You also have to keep it down for the next hour.
No idea on the other particulars, though, or if it’s even ongoing. Wikipedia says nothing about a challenge taking place last year.
Everyone is dead certain they can do it. It’s deceptively difficult. I was feeling 100% fine until the very end, then it started to feel like my stomach was maxed out and any milk I drank was filling up my esophagus. Whether this is physically possible or not I don’t know, but that’s exactly what it felt like. It wasn’t long after that I was in pukesville.
So is this a challenge you took on in your own home, or some sponsored event that you went to and entered? If so, details, please.
Well, one tip I can give is from Food Network. They showed this challenge being done, and one contestant ate jalapeño peppers on the side. He said that the spiciness of the peppers took his mind off of his stomach being really full. So if you can get a sauce that’s as spicy as you can handle or maybe a little more than that, maybe it’ll help as well.
I think there are or have been sponsored events but it’s traditionally a party bet. I did it at my brother’s house on New Year’s Eve 2004 IIRC. I still have the picture of me puking around here somewhere. Fortunately I did it for machismo only and didn’t have to pay anyone after I returned the milk. A few years prior to that I won over $150 betting against a guy who was dead certain he could do it.
I’ve been to the Big Texan a number of times and witnessed others attempt this. And I don’t believe the wiki claim of a 4 steak completion. On the wall of the Big Texan, they claim the record is TWO completed meals in less than one hour. I believe it was a pro-wrestler from the late 70’s or early 80’s. I couldn’t credit four.
As to tips: It has to be done fast. If you read the wall of fame, you would be surprised at how many completed it in 15-20 minutes. I second the idea of thoroughly cooked steak. The more done, the less weight. And as previously mentioned, cold medium-rare steak is a nasty texture.
I would also pre-cut the entire steak before consuming. Weed out all the fat and gristle before hand. Once you start eating, it starts expanding in the stomach and not long after the “satisfied” chemicals are released. You need to get it all in before that occurs. EVERY attempt I’ve seen, seemed to get bogged down in trying to cut the last third of the steak, while fighting the psychological battle that ensues at that point. If you have the whole thing cubed into bite-size pieces before you start, you should be able to race through it. If anything, you’ll save time on the assembly line process, rather than alternating jobs (cutting, then eating, cutting, then eating).
Their round-eye steak is pretty good. They serve some of them drenched in the liquid drippings from when they cook. Tasty and moist. Might see about getting a bowl of that to help the pieces slide down with out sticking in your throat towards the end.
Good Luck!
No, he doesn’t post here. However I get to give him tech support from 1000 miles away. Does that count for anything? 
Think you’ll go for the record?
Joey Chestnut’s record breaking “athletic”* achievement. That man has the jaws, stomach and intestines of a T. Rex.
*The only area in which I could hope to be competitive is Sweet Corn. But the idea of 35 ears (measured how?) in 12 minutes is a bit daunting.
Let me second this: Your stomach can handle significantly more than your mind thinks it can. When you’re trying to eat this much, it’s much important to keep your mouth chewing as fast as possible. Use your knife to do the chewing (cutting the steak into small enough pieces to swallow whole), because your mouth will get tired and you’ll have time to contemplate exactly how much you’re trying to eat.
Even if you normally eat your steaks rare, get it at least medium-well. The more blood that evaporates during cooking, the less that’s taking up valuable potato space at the end of your meal.
And definitely break the steak up to start off with, to give yourself a reminder on when to switch to something to give your mouth/stomach/esophagus a different feel. The steak will cool more quickly, and therefore become disgusting more rapidly, but you don’t really care how it tastes, do you?
If you vomit but don’t spew, are you allowed to swallow it and continue? I mean if you throw up but it doesn’t leave your mouth. You never know…
I just talked to my brother tonight. The only thing he said was after eating a Texas sized steak; be prepared to take a Texas sized dump… lots of them.
He said that he and one of his ‘hands’ (he was a driller on an oil rig at the time) went there about ten or more years ago (Whenever it was that it only cost $30-something). He said it him all of 50 minutes, but that the guy he went with (skinny, small guy) at it in about 20 minutes. He said his friend not only polished it all off, but got pissed off that he had to pay for the piece of pie he had for dessert!
Oh, and he also confirmed that cutting steak near the end of the meal became a real pain in the ass. Said if he had to do it again, he’d take the advice mentioned above about cutting the steak up first.
Good Times
I’m 99% sure it was Klondike Bill. And I was thinking about the “4” claim last night. I’m skeptical as well. There has to be a capacity constraint.
I’m no competitive eater and generally I don’t find these things appealing but for some reason I can eat steak endlessly. Many times I’ve noshed the 24oz Porterhouse at a variety of steakhouses without breaking a sweat and finished the leftover 6-8oz of whatever cut of meat my mom had. Those trips I wasn’t even remotely uncomfortable and had a typical side dish, salad, bread and cocktails plus a chunk of cheesecake.
These giant steak challenges always seem eminently doable. I’d love to tackle this puppy and I know I’d hammer down the meat in short order, but it’s the damned sides that would catch me. That potato would really be tough to shoehorn in after the meat.
What types of sauces do you think they offer?
If you went in and told them that you were allergic to shrimp or something would they let you substitute something else in? I hate shrimp…
I know what you’re saying. That’s what originally got me thinking of doing this thing (years ago.) I have never gotten full from steak in my life. Granted, I’ve never eaten 72oz, but I’ve eaten a lot and it’s like I can keep going and going until I’m bored. The stuff just doesn’t fill me up for some reason.
I’m not a competitive eater, but I can eat a lot if it is something I like, e.g. steak, ice cream, cookies, cake, hamburgers… If the price per pound is good enough, I usually go for the 48 oz steaks (economies of scale and all that). I have absolutely no problem eating 48 in 30 mins, and I have room for dessert and vegetables. However, like I said, this is only limited to some foods that I like.
I generally don’t eat a lot also. If I know I’m going to an all you can eat place, like a Brazilian steak joint, then I’ll prepare. If you have to get used to having an expanded stomach. Like others have already posted, drinking a lot of water beforehand helps, and not right before.
Start training at least a week before by drinking a gallon of water. Just take a jug with you and try to finish it in a day, and the next day try to drink it faster. I can drink a gallon in under an hour if I worked out beforehand. Same with milk, however, I find it much easier if I have some cookies or if it’s chocolate (I’ve done the milk challenge 5 times now).
Oh, and working out helps too, it increases the appetite and makes you more hungry. I’ve heard that fat around the stomach makes it more difficult for the stomach to expand, but don’t quote me on the science part of it.
Don’t just eat steak to prepare. Eat a bunch of different foods. The idea is to get used to chewing and expanding your stomach. In my experience, what slows me down is getting bored with the food, then tired of chewing, and finally getting full.
Lastly, I also think eating fast helps. When I eat steak, I use steak sauce and a little Tabasco. I start to sweat, but I think it’s from the heat of the steak more than anything. I also like to think that cutting and chewing at the same time also provides a bit of workout. I find cutting with the left hand and using a fork with the right is most efficient.
Thanks, mazinger - this is exactly the kind of info I’m looking for. I’m going to try the water thing over the next few weeks and try a couple more milk challenges before I leave for the road trip. If I can’t do that I probably won’t waste the time and money on the 72ozer. I’d like to talk to someone who’s done both and see how they compare.
I’m afraid the Wiki entry that claims 4 72 oz. Big Texan steaks likely is in error. I just spoke with Maxine at The Big Texan who’s worked there for years and she states emphatically that the record is 2 steaks in 1 hour.
It helps if it’s something you like. I can finish off four racks of ribs, or an entire standard pan of lasagna in one go.
I’ve never tried the milk challenge, since while I adore dairy products, I rather dislike the taste and texture of most milk curiously.
I have seen some one complete the Beer challenge, 40 beers in 60 min. A friend in college who was seven feet on the dot, completed it despite being moved from house to house several times. Thy tried to cheat him on it, but as you might imagine a man of that stature with that much beer in him pretty much gets what he wants. the most amusing portion was that at about 15 min into it, he spent the next 20 in the can simultaneously chuggin and pissing.
Good goodness, that’s fucking insane. I can do an Hour of Power with little to no issue (besides the having to pee thing) but there’s just no way I could do 480oz of beer in an hour.