.

Just get a Jetboil Flash and you can have the boiling water in two minutes.

[icehousebob]

I've made up stews, macaroni hot dishes, chili, sloppy joe, etc. and frozen them in plastic bags. They work as ice blocks for the cooler and you can just take them out and heat them in the bag in boiling water.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

What kind of plastic bags do you use to handle the heat?

[icehousebob]

My wife picked up some bags called boiling bags. Not sure where she got them but they stand up to the heat of boiling water pretty well. I'll see whether she remembers their trade name.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Yes Bob, please ask her.

[SpecialK]

I am pretty sure you can find them in any grogrocery store. I think I remember reynolds (as in the foil wrap people) made some.

Also if you are using a vacuum sealer I think those bags can be boiled.

[jigginjim]

For scouts we would half cook burg, then put into a drying machine for 4hrs. Pack burg in a bag and tomato sauce in a double vacum bag. once at the camp site we could boil the bags. later mix together before putting on noodles.

[LindellProStaf]

We make foil dinners and cook them over the fire. It is a great way to enjoy a fire. Great way to enjoy a beer too..... :-) We do the old Boy Scout Hobo thing: burger patty, potato slices, onion slices, carrots, butter, garlic, salt and pepper etc. We substitute chicken breasts sometimes. Also pork and beans with 2 or 3 hot dogs or brats, onions etc. Freeze great and take them out to thaw before cooking or keep at edge of fire for a long time. It is fun to get creative with it. Anything you want on your plate when done is what you can put in the Hobo dinner.... You can even put left over hot dish etc. in them then label them so when you have a fire you can just take something out.

[pureinsanity]

I always called the Campfire Hoagies.

If you have them frozen, light your fire, and put them on the grill. by the time you get a coal base going hopefully the fire would have it almost completely thawed.

[harvey lee]

Yes, the HOBO dinners work great and taste very good also.

[Stringerless!]

Every year at Trout camp the kids can't wait to create their own .

[Swimmer]

Hoping I'm not modifying this thread too much, but how about inexpensive freeze dried foods? In some of my past 2 week long canoe trips to the BWCA/Quetico weight was at an absolute premium (hobo dinners wouldn't smell to good after 3-4 days). We had rib eyes the first night of course, but after that it was mostly expensive freeze dried stuff that packed super light. So I always thought that if someone scoured a large grocery store they could find freeze dried stuff for half of what the camping packets go for. Things like Lipton Noodle Soup and oatmeal (of course). Just wondering if someone has ideas or has used other light weight products found in the grocery store.?

[pureinsanity]

for boundry waters go with MRE's... They don't taste the greatest but they can be packed pretty easily and are light.

[TruthWalleyes]

Going to have Chicken Kiev, Cordon Blue, and some other kind on the heater/cooker this weekend on the ice. Guess i'll have to bring some beer so i can get the right method of slow cook/flip

[goblueM]

we always just took whole potatoes, carrots and onions, and then made the dinner in the field. if you cut them up before going on the trip they don't last very long

good BWVA options are spaghetti and powdered sauce, beans and rice, fish, cheese and crackers, and the hobo dinner mentioned above.

if you put in a bit of work at a bulk foods store, or dehydrate your own food, you will save a TON of money. much better than paying 10 bucks for a REI dehydrated space food meal that'll suck anyways

[DitchPickle13]

I agree that MRE's are a great option for easy to pack & keep hot meals. They've actually come a long way and most of them are pretty tasty now!

A quick online search will turn up several places where you can order the same ones currently used by the military. The "cheese tortellini" is usually a favorite!

[Stringerless!]

I like making them in the field too. Every man is his own chef. Doctor it up as you see fit. Gotta get away from here. You guys are gonna have me starting a fire in the backyard !!