Hobo Loaded Potato Packets

Last but not least Hobo Loaded Potato Packets accompanied our Soda Can Chicken in our cooking class.

When making foil packets either use a heavy duty foil or 2 layers of regular foil.

In class, not having a grill, we cooked the potatoes 3 ways; first we cut the potatoes in 1/4”-1/2” pieces and boiled them until they were just fork tender.

Drained them and because we had cooked bacon used the bacon grease in a cast iron grill pan to give the potatoes a “grill mark” before we made the foil packets.  Finally threw them into a 350F oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

I’m getting ahead of myself .....here are the ingredients for 4 potato packets on the grill:

2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, sliced into 1/4”-1/2” pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3-4 sprigs of Thyme
5-6 strips of bacon
1/3 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

I’m still going to have you boil your potato slices until they are just fork tender. What I also want you to do is add the garlic and sprigs of thyme to the boiling water. Drain, discard the garlic and thyme sprigs and place on a tray. Drizzle with the oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside while you fry your bacon until crispy, when cooled crumble.

Get your 14”x10” sheets of foil ready. Working with one packet at a time, spread 1/4th of the potatoes onto the foil, add some cheese and ranch dressing then sprinkle on the bacon and chives. Fold the foil over the potatoes and crimp the edges, but don’t fold too tightly as it needs steam to enter to melt the cheese.

On a hot charcoal grill it should only take 5 minutes to melt the cheese. (Now if you didn’t boil your potatoes first it would take a lot longer to get the potatoes tender while the cheese would over cook)

For a gas grill get the grill hot by turning the burners on high then reduce to medium/high. Place packets on grill, cover and cook 5 minutes on both sides. Cut open and serve. Yum Yum!


You want to make the potatoes like we did in class? Here is the cast iron grill pan we used to get the “grill marks” on our potatoes.