This recipe comes from the U.S. National Park Service, which publishes it on its camping pages as Camping Recipe: Meals in Foil. Foil packets are a simple way to steam vegetables and protein together over a fire, and the NPS describes this one as a tried-and-true starter recipe that you can build on. The park service’s version is a classic ground beef and vegetable dinner. Below you will find the recipe as published, plus the food safety numbers from USDA and the campfire rules from the Smokey Bear campaign that apply to it.
Supplies
- A fire and wood, or a charcoal grill
- Aluminum foil, 2 feet per person
- Grilling gloves
- Cutting board and knife
- A cooking grate (optional)
Ingredients (serves 3 to 4)
- Ground beef, 1 pound
- Potatoes, 3 to 4 large
- Carrots, 2 to 3 large
- Cabbage, 1/3 of a head
- Onion, 1 medium
- Salt and pepper
- Butter, a dollop per packet (optional)
Method
- Build your fire and let it burn down to hot coals.
- While it burns, chop the vegetables.
- Lay out a sheet of foil for each person, about 2 feet long.
- Put a portion of each ingredient in the center of each sheet and season to taste, adding butter if you like.
- Seal each bundle by rolling the edges down in 1/4-inch folds, starting with the longest side.
- Spread the hot coals out evenly and set the optional cooking grate over them. You can also cook directly on the coals.
- Wearing grilling gloves, place the packets over the heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them gently once halfway through. The packets should swell as steam forms inside.
- Use the gloves to lift the packets off and open the foil. The NPS warns that hot steam escapes when it opens.
The Foil Seal Matters
The NPS is firm about the wrap. The foil has to form a tight seal, and if you cannot roll the edges down at least two folds, you are told to remove some of the food and re-seal. If any holes or tears form in the foil, the instructions say to start over with a fresh sheet.
Cooking Ground Beef Safely
The NPS gives a time (15 to 20 minutes) but no temperature. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says to cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb and veal to an internal temperature of 160°F as measured with a food thermometer. Because the recipe goes by time alone, the sensible step is to check the beef with a food thermometer when you open a packet, and to treat 160°F as the number it needs to reach.
Once the food is cooked, USDA’s serving guidance says hot food should be held at 140°F or warmer, and that perishable food should not be left out more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour when it is above 90°F. Leftovers should be reheated to 165°F. USDA presents these as general serving rules for cooked food, so they apply to a foil dinner eaten at the campsite as much as to a buffet at home.
Campfire Safety
A foil dinner needs a fire, and the Smokey Bear campaign (with the US Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters and the Ad Council) has clear steps for it. Start by checking local fire restrictions: it advises calling or checking online, and says not to build a campfire or dig a fire pit if the campground, area, event rules or local laws prohibit them. It also says not to build a fire in hazardous, dry or windy conditions.
- Keep at least 15 feet from tents, vegetation and low-hanging branches, and clear a site at least 10 feet across.
- Use an existing fire pit with a metal ring or rock circle if there is one; otherwise dig one about a foot deep and ring it with a metal fire ring or rocks.
- Have water, a bucket or large container, and a shovel on hand.
- Light with a match or lighter, and never use flammable liquids.
- Keep watch over the fire, including children and pets.
To put the fire out, Smokey Bear’s method is drown, stir, drown, feel. Pour on water until the hissing stops, stir the embers with a shovel, add more water until everything is cool, and hover the back of your hand over the ashes. The guidance sums it up in one line: “If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.”
Smokey Bear also says never to burn trash or dangerous items in a campfire, and it names aluminum among them, while the NPS tells campers to keep a clean camp and dispose of waste properly. In practice that means packing used foil out with you rather than leaving it in the fire.
Diet Note
The published recipe includes ground beef and optional butter, so it is not vegetarian or vegan. The NPS recipe lists no other animal ingredients, but the recipe is intended as a template that you can adapt.
Keep reading
- Campfire S’mores in a Cone: NPS Recipe and Fire Safety
- Campfire Doughboys: KOA’s Biscuit-on-a-Stick Recipe
- Dutch Oven Coal Chart: Controlling Heat Over Coals
- NPS Freezer Breakfast Burritos for the Campfire