Campfire Sausage, Potato and Green Bean Foil Packets with Garlic Butter
Slice smoked sausage, baby potatoes and green beans, toss with garlic butter and seasoning, then seal in double-layer foil packets. Cook over medium coals for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping once halfway, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the sausage is hot (165°F). Total time is about 45 minutes.
This is a one-packet dinner that needs no pans and almost no cleanup. Potatoes soak up garlic butter, green beans get tender-crisp, and smoked sausage adds salt and smoke to everything.
The trick is cutting the potatoes small so they cook at the same pace as the rest. Prep the packets at the picnic table while the fire burns down to coals, then let the coals do the work.
Campfire Sausage, Potato and Green Bean Foil Packets with Garlic Butter
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals
- Pack weight
- 4 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- No stove
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Gear you'll need
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Long-handled tongs
- Large mixing bowl
- Cutting board and knife
- Heat-proof gloves
- Instant-read thermometer
- Fork
Steps
-
Build the coal bed
Start your fire about 45 minutes before you want to eat. Let it burn down to glowing coals with only small flames. Spread the coals into an even bed.
-
Make garlic butter
In a large bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir in the olive oil.
-
Toss everything together
Add the potatoes, green beans, onion and sausage to the bowl. Toss until every piece is coated in the butter mixture.
-
Fill the foil
Tear off four sheets of heavy-duty foil, each about 18 inches long, and double each one. Divide the mix among them, piling it in the center in an even layer.
-
Seal tight
Fold the long edges together twice, then fold and crimp the ends. Leave a little air space inside for steam. Label nothing, but make sure there are no tears.
-
Cook on coals
Set the packets directly on the coals or on a grate over them. Cook 15 minutes, then flip with tongs and cook 15 to 20 minutes more.
-
Check doneness
Carefully open one packet, away from your face, to avoid steam. Potatoes should be fork-tender, and the sausage should read 165°F. If not, reseal and cook 5 minutes more.
-
Serve from the foil
Let the packets rest 3 minutes. Open them wide, sprinkle with parsley and eat straight from the foil.
Trail Notes
Chop the potatoes, beans and onion at home and store them in a zip-top bag in the cooler. Mix the garlic butter at home too. Use everything within 2 days.
Keep the sausage and butter at 40°F or below until you cook. The sausage is precooked, but still keep it cold. Don't leave leftovers out for more than 2 hours.
Use sweet potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes in place of baby potatoes, or swap the green beans for sliced zucchini and reduce the cook time by 5 minutes. For a vegetarian version, use canned chickpeas instead of sausage.
Pack out all used foil, since it doesn't burn away. Let the coals burn down fully and drown the fire with water before you leave. Scatter no food scraps in the fire ring.
Campers ask
How long do foil packets take to cook over a campfire?
Most packets with potatoes need 30 to 35 minutes over medium coals, flipped once. Smaller cuts cook faster, and hotter coals can scorch the bottom, so check at 25 minutes.
Should I put foil packets directly in the fire or on coals?
Use coals, not open flames. Flames burn through foil and char the food. Set packets on a bed of coals or a grate above them.
How do I know when potatoes in a foil packet are done?
Open a packet carefully and pierce a potato with a fork. It should slide in with no resistance. If it's still firm, reseal the packet and cook 5 more minutes.
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