Vernon Hills BBQ Restaurant Offers 7-Pound Challenge

Hungry meat-eaters gathered Saturday in Vernon Hills with a common goal – to down a 7-pound sandwich in less than 40 minutes.

Real Urban BBQ marked its first anniversary in the village with a Hungry Home ‘Recker Challenge, in which participants tried their best to devour 1.5 pounds of sausage, 2 pounds of pulled pork, 1 pound of coleslaw, and 6 ounces of pickles, dressed with sauce and served between a 2-pound bun.

As many as 70 hungry diners have attempted this feat at the restaurant’s Highland Park and Vernon Hills locations. So far, only one has achieved it.

Jamie McDonald, who had already mastered the sandwich twice, returned Saturday to defend his title, single-mouthedly, against two pairs of opponents.

Although the other contestants, who worked as teams, each had to eat only half of the sandwich, they were no match for McDonald, who traveled from Connecticut for the event.

McDonald is no stranger to eating competitions. Inspired by the TV show “Man v. Food,” he said he began competing in May 2012. Since then, he has participated in more 130 eating contests, and he has placed first in all but five, he said. Among his accomplishments, he said, is setting IHOP’s record for finishing 67 pancakes in 45 minutes.

Less than two minutes after Real Urban BBQ’s contest began, McDonald had devoured one-fourth of his meal. At the four-and-a-half minute mark, as his opponents moved on to the second half of their sandwiches, McDonald was on his third quarter.

The pace slowed as the contest went on, but the contenders chewed on.

“Too much sausage,” Charles Pohlman of Chicago commented between bites, as he ate alongside Andrew Skweres, also of Chicago.

“Is there dessert?” quipped Skweres. 

“I think we did a pretty good job,” Skweres said, as he assessed what was left on his plate after McDonald sailed to first place. The three-time champion swallowed his last bite at the 19-minute, 20-second mark.

Meanwhile, contestant Matt Mesick and teammate Raum Sandoval found themselves facing about a pound of bread and a pile of untouched meat when the contest drew to a close. Mesick had just one question. “Can we get to-go boxes?”

The event kicked off earlier in the day with an eating competition between pairs of football players from Vernon Hills and Stevenson high schools. None of those competitors were able to finish the monstrous sandwich either.

The event, restaurant owner Jeff Shapiro said, “brings our community together. We have fun with it.”

While Saturday’s contest was held in celebration of the restaurant’s anniversary, the feat can be attempted any time. The sandwich sells for $29.95, but anyone who can finish it within 40 minutes gets it for free.

For those with more modest appetites, the Home 'Recker is available in mini, regular and “Pounder” sizes, offering roughly half a pound, 1 pound and 1.5 pounds of food, respectively.