As a state, Texas has a “go big or go home” reputation worldwide. In fact, a friend of mine in Norway tells me there is a Norwegian phrase that roughly translates to “That was so Texas,” meaning something was wild, out of control, over the top. He assures me it isn’t an insult. 

I have to think the food at the State Fair of Texas contributes to this notoriety. Every year since 2005, the Big Tex Choice Awards has bestowed fried-glory honors on outlandish entries in savory and sweet categories. There was the Fried PB, Jelly and Banana Sandwich in 2005, Fried Jell-O in 2015, Fried Beer in 2010, and the seriously-what-were-they-thinking Deep-Fried Butter in 2009. 

Big Tex will be welcoming travelers from near and far to the State Fair from Sept. 27 to Oct. 20. As you plan your visit, here’s a preview of the food winners from the 2024 Big Tex Choice Awards. 

Winner, Best Taste – Savory: Dominican Fritura Dog

Everybody knows corn dogs and state fairs go together. And most Texans know that if you want to win this category of the Big Tex Choice Awards, you’re probably going to need to fry something. The 2024 winner of the Savory category, an entry from State Fair concessionaire Justin Martinez called the “Dominican Fritura Dog,” is arguably triple-fried. 

It starts with fried cubes of fritura cheese and Dominican salami on a skewer. The fried cheese and salami, still on the skewer, are dipped in corn dog batter and deep-fried again. The big dog is then split open and topped with garlic (fried) plantain chips, a secret Dominican sauce and a garnish of cilantro. Hold on to your arteries, Texans. 

Winner, Best Taste – Sweet: Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick 

The name of this beautiful creation just screams “State Fair of Texas!” Winner Isaac Rousso’s entry is a 12-inch piece of thick, cooked bacon on a stick, swirled in puffy cotton candy. The meat is then torched to melt the cotton candy, turning it into a sticky-sweet glaze and revealing the bacon underneath. 

In my book, you can’t go wrong with bacon or cotton candy, so it’s really a wonder no one thought of this combo before. We appreciate you, Issac. We expect you will sell a bazillion of these sticks.

Winner, Most Creative: Texas Sugar Rush Pickles

This entry is on the other end of the spectrum, the “How did you ever think of that?” end. Somehow, Heather Perkins got the idea to coat cotton candy-flavored pickle slices in Froot Loops, Lucky Charms and Cap’n Crunch cereals. 

Then she added layers of cotton candy, cotton candy sugar crystals, powdered sugar and strawberry sundae syrup. Oh, and why not a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top? Now it’s perfect. This is not the dessert you want to buy for your kids at the end of the night, right before you put them back in the car for the drive home. 

Note: Food at the fair is paid for with coupons that can be purchased online in advance, or at booths inside the fairgrounds. Each coupon is worth $1, and the coupons never expire, so hold on to any you don’t use this year. You never know what these creative chefs are going to come up with next year, but you know you’re not going to want to miss it!

We’d love to hear from you! Send your restaurant tips and hot takes to thedish@fortworthreport.org.