hobo pack

n. a foil-wrapped bundle of cut-up food, usually cooked in hot coals or on a grill. Subjects: English, Food & Drink

Editorial Note: Many sources credit this term to youth scouting organizations and this style of cooking is indeed widely practiced by them.

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Citations: 1963 Barbara Cox Los Angeles Times (Apr. 18) “Camp Fire Girls’ Specialties Kindle Youthful Appetites” p. D7: Hobo Pack.…Season meat and form into 4 thick oval patties. Place each patty in center of 14-in. piece of aluminum foil. Press rounded site of potato into patty. Top with onion and tomato halves and quarter of green pepper. Season. Bring edged of foil together and seal tightly. Place on cooky sheet or shallow baking pan and bake at 350 deg., 1 1/2 hours. Serve from foil in soup bowls. 1994 John Packett Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia) (June 20) “Voice in the wilderness: Nervous novice now says he’d do it again” p. C-2: After the coals had heated up, it was time to let the “hobo pack,” containing chicken and potatoes, cook for about 45 minutes. Even though some of the chicken got black from being on top of the coals, it tasted delicious. 1998 [Everett] Usenet: rec.food.cooking (Sept. 2) “Re: Rainbow trout”: We skin our trout, place it on tin foil, squeeze lemon juice over it and a pat of butter. Wrap the fish into a bundle (Boy Scouts call this a hobo pack) and place it in the camp fire coals for about 15 to 20 minutes. Butter and lemon pepper also work well. The cooking time varies so I check it after ten minutes. You can also do this in your oven at home. 2006 Jill Scott NY1 (New York City) (June 26) “Barbecuing Tips, Part Two”: Basically there are two ways to grill veggies; straight on the grill or in what’s called a hobo pack.…"If you wrap them in a double layer of foil, season them with some salt pepper and olive oil and make a nice package so no seams escape, you are grilling and steaming at the same time. It’s delicious.”

Posted 13 Jul 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend