These two Tucson women ate 19 pounds of burritos in under an hour (PHOTOS/VIDEO)

These two Tucson women ate 19 pounds of burritos in under an hour (PHOTOS/VIDEO)

Jul 22, 20193 min read

Looking at Michelle Lesco and her 5’3″, 112-pound frame, you’d never expect her to be a world-class competitive eater. The same goes for 5’7″, 135-pound Miki Sudo.

However, the duo won second and first place at the annual Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest just weeks ago. In only ten minutes, the two women collectively ate 57 hot dogs.

On Friday, Lesco and Sudo collectively ate over 19 pounds of burritos at Red Desert BBQ & Catering. With the requisite 24-hour advance notice, they accepted the burrito challenge.

Burrito challenge at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

It all starts with bacon. Enough bacon to fill a sheet pan.

Burrito challenge at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Afterwards, three giant tortillas lay on top of the bacon. Next goes brisket, pulled pork, coleslaw, and other fixings.

Burrito challenge at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

The massive burrito requires two pairs of hands to roll properly.

Burrito challenge at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Once the burrito is formed and wrapped it bacon, it goes onto the griddle. After the bacon is cooked through, the burrito is topped with chili, jalapeños, onions, and more. Then it is weighed to make sure it is around six or seven pounds.

Competitive eater Michelle Lesco at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Up first was Lesco. The seven-pound, 1.9-ounce burrito was the size of her arm.

Competitive eater Michelle Lesco at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

After letting the burrito cool down enough to eat rapidly safely, Lesco dove right in.

Competitive eaters Michelle Lesco and Miki Sudo at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

At 12 minutes on the dot, Lesco finished the entire thing. You could say she was full at that point.

Competitive eater Michelle Lesco at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Lesco was the only person to complete the challenge up to this point. She tied her previous record from January 2018, where she ate a slightly smaller burrito in the exact same amount of time.

Here’s raw video footage of her second run:

Competitive eater Miki Sudo at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Sudo decided to attempt the challenge… twice. With both burritos at once. Her burritos weighed in at 12 pounds, 1.2 ounces.

Competitive eater Miki Sudo at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Sudo began by bisecting the burritos open to help them cool down faster.

Competitive eater Miki Sudo at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Sudo used a spoon to scoop the filling, somehow managing to avoid creating a mess.

Competitive eater Miki Sudo at Red Desert BBQ & Catering (Credit: Jackie Tran)

To even her own surprise, she finished both titanic burritos in 26 minutes and 52 seconds.

Here’s the raw footage of her performance:

For dessert, the duo tipped over a nearby ice cream truck and consumed all of the contents. Just kidding.

Red Desert BBQ & Catering is located at 918 W. Prince Rd. For more information, visit rdbbq.com.

Article written by:

Jackie Tran

Jackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer and photographer. Best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.

Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments and petting pets.

If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.

You Might Also Like

Recibe gratis el boletín semanal de Tucson Foodie

Nuevas aperturas, eventos, platos recomendados y guías — cada miércoles. Sin spam.

Advertisement

Follow @TucsonFoodie136.4K followers
@Vegantucsonnightmarket returns December 5, from 6-9pm at Rillito Park!🌙 

Vendors apply in bio! App deadline is October 26. 

Photos by @astra1wanderer@Vegantucsonnightmarket returns December 5, from 6-9pm at Rillito Park!🌙 Vendors apply in bio! App deadline is October 26. Photos by @astra1wanderer
@Jundynasty has served Sichuan dishes on Grant Road for 13 years.🌶️ 

General manager Jacob Yeung credits one idea above all: “We’ve grown since then, but the key has always been consistency.”

Stop in for Flaming Chili Oil, Walnut Shrimp, chow fun, or sautéed green beans finished with Sichuan peppercorns. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. 

2933 E. Grant Road

Read the full story at tucsonfoodie.com@Jundynasty has served Sichuan dishes on Grant Road for 13 years.🌶️ General manager Jacob Yeung credits one idea above all: “We’ve grown since then, but the key has always been consistency.” Stop in for Flaming Chili Oil, Walnut Shrimp, chow fun, or sautéed green beans finished with Sichuan peppercorns. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. 2933 E. Grant Road Read the full story at tucsonfoodie.com
@Lovinspoonfulstucson is closing after more than 20 years in Tucson. Its final day of service runs on Saturday, Oct. 24.

Customers can stop in between now and Saturday for one last meal. The team plans to sell down its inventory, though it hopes to have favorite dishes available. Regular hours remain 9am-3pm through the final day.

“Running this kitchen has been a labor of love, but the numbers just aren’t adding up anymore, and as parents, we have to make the hard choice to step back and take care of what matters most at home.” 

Read the article on Tucsonfoodie.com@Lovinspoonfulstucson is closing after more than 20 years in Tucson. Its final day of service runs on Saturday, Oct. 24. Customers can stop in between now and Saturday for one last meal. The team plans to sell down its inventory, though it hopes to have favorite dishes available. Regular hours remain 9am-3pm through the final day. “Running this kitchen has been a labor of love, but the numbers just aren’t adding up anymore, and as parents, we have to make the hard choice to step back and take care of what matters most at home.” Read the article on Tucsonfoodie.com
A little love for the chefs who make Tucson’s food scene so special. These are just some of the many talented chefs who make our city what it is.

Happy International Chefs Day to the talented people behind the plates, the creativity, and the meals we keep coming back for. We’re grateful for all you do!💐A little love for the chefs who make Tucson’s food scene so special. These are just some of the many talented chefs who make our city what it is. Happy International Chefs Day to the talented people behind the plates, the creativity, and the meals we keep coming back for. We’re grateful for all you do!💐