Hill Country "Feed Your Face" Challenge Not Gluttonous Enough

At the end of last week, we were so impressed to read that someone actually had the intestinal stamina to beat the Hill Country "Feed Your Face Challenge." We shouldn't have been. Turns out, eating two pounds of meat, two sides, a cupcake, and a 32-ounce soft drink in under an hour is child's play. At least, it is for a "competitive eater." We're told that on Saturday, an unidentified female pro eater visited the popular BBQ joint and beat the challenge in eight minutes—then added another extra pound of meat and some more sides! Hill Country's workers say they don't remember her name, but the restaurant insists they initially set the challenge with the condition that if anyone wanted to set the bar higher they could... and she did. Now it's really extreme.

A reader who visited Hill Country Saturday was notified that the challenge had changed to 3 lbs of meat and two medium sides (as opposed to 2 lbs of meat and two small sides). Even tougher to swallow, the new cost of losing is now $85 instead of $65. According to our source, "The servers also told us one other guy tried the new challenge before us and he got down to the cupcake, but ended up puking on his cupcake." A Hill Country rep confirms the changes, and says the three pounds of meat is comprised of 3/4 lb. of Moist Brisket, 3/4 lb. of Lean Brisket, 3/4 lb. of Beef Shoulder, and 3/4 lb. of Prime Rib. Hardcore. It's as if Lou Reed strolled into an amateur arrogance contest and set the bar so high only Kanye West could compete.

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By John Del Signore in Food on February 9, 2010 4:24 PM

Comments [rss]

bizzle00

I was with the first person to complete the new 3 pound challenge last night. Amazing stuff... Believe it or not, the difficult part wasn't the meat. It was the two one=pint sides. The 4 oz. chunk of fat/grizzle in the middle of the beef shoulder didn't help either. Amazing stuff... attempt this one with caution.

Guest

"It's as if Lou Reed strolled into an amateur arrogance contest and set the bar so high only Kanye West could compete."

Best sentence ever written by JDS, but then again, that bar wasn't exactly set very high to begin with. ;)

Ed

Hill Country is average at best. I wouldn't pay $85 to stuff myself with dry brisket.

ur doing it rong

Well done with the Lou Reed simile.

jibbly

Love it, and who else could it be but JDS?

el192

I agree. Super funny.

woodeaze

I'm calling shenanigans.

I have been to Hill Country several times, always under impressed. Always over priced.

A female pro eater ate it all in 8 minutes, then ate another pound, and they can't remember her name. Sounds like a publicity stunt, and a way to get people to buy a big ticket item.

Just my $.02.

junglisticman

Where is the WAMBULANCE

djchaser

Hey, remember when Hill Country served serious BBQ and made a name for itself on the excellent food? Yeah, way to trash all of that in like three weeks.

tacologic

Not even worth trying now... Too bad, a bunch of my friends were going to go in a couple weeks to see if one of us could beat it.

natwhat

This sucks. I was going with my firm on Thursday. Not going anymore.

I don't think they should change the rules for "competitive eaters" who set the bar higher. Lame.

TT

and the buzz is now dead.

Spirit of 76

So true. I would have considered trying the 2-pounder, but not the 3 pounds. Besides, they probably drown it in barbecue sauce anyway. I'd really like to have it churrascaria style -- no sauce and with them bringing it over a bit at a time rather than all that meat growing stone cold on the table within 15 minutes. Cold barbecue is not my idea of good eats.

endsim

My man, Conor, beat the original challenge in 20 minutes last week and I thought that was impressive... and gross. But this step up is just gnar. You could say, the STEAKS have been raised! nyuk nyuk nyuk

JenChungsBaby

In the world of "Man vs. Food" even this is still small potatoes, so to speak.

longacre

Man vs. Food is small potatoes compared to the Kobayshis and Joey Chestnuts of the world.

JenChungsBaby

Joey Chestnut was actually on "Man v. Food" once and ate a five pound burrito in less than four minutes.

beardofbees

"The servers also told us one other guy tried the new challenge before us and he got down to the cupcake, but ended up puking on his cupcake."

Why would anyone in their right mind choose to eat here with a higher-than-normal potential for vomiting at the next table?

JMH

For what it's worth, an account I read (on grubstreet, I think) written by someone who finished (the previous version of) the challenge mentioned that there was a separate spot set aside for people who were attempting the challenge, so presumably the risk of being vomited on (or near) is fairly slim.