Argentine Military Helps Break Biggest BBQ Record

The largest barbecue consisted of 948 raw ribs. CREDIT: Guinness World Records View full size image

The amount of beef used to set a new Guinness World Record for largest barbecue was so heavy that the Argentine military stepped in to help weigh it.

On March 20, 948 raw ribs were delivered by train to the rolling plains of La Pampa in Argentina to set a new world record for the largest serving of barbecued beef. Organized to celebrate the 30th birthday of local meat wholesaler Frigorífico Pico, the event attracted about 20,000 guests – including the Argentine military, which helped to measure the meat using industrial scales normally used to weigh horses and cows.

It took almost two hours to measure the ribs, which weighed in at a whopping 30,231.9 pounds (13,713 kilograms). It then took about four hours to thoroughly roast the ribs, during which time the meat lost approximately 33 percent of its weight, since beef loses weight when it's cooked as water and fat escape. According to GWR guidelines, only the weight of cooked meat can qualify, and all of the beef has to be edible.

The final weight of the cooked meat was 20,132.6 lbs (9,132 kilos), setting a new Guinness World Record. It took only 40 minutes to distribute the massive amount of meat among the barbecue's hungry guests.

This article was provided by Life’s Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience.com. Follow Remy Melina on Twitter @RemyMelina