English pub offers 31-pound Christmas dinner challenge: 'I don't expect anyone to finish it'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A diner at George Pub and Grill in England attempts to eat what might be the U.K.'s largest Christmas dinner. (SWNS)
A pub in England has cooked up what appears to be the world’s biggest Christmas dinner: a 16,500-calorie mountain of food featuring a turkey heavier than a small baby.
The George Pub and Grill in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, has rustled up a traditional Christmas day feast ''to beat them all," the owners say. The gut-busting feast is made up of an 8,000-calorie turkey weighing 11 pounds, along with 30 stuffing balls and 20 pigs in blankets.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The feast includes 4 pounds of mashed potatoes, 3 pounds of roasted potatoes and an unlimited stream of red wine gravy. There's also 8 pounds of roasted vegetables, including just under a pound of green beans, just under 2 pounds of carrots, nearly 2.5 pounds of broccoli, and a little under a pound of brussels sprouts, roasted parsnips, turnips and savoy cabbage each.
It's a mega-meal that could feed a family of six and is almost guaranteed to put diners into a food coma. To top it off, the mind-boggling Christmas dinner costs 90 pounds to order, and is on the menu for a limited time only until December 31.
The feast is the latest creation of pub owner Craig Harker, 31, who is famed for plating up some of the most gut-busting meals the area has ever seen. The George Pub prides itself with "Man vs. Food"-style contests — which have included an 8,000-calorie kebab challenge and a colossal 220-ounce steak challenge.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pub owner Craig Harkar, 31, says anyone who finishes his challenge will be a "legend." (SWNS)
But when it comes to the Christmas feast, anyone who manages to finish every last scrap of food within opening hours will get the meal for free.
"This is the biggest Christmas dinner the world has ever seen. The bigger, with more calories and fat, the better," Harker, a father of two.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meanwhile, the pub has come under fire in the past for offering free food to customers who weigh more than 350 pounds.
"People come to us for the calories and they won't be disappointed. It's part of the fun. People love the challenge of it and people come to us from all over the country," he said. "[This meal] is one hell of a challenge. It's not exactly your everyday meal and you can just come along for a treat night.
"If anyone manages to finish it they would be a legend. I'm going to give it a go myself."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The George Pub and Grill prides itself on eating challenges — which have included an 8,000-calorie kebab challenge and a colossal 220-ounce steak challenge.
In 2015, the pub smashed the world record for the biggest Christmas dinner ever with a 19.8-pound feast, and has beaten its own record by 11 pounds with this mega-meal.
Anyone wanting to take on the challenge must pre-order the meal 24 hours before sitting down to tuck in, due to the huge amount of work needed to plate it up. Harker says he has had to pay for an extra chef to come in and prepare the meal especially for each order, who is tasked with cutting, chopping and preparing 31 pounds of food from scratch.
The turkey takes four hours to cook and a chef must spend up to five hours preparing, seasoning and taste-testing each component.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harker, dad of Isla, 4, and Oscar, 3, says that while the size of the meal matters, how the food tastes is just as important.
"I have never seen so much food on a plate before in my life. It is at least 20 times the size of a normal turkey dinner, but it's all about the flavor too," he said.
"There's no point in offering a plate full of food if it doesn't taste good. The chef tastes it throughout and it is all seasoned accordingly."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The "Man vs. Food"-style challenge is intended for one person, but if a group of friends would like to attempt to take down the meal together, they are allowed to chip in, sit down and share. (SWNS)
Harker also claimed the challenge was "impossible" as it was the biggest plate of food he's ever seen.
"A lot of work goes into preparing something like this. It is the ultimate macho challenge. If people want to prove to themselves how much they really can eat then they should try this."
"It looks good but tastes even better," he added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Anyone brave enough to take on the challenge will walk away not only with a gut full of food, but with a certificate as proof of their bravery — even if they don't finish the meal. If food is inevitably left over, diners will be able to box up what's left and take it home for another day.
The "Man vs. Food"-style challenge is intended for one person, but if a group of friends would like to attempt to take down the meal together, they are allowed to chip in, sit down and share.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With a history of serving up jaw-dropping food challenges, Harker says this is the pub's "biggest and best" yet.
"I don't expect anyone to finish it. It is absolutely huge," he said. "I think it will be really popular. People come to us for food challenges. It is what we are known for. People come to us to feel stuffed when they leave. They want to walk away with a feeling of pride for finishing a huge meal.
"If you're going to come along, then prepare yourself; it's not for the faint-hearted," he added.