So I might be passing through Amarillo near the end of May and I hear the Big Texan calling my name. Last time I went through I was in a hurry to get where I was going and didn’t stop, but this will be a more leisurely trip.
I’m not a terribly gifted eater - I would say on the high end of average - but not spectacular in any way. I failed the milk challenge with about 1 finger still in the jug. The largest meal I can recall eating was the biggest 'burger at Fudrucker’s (can’t remember if it was 1 or 2lbs) with lots of cheese, plate of fries, and a milkshake. I didn’t do anything to prepare and wasn’t hurting too bad at the end, so I don’t think that’s my threshold.
So if there are any competitive eaters reading, or people who know a lot about this kind of stuff, feel free to contribute pointers. I have at least a month and a half to get ready. I don’t want too gain to much weight in the process, and I don’t plan to do anymore competitive or ultraglutonnous eating after this.
Well, the most important thing is not to starve yourself the day of. Have a good breakfast, then spend the day doing physical things. Skip lunch, have a small snack instead and lots of water. By showtime you should be ravenous without having shrunk your stomach down.
Cut your steak immediately into four smaller portions. this eliminates the psychological “Oh noes!” Down the first two-to two and a half as quick as is comfortable, to avoid the satisfied hormones from kicking in too early. Eat your third- 1/2 of the fourth efficiently, and enjoy that last half portion.
If you are going for a freebie and have to finish your fries and such, handfuls with lots of water works well.
Ask for a pitcher of water.
regards-Acid Lamp 5 7’ 155lbs who has finished a 60 oz porterhouse challenge.
According to wiki it also includes a bread roll with butter, potato, ranch beans, shrimp cocktail, and salad.
I have lived here for 3 years now but not been in. People who have say it’s not terribly good.
There is also a Pizza parlor in town with a similar challenge, obviously with Pizza.
South of town there is a dive called the Lone Star bar and grill which serves steak in 18, 24, 36, or 48 oz portions. In spite of being a dump the steak is quite good. I took my parents there and stupidly my mom asked if they had wine our waitress replied “we have something called Murlot”
Heh, been there several times and that’s one honkin’ big slab o’ red. They’re gonna put you up on a low stage in the middle of the restaurant right in front of the grill, announce to the crowd the task you’ve agreed to undertake, start the clock and wish you well.
I’ve got no words of advice on methodology but do remember it has been done by a bunch of people before, from young girls to grandmothers, from big assed truckers to wiry types. Frank Pastori of the Cincinnatti Reds did it in I think 11 minutes (or something obscenely quick).
Anyway, my hat’s off to you for trying and bone appetit.
I remembered Frank Pastore’s feat from my trip there back in '79 or '80. The BT wiki page says though than he’s now done it 7 times and that during his visit in '87 he completed the steak and fixins in 9.5 minutes. Furthermore, a Pasadena, CA man ate 4 (not a typo… 4) 72 oz. steaks in the allotted hour. As long as you’re there you ought to go ahead and do the same thing because then you get a lifetime pass.
I took the 72 oz. challenge at the Big Texan once. It’s difficult, but do-able. Don’t let it psych you out – it’s just a big steak and some sides!
My personal advice:
Get the steak cooked as well done as you can take it. I got mine medium-rare, and towards the end it had gotten cool and unappetizing. If I had gone for medium or medium-well, it would have stayed warm longer and been less nauseating.
When you first come in the building, to your right, there is a cooler that has an example steak meal in it. You will look at this and think it’s no big deal. THAT IS NOT THE STEAK! THE STEAK IS A LIE. THE STEAK IS A DAMN DIRTY LIE. I emphasize this because if you look at that steak in there and think that’s the steak you’re going to be tackling, the appearance of the true steak in front of you a bit later is going to be quite shocking. At least, it was to me.
The real challenge here isn’t the amount of food, in my opinion. It’s the fact that that steak will get to be really, really monotonous. I failed at the challenge not because I was full, but because the repetitive texture of the meat began to make me feel ill. Eat half of the steak uninterrupted at the beginning, then break up the second half by interspersing bites of sides with it.
The shrimp cocktail they give you is nasty. Just a heads up.
For the record, I ate all the sides and 63 out of the 72 ounces in 45 or 50 minutes. Over the last few bites, the texture began to make me gag and dry heave a bit. The final bite almost triggered an explosive episode. At that point, I gave up and went to the men’s room to bid it all farewell. I recommend figuring out where the restrooms are before you begin – they’re tucked away, and vomiting in a trash can in front of everyone is not something I’d want to do.
Do not wear a belt. And get someone’s contact info on the Board so you can call them when you’re about to begin – The Big Texan has a webcam trained on the eating platform, so we can all watch!
72 bucks and a few hundred miles out of the way. The story should balance it out, especially if I win or puke, and I’m pretty much 100% sure I’ll do one or the other.
Dude, this community would be all over that!