The Record For The World's Longest BBQ Marathon Was Broken

Some marathons seem like more fun than others. Honestly, would you rather struggle through an arduous 26.2 mile run, or engage in a round-the-clock BBQ? Of course, marathons typically aren't about having fun. They're mostly considered tests of stamina and endurance. That's been the case since 490 B.C., when a Greek soldier named Pheidippides inaugurated the concept, per Live Science. In modern times, however, marathons can be about more than just staying power. They can also be about things like culture and regional pride.

There's certainly plenty of regional identity and pride wrapped up in Texas BBQ, so much so that the idea of a team of Italians holding the world record for a BBQ marathon was an unconscionable affront to a state that has brought those three magical letters to the level of fine art. For the past five years, the established mark has been 40 hours, 53 minutes, per Guinness World Records, set in 2017 by a very determined three-man barbecue grilling team in Sassari, Italy. But some Texans wanted to go bigger. It's what they do, after all.

So, over three hot summer days in Fort Worth, Texas — concluding on July 15, according to Food & Wine — a heroic team of pitmasters at Panther City BBQ engaged in their own marathon display of barbecuing prowess, determined to rewrite the record books on behalf of their native state.

Team members Chris Magallanes, Ernie Morales, and Mark Montemayor, set the new record for marathon barbecue action, reports Texas Monthly. The group was clocked grilling for over 40 hours (40:49:17 to be exact), and besting the previous record by more than 48 minutes. In the process, they also cooked up hundreds of pounds worth of BBQ goodness, all of which was donated to worthy recipients like hospital workers, firefighters, and police officers.

"Stamina and patience are both required to be a successful pitmaster," BBQ Editor for Texas Monthly, Daniel Vaughn, told Food & Wine. "It was great to see both among the group at Panther City BBQ in their effort to break the five-year standing record and bring a barbecue world record to Texas where it belongs. What's more amazing is that they achieved it in the heat of a Texas July — congratulations to the team."

The team BBQ marathon record belongs to Texas now, but the individual record still remains in non-Texan hands. South African, Jan Greeff, grilled for 80 hours nonstop on behalf of juvenile diabetes research back in 2014, per Guiness World Records, with the grilling itself accomplished in Columbus, Georgia. 

Perhaps Texas Monthly and tourism agency Travel Texas — who partnered with Panther City BBQ to organize last week's record-setting effort — can rustle up one more hero (via Food & Wine).