Hobo Origins

• The hobo part of the dinner takes its name from the itinerant workers of Great Depression America, who frequently ate around a campfire at night and needed food that was nourishing but easy to make. Using a coffee can or tin as a saucepan and rested on hot coals, the hobo dinner, also known as a Mulligan Stew, was a budget stew incorporating some chicken and whatever vegetables were available. If there was no chicken, cheaper hamburger patties would do to provide some protein. Other hobo stews used metal vessels readily available around rail yards, in particular the 5-gallon cans that carried railroad spikes.

Modern Version

• Nobody these days would inspire much appetite by whipping out a coffee can wrapped in wet newspaper to start dinner. The easiest modern alternative is a simple riff on chicken en papilotte, or chicken that is wrapped and cooked in aluminum foil. Bundle up chicken with chopped onion, celery and carrots, seasoning and herbs. Add peeled and dice potatoes, if you like. Wrap the foil tightly to prevent leakage, then bake it in the oven at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. The highlight is removing the package from the oven and opening it to release the chicken and herb aromas, taking care to avoid the escaping steam.

In the Outdoors

• A more authentic version of a hobo dinner involves placing the foil package on top of hot coals in an outside grill or campfire. Use a double layer of foil and use tongs to heap hot coals on top of the package. Or turn the pouch over halfway through cooking on the grill, without accidentally piercing the pouch with tongs. For many guests, forego the pouches and throw all of the ingredients in a cauldron or cast iron pot suspended over a campfire.

Cooking Times

• The simplest hobo dinner uses chicken breast, diced if necessary. The uniform texture of the breast will require approximately 20 minutes of cooking. For a more flavorful, rustic option, graduate to wings or thighs but increase the cooking time to 45 minutes or so. The higher fat content in these cuts will give a more intense flavor. Because this is a dish that is traditionally "thrown together," it is perfectly in the spirit of the hobo to introduce random leftovers or whatever is available in the fridge.