Update: The Associated Press reports a deep fried Cuban roll took top honors at the State Fair of Texas’ “Big Tex Choice Awards” this year: That's shredded pork, ham, cheese, pickles and sauce, rolled in dough and thrown in a deep fat fryer.
Another foodstuff profiled below – Fried Thanksgiving Dinner (which is exactly like it sounds) – took the prize for “Most Creative” entrée. The State Fair opens Sept. 27.
Original post (Aug. 27): Let's be honest: the State Fair of Texas may be a great family destination, with rides, games, petting zoos and an auto show or two. And it's a welcome respite for Longhorn fans enjoying the Red River Rivalry game at the Cotton Bowl. But, there's one thing incessantly eating away the perennial fairgoer's mind: Fried food.
Every year, the State Fair showcases a parade of satisfyingly saturated fried foods at the Big Tex Awards, awarding the most creative and the best tasting dishes.
Today, eight nominees for the 2013 contest were announced.
This year's contest will culminate on Sept. 2, with only two of the eight garnering the Best Taste and Most Creative honors.
Notable nominees include:
- Fried King Ranch Casserole: The (in)famous cheese-coated chicken casserole gets the State Fair treatment — it's dipped in batter, coated in bread crumbs and fried to a calorically-questionable golden brown. Naturally, it's cut into the shape of Texas and served with a side of red, white and blue corn chips with, of course, queso and salsa on the side.
- Fried Thanksgiving Dinner: Imagine everyone's favorite meal — turkey, stuffing, gravy, and all — mashed together, whittled down to the size of a softball and tossed into the deep fryer, cranberry sauce on the side.
- Deep Fried Nutella: The consistency of the famed chocolate-hazelnut spread doesn't seem like a prime candidate for the fryer. But if you wrap it in Phyllo dough, slather some honey on it, sprinkle some almonds on it, fill it with cream cheese - and you've got a contender.
If your fried food curiosity piqued? Check out the contest's official webpage for more on Deep Fried Cuban Roll, Golden Fried Millionaire Pie, Spinach Dip Bites, Southern Style Chicken-Fried Meatloaf and the Texas Fried Fireball, as well as more information on the State Fair of Texas.
