It’s crunch time—pun intended—for finalists of the three most iconic food titles in all of Texas. The State Fair of Texas is proud to present the finalists for the 20th Annual Big Tex® Choice Awards.
Three winners will be crowned on Thursday, August 22 in the categories of: “Best Taste – Savory,” “Best Taste – Sweet,” and “Most Creative.” Back in June, a record-breaking65 entries represented by 40 Fair concessionaires were narrowed down to 24 semi-finalists, with each entry having been evaluated on four Fair-food elements: uniqueness, creativity, presentation, and taste. After testing some tasty dishes, votes were cast, and the results are in. Ten finalists must now bring it on before a prestigious panel of celebrity judges in hopes of taking home one of the top prizes at the Most Texan Place on Earth. Don’t worry – if your favorite semifinalist didn’t make the final cut, many concessionaires may still choose to include their creation at their stand as a new food item at this year’s Fair.
Without further ado, the State Fair of Texas is happy to present the 10 finalists who will compete for the coveted titles of “Best Taste – Savory,” “Best Taste – Sweet,” and “Most Creative” in the 2024 Big Tex Choice Awards competition.
SAVORY
Dominican Fritura Dog, Justin Martinez This savory dish brings an explosion of flavor that starts with fritura cheese and Dominican salami. Taking classic Fair food up a notch, this dish is then double deep fried with their famous corn dog batter! Split open and topped with garlic plantain chips, top-secret Dominican sauce, and cilantro, the Dominican Fritura Dog will bring you the best of salty and sweet with an explosion of Dominican flavor. “Hopefully, we’re opening another avenue for people at the State Fair to try something they don’t normally try. That’s what the State Fair is about,” said Justin Martinez, creator of the Dominican Fritura Dog.
The Drowning Taquitos, Tony & Terry Bednar Served in a cup, these fresh, hand-rolled corn tortillas are stuffed with tender shredded chicken and then deep-fried to perfection. To further encapsulate the savory flavor, the taquitos are then “drowned” with a tangy cream sauce, jalapeño, guacamole salsa, shredded lettuce, avocado, tomatillo, pico, and Cotija cheese.
Hippie Chips,Rose & Tom Deschenes These far-out wavy potato chip nachos promise to deliver “every flavor profile” with your choice of either zesty homemade ranch or blue cheese dressing, topped with bacon bits, fresh green onions, and a tangy drizzle of sriracha. You can be extra funky and add blue cheese crumbles if you’re so inclined.
Hot Chick-in-Pancake Poppers, Palmer & Amanda Fortune They’re savory, they’re sweet, and they’re easy to eat. Authentic Nashville hot chicken and pimento cheese are rolled into a ball, dunked into pancake batter, and fried to a golden brown, then topped with a drizzle of Sriracha honey and a sprinkle of Nashville hot powdered sugar.
Texas Fried Burnt End Bombs, Nick & Vera Bert These bombs take mouthwatering brisket wrapped with shredded potatoes, bacon, and cheese, deep fry it, and top it with a raspberry chipotle barbeque glaze drizzled to add the perfect touch of sweetness.
SWEET
Nevins Nutty Bar-laska, Tami Nevins Mayes & Josey Mayes This sweet treat takes the classic nutty bar and adds toasted marshmallow, two Oreos®, strawberry sauce, and freeze-dried strawberry pieces. “It’s on a stick! What’s more Fair food than that?” said Josey Nevins-Mayes, co-creator of the Nevins Nutty Bar-laska.
Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick, Isaac Rousso This masterful combination of sweet and savory flavors comes to life with the Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick—a thick, 12-inch piece of bacon cooked to perfection with a cotton candy glaze on top. The bacon is spun inside a cotton candy machine and torched to caramelize the center and lock in that sweet flavor.
Strawberry Pop-Tarts® Beignettfle, Justin Martinez This sweet treat was inspired by the flavors of New Orleans beignets and the childhood nostalgia of Pop-Tarts® and waffles, all put together on a stick because Justin says, “Everything is better on a stick.” The Strawberry Pop-Tarts® Beignetffle is a heavenly combination of a fluffy beignet and a crispy waffle topped with homemade strawberry filling, a sweet vanilla icing drizzle, fresh whipped cream, and garnished with colorful sprinkles.
Texas Sugar Rush Pickles, Heather Perkins These cotton-candy-flavored pickle slices are coated in three cereal varieties—Lucky Charms™, Froot Loops®, and Cap’n Crunch® —and then layered in cotton candy, cotton candy sugar crystals, and powdered sugar before being drizzled with strawberry sundae syrup. As if that wasn’t enough, these dressed-up pickles are served with a helping of vanilla ice cream, adding a perfectly cool touch to this crazy concoction!
Tropical Two-Step Punch, Binh Tran To give fairgoers a taste of paradise, this punch marinates fruits like citrus, passionfruit, and mango overnight to create a crisp cooler that’s fresh, tangy, sweet, sour, and spicy. Available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, this thirst quencher is sure to help you cool down on a hot day at the Fair.
These 10 Fairly-foodie finalists will battle for the three titles on Thursday, August 22, at 2 p.m. CST. While the Big Tex Choice Awards event is closed to the public, folks can follow along online by tuning into one of our social media channels – @StateFairofTX on all platforms.
The 2024 State Fair of Texas, themed “24 Days of Fun,” will open on Friday, September 27, and will run through Sunday, October 20. Head on over to BigTex.com/Tickets to purchase your season passes and premium tickets today and join the fun at the Most Texan Place on Earth.
About the State Fair of TexasSince its inception in 1886, the State Fair of Texas has celebrated all things Texan by promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement through quality entertainment in a family-friendly environment. The State Fair of Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with proceeds helping to preserve and improve our home, Fair Park; underwrite museums, community initiatives, and scholarship programs to support students throughout the Lone Star State pursuing higher education; and help improve State Fair operations. The 2024 exposition runs from September 27 through October 20 in Fair Park. Visit BigTex.com for more information.