Have you ever heard of a Hobo Dinner before? It’s usually an individual complete meal for one in a foil pack cooked in a campfire, oven or barbecue grill. Since I am all about bringing my slow cooker camping, I thought I would try making a Slow Cooker Hobo Dinner.
We traveled to South Twin Lake Resort for 4 nights this last week. Such a beautiful place to visit, there is a cold water channel right behind our campsite, and just a block away is the resort and lake. We spent our days hiking, swimming, and fishing. For our dinners I made 4 different slow cooker recipes this trip, an easy clam chowder, steak burritos, baked potatoes (to go with grilled steak), and this Hobo Dinner.
For this recipe I made a 1 pound meatloaf (I halved my favorite 2 pound meatloaf recipe.) I put the meatloaf on one side of the slow cooker. Then I made a foil “bowl” by taking a foot or so of foil and shaping it into a rounded shape (just one layer thick). In that foil bowl I tossed together potatoes, sliced onions, seasonings and drizzled melted butter over it. Cooked all of that on LOW for 5 hours, then topped the potatoes with cheese. An easy complete meal! And I do have to say meatloaf and potatoes are one of my most favorite meals to eat. Pure comfort food!
Hobo Dinner in the Slow Cooker
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger-oval
Ingredients:
Meatloaf Ingredients
- 1 lb. 10% fat ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup white onion diced
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ¼ tsp. onion powder
- 15 Saltine crackers crushed
For the potatoes
- 4 small russet potatoes sliced
- ½ cup white onion sliced
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 3 Tbsp. butter melted
- 1 cup sharp cheese shredded; add at the end
For Serving
- ketchup for topping meatloaf
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine the meatloaf ingredients, be careful not to over mix.
- Shape the meatloaf on one side of the slow cooker, trying to keep the meatloaf from touching the sides.
- Make a foil "bowl" out of a foot or so of foil.
- Shape it next to the meatloaf.
- Add the potatoes and onions.
- Season the potatoes and onions with the salt, pepper, and onion powder; toss them by hand.
- Drizzle over the melted butter.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours. DO NOT OPEN THE LID WHILE THIS IS COOKING, or the potatoes will not get tender.
- After the cooking time is up add the cheese on top of the potatoes, and cover for about 5 minutes more or until the cheese is melted.
- Add ketchup to the top of the meatloaf and serve.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition:
Need more ground beef recipes? Here are the best ones from the magical slow cooker:
- Slow Cooker John Wayne Casserole
- Slow Cooker Shipwreck Stew
- Slow Cooker Land Your Man Baked Beans
- Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
- Slow Cooker Beef and Potato Au Gratin
- Slow Cooker Taco Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers
- Slow Cooker Texas Trash Beef and Bean Dip
- Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Lipton Onion Meatloaf
- Slow Cooker Chuck Wagon Chili
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Hash
Get it ready before you get on the road, keep in sink so it won’t tip and when you arrive at campsite, voila dinner is done. I use a slow cooker bag and clean up is a breeze.
Really enjoyed this recipe. My slow cooker has a timer so I set it on 6 hrs. Then checked it at 5 1/2 hrs and all was perfect so add
Great hobo meal idea! Has anyone made any beef and baked beans hobo meals?
People worried about meatloaf sticking to their pots, could either put their meatloaf in a separate foil bowl, just as the potatoes were contained, or twist some foil into snake shapes to use as an improvised meat rack under the meatloaf, which will also elevate the meatloaf above the “guck” that sometimes forms around the bottoms of meatloaf as it cooks.
If anyone finds their potatoes aren’t turning out as tender as they would like, they can microwave those briefly in advance in a microwave safe dish to help insure they’ll be tender by the time the meatloaf is done.
I made this recipe today and the potatoes didn’t get done. I cooked it for 6 hours on low. Any suggestions on what I need to do different next time? I used a 6 quart oval crockpot.
I have been making hobo dinners in the oven for years. I just use a hamburger patty and potatoes and some of the family members like carrots, or green peppers, or onions in addition to the potatoes. I still have it often as I live alone and it is a nice and easy meal. I love the idea of making it a meatloaf though. I always put everything in the foil together and bake it. Yummy. The cheese also sounds delicious.
My husband can’t eat onions, do you think it will work if i omit the onions?
Will be fine without
Thank you for this recipe! My daughter and I enjoyed this very much! The meatloaf was very moist and the potatoes were so soft! I might not cook meatloaf again in the oven! We have enjoyed lasagna, enchiladas and now meatloaf in the slow cooker!