Hamburger A La Foil

Ingredients

  • 16 in aluminum foil
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 quarter pound hamburger patty ( or a 1/3 pound if your hungry )
  • 1 small potato thinly sliced
  • 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 carrot thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp season salt

Directions

  1. Tear off a 16 in piece of aluminum foil a place on a flat surface with the shinny side down.
  2. Using the butter stick, rub the butter on 1/2 the aluminum foil leaving a 1 inch strip along the edge unbuttered.
  3. lay half the thin sliced onions in the center of the buttered aluminum foil.
  4. Next arrange the thinly sliced carrots over the onion layer.
  5. Place a butter pat on the center of the carrots.
  6. Place the hamburger patty centered on the carrots.
  7. Place the remaining onions on the hamburger patty.
  8. Arrange the thinly sliced potato over the onion/hamburger patty.  Try to keep the potato layer as thin as possible.
  9. Place a pat of butter in the center off the potato layer.
  10. Spray the mixture with a thin coat of cooking spray.
  11. Sprinkle season salt over the mixture to taste.
  12. Fold the unbuttered  side of the aluminum foil over the mixture and aligning the edges.
  13. fold and crease the sides first and then the end last.  Try to fold and crease at least 3 folds to lock in the steam while cooking and to prevent the foil from popping open as it puffs up.
  14. Preheat oven or BBQ to 350 degrees.
  15. Place A La Foil in the oven or on the grill and cook for 30 – 45 minutes.

Notes:

  1. I originally learned to make this in the boy scouts as the Hamburger A La Foil recipe was in the Boy Scout handbook.  I used this recipe to earn my cooking merit badge. It worked well on the camp fire.   I later taught my daughters to make A La Foil.  It was always fun since everyone makes their own, adding their own little twist or experiment to their special little foil packet.
  2. If you are using a charcoal grill try to have the hot coals to one side and the foil on the other for indirect heating.  This will help prevent burning. 
  3. I recommend using Heavy duty aluminum foil.
  4. When cooking in the oven be sure to cook on a baking sheet pan just in case the foil tears.
  5. You don’t have to use hamburger meat.  Try using pork or sausage patties.  
  6. The onions are there for the flavor, but also for the needed moisture.  However, if you don’t like onions you can substitute any other high water content veggie like a bell pepper or turnip.
  7. If you are going camping, A La Foil can be made in advance and frozen.