Man v. Food Season 3 Episode 11: Indianapolis
Adam visits Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the legendary Indianapolis 500 motor race. Adam is here to face Bub’s Burger & Ice Cream restaurant’s Big Ugly Challenge. Adam must take down four of the Big Ugly burgers to win the Big Ugly Challenge and get his photo on the Big Ugly photo wall. The more burgers you eat, the bigger the photo. There is no time limit to this challenge, but the Big Ugly has defeated most of its challengers. Of forty-two thousand challengers, none have completed the challenge Adam faces today.
Adam checks out the popular Edwards Drive-In, where they specialize in homemade root beer, their legendary pork tenderloin sandwich, and crispy onion rings. The 8 x 10 pork tenderloin hangs over the bun on the sandwich, making it an impressive sight upon delivery. Adam joins drive-in owner Jeff Edwards back in the kitchen as Jeff creates the pork tenderloin sandwich. Jeff cuts pieces off a pork tenderloin to Adam’s amazement, and proceeds to pound down the pork cut to make the flattened patties. As Adam helps pound down the pork tenderloins he jokes “Quit kicking the back of my seat on the airplane”, no doubt a common problem he faces from the hours he spends in air travel for the show. The pork is pounded down to one half inch thick patties, then twice dipped in egg wash and ground crackers. The huge pork patties are stored in the fridge for twelve hours before they are fried in a gigantic sized fryer. Jeff brings out a golden pork tenderloin and builds the sandwich using the pork, onion slices, lettuce and pickles on a toasted bun. Adam takes a bite from the sandwich and proclaims “That’s excellent, that’s really, really good!” Just then Jeff brings out a behemoth sized nine pound version of the pork tenderloin sandwich. Adam’s eyes grow large as he is astonished and says to Jeff “You pounded an entire pig and battered it?!” The sandwich is cut in half and Adam bites into the huge half of the pork tenderloin sandwich.
Next Adam visits Gray Bros. Cafeteria for what he calls a chow down fest and Hoosier hospitality. Gray Bros. Cafeteria is known for their delicious homemade family style food, including meat loaf, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and fifteen different homemade pies. Adam visits with a restaurant patron who tells Adam the food is so good it is “Home on a plate!” Back in the kitchen the cook shows Adam how they make their homemade ketchup-topped meat loaf and strawberry pie. The meat loaf is made with ground beef, red and green roasted peppers, onions, oats, eggs, and worcestershire sauce. The cook mixes the ingredients and the meat loaf is baked twice, the second time it is topped with a coat of ketchup to bake into the meat. Adam proceeds to put together the strawberry pie, using a homemade baked pie shell and whole strawberries. The cook covers the pie in a thick sweet sauce, covering the berries, then whips up fresh whipped cream to top the pie with. Adam goes through the cafeteria line and loads up on good food. Adam tries the strawberry pie first, smiles and calls it a “Great success!” Adam tries a bite of the meat loaf and tells the audience “It’s so tender…really excellent.”
Adam prepares to face the Big Ugly Challenge by visiting the Indianapolis 500 race track where in a montage sequence Adam gets motivation from IRL racer Tony Kanaan. Adam is supposedly driving a race car in the race, winning the race, then stands in his track uniform triumphant.
It’s time for the Big Ugly Challenge and Adam is geared up for it. Adam meets up with restaurant proprietor Matt “Bub” Frey. Bub tells Adam the Big Ugly Challenge involves taking down four of Bub’s famous big burgers. Eat one of the 1.5 pound burgers and you get a 4 x 6 picture of yourself on the Champions Of The Big Ugly photo wall. Eat two burgers and you get an 8 x 10 glossy on the wall. Down three of the gigantic burgers and you get a poster size picture on the wall. Complete the Big Ugly Challenge by eating four burgers and you receive a life-sized poster on the The Big Ugly photo wall. There is no time limit to the challenge, giving Adam an advantage.
Bub tells Adam of the forty-two thousand challengers, 95% finish the first burger, 20% finish the second burger, while only three challengers completed three burgers and none have completed the four burger challenge.
Adam heads back to the kitchen where Bub shows him how the Big Ugly is made. Bub takes 1.5 pounds of meat for a single burger and flattens it between two metal pie pans. The big burger is then covered with secret seasoning and placed on the grill. The enormous burger buns are coated with a stick of melted butter and hit the grill to toast up. The burger is assembled, with meat on buns, topped with pickles, red onion slices, tomatoes and lettuce.
The Big Ugly Challenge begins as Adam enters the dining room and yells to the enthusiastic crowd “Hoosiers, are you ready?!” The crowd chants “Man vs Food” as Adam sits and the first burger is brought to him. Adam narrates that there is no time limit, just tummy limit. Adam cuts the burger into four quarters and starts in on the first quarter of burger number one. As Adam eats the first piece he tells the audience the burger is delicious, downing the first half of the burger in five minutes. In ten minutes time he has one bite left of the burger and finishes it off, asking for burger number two, and ensuring a 4 x 6 photo of him goes up on the wall. The crowd continues to chant “Man vs Food” as Adam quarters up the second burger and starts devouring it piece by piece. After twenty two minutes the second burger is demolished. Bub tells Adam he’s only seen fifteen people go as far as Adam has in the challenge. Adam tells Bub “I have to go as far as I can for the Man v Food Nation.” The third of four burgers arrives to the table and Adam is already feeling the richness of the food, having hit the meat wall. Adam quarters the third burger and takes the first quarter, barely getting it down. When Adam takes the second quarter of the burger, he takes one bite and knows there is no way he can continue beyond that point. Adam declares defeat to food, but thanks the people of Indiana for their hospitality. Adam tells the audience in the Big Ugly Challenge of Man vs Food, today food won.
