All the cheesesteak — none of the kitchen. Build it Tuesday night, freeze it, and Saturday at camp it goes from cooler to table in half an hour. Saturday's about the trip, not the kitchen.
FEEDS 4Half-size foil pan
1 lb shaved London broil deli roast beef (deli counter, thin as they'll slice it) — OR — 1 lb 85/15 ground beef
8 oz elbow macaroni
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup beef broth
8 oz sliced provolone
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
Optional: 4 oz sliced mushrooms
1 half-size foil pan with lid
FEEDS 8Full-size deep pan
2 lbs shaved London broil deli roast beef — OR — 2 lbs 85/15 ground beef
1 lb (16 oz) elbow macaroni
2 green bell peppers, sliced
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup beef broth
16 oz sliced provolone
4 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
Optional: 8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 full-size deep foil pan with lid
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At home — make it
Tuesday
Boil the elbows 2 minutes SHORT of the box time. They finish cooking at camp — underdone now means perfect later, not mush. Drain.
MEAT — pick your lane. Deli roast beef: no cooking needed, just rough-chop the shaved slices. Ground beef: brown it, drain it, set it aside.
Butter in the pan. Peppers and onions (and mushrooms if using) about 4 minutes, until they just soften.
Meat into the pan with the vegetables — deli beef just needs a minute to warm and mix in.
Cream cheese and beef broth in. Stir until it turns into a smooth sauce. Salt and pepper it.
Fold in the underdone elbows until everything is coated.
Into the foil pan. Provolone slices over the whole top.
Cool it completely. Lid on, wrap tight in plastic wrap, then foil. Sharpie on the lid: CHEESESTEAK — 350° / 30 MIN COVERED + date. Freeze.
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At camp — heat it
Saturday
Friday: move it from the freezer to the fridge or cooler to thaw overnight.
Saturday: camp oven or grill with the lid down, about 350°. Pan stays covered with foil.
Pull the foil for the last 5 minutes so the provolone melts right.
Done when it's bubbling at the edges. Let it sit 5 minutes. Eat.
Notes
The deli roast beef is the move — it's already cooked, shaved paper-thin like a real cheesesteak, and Tuesday becomes pure assembly. Ground beef works fine if that's what's in the fridge.
Writing the heat instructions on the lid with a Sharpie means Saturday-you never needs the recipe.