More than a decade of decadence
Since 2005, the Big Tex Choice Awards contest has solidified the State Fair of Texas as the top Fair for great food creations. Each year, State Fair concessionaires fry up tasty and unique foods for a chance to become a finalist in the annual Big Tex Choice Awards competition. Everything from Fried Beer to Fried Peaches and Cream has made the cut to become a part of the exclusive club of fried food creations.
2018 BIG TEX CHOICE AWARDS
The 14th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards, presented by Vistaprint, will be held Sunday, August 26 at 2 p.m. in the historic Tower Building in Fair Park.
Tickets to the 2018 Big Tex Choice Awards ceremony are $125 each. Included with your ticket is one admission ticket to the State Fair, exclusive Fair gear, and a commemorative State Fair refillable cup. All proceeds from the event go to the State Fair Scholarship Fund.
2018 Big Tex Choice Award Winners
Winner "Best Taste - Savory"
Fernie’s Hoppin’ John Cake with Jackpot Sauce
by Winter Family Concessions
Winner "Best Taste - Sweet"
Arroz con Leche (Sweet Crispy Rice)
by Garza Family
Winner "Most Creative"
Cotton Candy Taco
by Justin and Rudy Martinez
2018 Savory Finalists
Deep Fried Shepherd’s Pie
by Clint Probst
Shredded cheddar cheese and cream is mixed into savory mashed potato pillows. Each potato ball is filled with Grandma’s shepherd’s pie filling made of ground beef, mixed vegetables, and rich beef gravy. Our special seasoning creates an explosion of flavors and textures as the filling and creamy potatoes mix with each bite.
Texas Fried Hill Country
by Rudy and Justin Martinez
Fried mozzarella is complimented with locally-grown basil, sandwiched between two slices of juicy green tomatoes, and hand-breaded with seasoned breadcrumbs and flash fried to gooey perfection. Each dish is served on a bed of field greens, finished with balsamic drizzle and sweet local Texas honey.
Texas Twang-kie
by Chris & Sherry Howard
Cornbread cake is baked to moist perfection, hollowed out, and filled with a culinary masterpiece of Tex-Mex grilled chicken white bean chili! Each twang-kie is served with cornbread fries and more chili for dipping. A savory twist on an American classic!
Deep Fried Skillet Potato Melt in a Boat
by Tom Grace
Buttery skillet potatoes are griddled golden brown, combined with diced breakfast sausage patties and packed around a mini Babybel® cheese loaf. Seasoned in flour and dipped in the fryer, the skillet potato melts are then served up in the potato skins they came from and topped with melted cheddar and crispy bacon bites. A sour cream chipotle sauce is drizzled across the top and served on the side for dipping!
Fernie’s Hoppin’ John Cake with Jackpot Sauce
by Winter Family Concessions
Creamy black-eyed peas, fluffy white rice, spicy smoked sausage, aromatic green onions, and a secret blend of spices are combined with breadcrumbs and eggbeaters to form a generous Texas-sized cake. This savory cake is breaded, deep fried, and topped with a zingy black-eyed pea relish, garnished with pickled okra, and served with a side of Jackpot Sauce.
2018 Sweet Finalists
Cotton Candy Taco
by Justin and Rudy Martinez
A graham cracker waffle cone is freshly-pressed into a crunchy taco shell shape and coated with a marshmallow glaze, then stuffed with chocolate, toasted marshmallow, and organic cane sugar cotton candy. It’s then topped off with chocolate cookie crumbles and two chocolate cream-covered biscuit sticks with marshmallows.
Fernie’s Orange You Glad We Fried It?!
by Winter Family Concessions
Layers of chiffon orange cake, whipped cream, and citrusy orange preserves are lightly blended to form a custard filling. The mixture is spooned into flaky puff pastry dough, folded turnover style, and sealed before being fried into little crescent-shaped pillows, dusted with powdered sugar. Served with two dipping sauces and garnished with a double citrus twist slice.
Arroz con Leche (Sweet Crispy Rice)
by Garza Family
A cinnamon-spiced rice ball is formed, battered, and coated in crispy puffed rice cereal. The ball is then deep fried to golden perfection. Each rice ball is sprinkled with powdered vanilla and complimented with a Texas-sized scoop of vanilla ice cream. To serve, a drizzle of caramel sauce and powdered cinnamon crowns each tasty treat.
State Fair Fun-L Cake Ice Cream
by Tom Landis
Capturing the essence and flavor of the State Fair, this creamy smooth, premium ice cream has funnel cake flavor infused into it with funnel cake pieces and powdered sugar mixed throughout the dish. It is available with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and strawberry sauce.
Sweet Bakin’ Bacon
by Ed & Eddie Campbell
A cream-filled sponge cake is wrapped in savory bacon and then dipped in a funnel cake batter. This treat is then deep fried until golden brown and dusted with powdered sugar to finish.
2018 Big Tex Choice Awards Semi-Finalists
| Savory | Sweet |
|---|---|
| Corn Dog Ale | Bacon Brittle |
| Deep Fried Bodacious Bacon Bombs | Cherish Erbert Champagne |
| Deep Fried Chicken Tetrazzini Parmesana | Cotton Candy Taco |
| Deep Fried Lobster Pops | Deep Fried M&M’s® |
| Deep Fried Ranch | Deep Fried Raspberry Brie-ret |
| Deep Fried Shepherd’s Pie | Frosty’s Frozen Hot Chocolate |
| Deep Fried Skillet Potato Melt in a Boat | Fruity Dessert Nachos |
| Fried Cup of Corn “Elotes” | Kool-Aid® Pickle-Dilly Sangria |
| Fried Kool-Aid® Pickles | Orange Julia’s Beermosa |
| Hoppin’ John Cake with Jackpot Sauce | Orange You Glad We Fried It?! |
| King Crispy Coconut Crab Sliders | State Fair Fun-L Cake Ice Cream |
| Pico Frito (Deep Fried Pico de Gallo) | Supra Stuffed Mini Sopapillas |
| Southern Fried Chicken Nachos | Sweet Bakin’ Bacon |
| Texas Fried Hill Country | Sweet Crispy Rice (Arroz con Leche) |
| Texas Twang-kie | Texas Thai Delight |
| The Roll Tide |
2017 Big Tex Choice Awards Winners
Best Taste - Savory :: Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger
Best Taste - Sweet :: Gulf Coast Fish Bowl
Most Creative :: Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger
Previous Big Tex Choice Award Winners
| Year | Category | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Best Taste :: Savory | Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger |
| Best Taste :: Sweet | Gulf Coast Fish Bowl | |
| Most Creative | Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger | |
| 2016 | Best Taste | Fried Jell-O® |
| Most Creative | State Fair Cookie Fries | |
| 2015 | Best Taste | Fernie’s Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly |
| Most Creative | Smoky Bacon Margarita | |
| 2014 | Best Taste | Fried Gulf Shrimp Boil |
| Most Creative | State Fair Brew – Funnel Cake Ale | |
| 2013 | Best Taste | Deep-Fried Cuban Roll |
| Most Creative | Fried Thanksgiving Dinner | |
| 2012 | Best Taste | Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll |
| Most Creative | Deep Fried Jambalaya | |
| 2011 | Best Taste | Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack |
| Most Creative | Fried Bubblegum | |
| 2010 | Best Taste | Texas Fried FRITOS® Pie |
| Most Creative | Fried Beer™ | |
| 2009 | Best Taste | Fernie’s Deep Fried Peaches & Cream |
| Most Creative | Deep Fried Butter | |
| 2008 | Best Taste | Chicken Fried Bacon |
| Most Creative | Fried Banana Split | |
| 2007 | Best Taste | Texas Fried Cookie Dough |
| Most Creative | Deep Fried Latte | |
| 2006 | Best Taste | Fried Praline Perfection |
| Most Creative | Fried Coke | |
| 2005 | Best Taste | Fried PB, Jelly and Banana Sandwich |
| Most Creative | Viva Las Vegas Fried Ice Cream |