Foil-packet dinners are a campfire classic for good reason. Each person gets their own portion, cleanup is minimal, and there is something satisfying about unwrapping a steaming parcel at the fire. They also have a reputation for coming out half-burnt and half-raw. That is almost always a method problem, not a recipe problem — and the method is easy to learn.
Why foil works
A sealed foil packet is a tiny steam oven. Heat from the coals hits the bottom layer directly, while moisture from the ingredients turns to steam and cooks everything else from the inside. Understanding that tells you almost everything you need to know: the packet must be sealed, it needs some moisture, and whatever sits at the bottom gets the most heat.
Four rules for even cooking
1. Cut to cook time
Dense foods such as potatoes and carrots take longer than peppers, onions or pre-cooked sausage. Cut dense foods small — about 1 cm (½-inch) cubes — or par-boil them at home. Our prep checklist suggests par-boiling potatoes, which roughly halves the time on the coals.
2. Build in layers
Slow-cooking items go on the bottom, closest to heat. Quick items and anything delicate go on top. A thin layer of oil or butter on the foil first helps prevent sticking.
3. Use heavy-duty foil, doubled
Regular foil tears on grates and coals. Use heavy-duty foil, and for coal cooking, wrap a second layer around the first. Fold the edges with at least two tight crimps so steam stays in.
4. Coals, not flames
Place packets on a grate over glowing coals or directly on a flat bed of coals at the edge of the fire. Tall flames create hot spots and soot. Turn packets once halfway through with long tongs.
If the packet is sealed, the bottom is dense, and the heat is coals, foil dinners come out right almost every time.
Sausage, potato & pepper packets
Sausage, Potato & Pepper Foil Packets
- Serves 4
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 25–35 min
- Coals or grill grate
Ingredients
- 450 g (1 lb) small potatoes, cut in 1 cm (½-inch) cubes (par-boiled at home if possible)
- 450 g (1 lb) pre-cooked smoked sausage, sliced into coins
- 2 bell peppers, cut in strips
- 1 onion, sliced
- 45 mL (3 tbsp) oil or melted butter
- 7 mL (1½ tsp) smoked paprika
- 5 mL (1 tsp) garlic powder
- 5 mL (1 tsp) salt and 2 mL (½ tsp) pepper
- 4 sheets heavy-duty foil, about 45 cm (18 inches) long, plus 4 more for double-wrapping
Method
- In a large bowl or zip bag, toss potatoes with half the oil and half the seasonings.
- Lay out 4 foil sheets. Divide potatoes between them in a flat layer in the centre.
- Toss sausage, peppers and onion with the remaining oil and seasonings, and pile on top of the potatoes.
- Bring the long sides of the foil together and fold down twice, then fold the ends in twice to seal. Wrap each packet in a second sheet.
- Cook on a grate over medium coals, or on the edge of the coal bed, for 25–35 minutes, turning once. Par-boiled potatoes need the shorter time.
- Open one packet carefully (steam is hot) and check that potatoes are tender. Reseal and cook longer if needed. Eat straight from the foil.
Using raw meat? If you swap in raw chicken or ground meat, cut it small, keep it in a single layer, and check with a thermometer: 74°C (165°F) for poultry, 71°C (160°F) for ground meat.
Mix-and-match ideas
Once the method clicks, foil packets become a template. A few combinations that have worked well for us:
- Lemon-herb fish: firm white fish on thin lemon slices with zucchini and a pat of butter. Fish cooks fast — 12 to 15 minutes.
- Fajita packets: thin-sliced chicken, peppers, onion and taco seasoning. Serve in tortillas.
- Halloumi and vegetables: halloumi cubes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, red onion and oregano, great for vegetarians.
- Campfire apples: cored apples filled with oats, cinnamon, brown sugar and butter, wrapped and set in coals for 20 minutes.
Assemble packets at home when possible — they stack flat in the cooler and turn dinner into a ten-minute job at camp. The only cleanup is folding the used foil and packing it out with your garbage. Foil does not burn completely, so never leave it in the fire ring.
