Which new fried foods at the State Fair of Texas are worth your money? Which aren’t?

We’re finally back at the State Fair of Texas in 2021 after a break in 2021. And our first stop was fried food.

This year’s fleet of 10 Big Tex Choice Awards finalists brought a lot of creativity and taste with them. But it also had more disappointing bites than in any year we can remember.

It cost $ 139 to buy and try all 10 of these foods, and one thing was very clear: don’t do this. Use this list as a basis for which foods to buy and which to skip.

Note: We did not evaluate all new drinks and food at the state fair; there are more than three dozen. This list focuses only on the 10 finalists in the Big Tex Choice Awards, which we have named the State Fair’s “premier fried food class”. Here you will find a list of 25 other innovations.

Use this map to find all of the Big Tex Choice Awards finalists. detailed locations are not listed for each dish.

# 1: Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls – $ 25

Don’t skip the fried seafood gumbo balls at the State Fair of Texas in 2021, even though they cost $ 25.

The fried seafood gumbo balls were hands down the best bite we had all day. I would have these for dinner and skip any other fried option if I had to.

And I could: At a whopping $ 25 or 25 coupons, these are by far the most expensive finalists in the Big Tex Choice Awards. We didn’t take that lightly.

My taste test partner Britton Peele thinks these gumbo balls are better than real gumbo. “I have the feeling that a soup never fills me up. These are all great parts of a soup – but filling, ”he says. The Big Tex Choice Awards jury also agreed, giving Greg Parish’s Gumbo Balls two rare awards this year: best taste (hearty) and most creative.

For $ 25 you get two hearty gumbo balls with shrimp, chicken, crab, andouille sausage and rice, a dark roux on top and on the side. Squeeze a little of the included Tabasco on each if you want more heat. Or, when you’re really ready, bring Crystal Hot Sauce in your pocket.

These fried gumbo balls are the most talked about new fried foods at the show this year. And they’re the most complex bite I’ve ever had at the State Fair of Texas.

Find them in the Food Court of the Tower Building; and outside, across from the cattle barn. Note that the tower building can be crowded and many people are not masked because they are eating.

# 2: the armadillo – $ 16

Staff member Britton Peele (left) and food writer Sarah Blaskovich are trying The Armadillo at the State Fair of Texas in 2021. It’s so big that when it’s cut in half, there’s plenty for each of them.(Ben Torres / special article)

The remaining winner of the Big Tex Choice Awards was The Armadillo, a delicious biscuit butter and ice cream sandwich. We agree with the jury: The armadillo is the best new dessert this year.

We couldn’t stop eating this generously portioned dessert brimming with caramel and sticky ice cream. We kept asking ourselves why it was so big: an ice cream sandwich half the size would delight anyone with a sweet tooth.

But we’re not complaining. Grab this delicious dessert with both hands and repeat after me: Everything is bigger in Texas.

To be found at just one stand: Barrera concessions on the funway.

# 3: Fernie’s Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake – $ 10

Fernie’s Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake is one of the 10 finalists for the Big Tex Choice Award at the State Fair of Texas in 2021.(Ben Torres / special article)

We almost called this our second favorite dish, it was that good. The family that brought funnel cake to the State Fair of Texas made a calming new dessert of cake donuts that were buttered and mixed with almonds and toffee. It’s panko breaded and fried, then topped with whipped cream. We didn’t get a lot of coffee flavor with every bite, but don’t worry: if it weren’t for the adorably rhyming name, we’d love to have it with or without a coffee perk.

Fernie’s Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake tastes like your grandma’s best cake recipe, but with a toss in the deep fryer for some fair food fun. “Absolutely everyone wants this dish,” says Peele.

# 4: Lucky Duck Dumplin ‘- $ 12

Lucky Duck Dumplins were surprisingly hot and cute.(Ben Torres / special article)

Don’t forget that you’ve never eaten duck at the State Fair before. Or that Peele thought that the Lucky Duck Dumplin sounded “too chic”. I say grab a basket of Lucky Duck Dumplins as a starter before diving into the rest of your deep-frying adventure. Make it a Progressive Dinner! The dumplings are a good start.

Each order comes with three fried dumplings filled with cream cheese and duck bacon. The drizzle of Thai chili icing is sweet, hot, and just right. I could have eaten another serving.

# 5: Pork Shots – $ 12

Each piece of pork shot consists of about two bites.(Ben Torres / special article)

After my first bite of pork shots, grease ran down my chin. Every starter for eating with your hands is a piece of sausage wrapped in bacon and topped with mac and cheese. There are three for every order.

The pork shots are a salty diet – the type of food your doctor recommends you avoid. But they taste so thoroughly fair and will please the carnivores in your group.

Note that pork shots are only available at one stand, the purple Hans Mueller tent next to the main Chevy stage. They were hard to find, tucked away in the left corner of the tent.

# 6: Texas Pumpkin Poke Pie – $ 10

Texas Pumpkin Poke Cake dish might interest serious pumpkin fans.(Elias Valverde II / employee photographer)

Pumpkin spice latte drinkers are sure to love the Texas Pumpkin Poke Cake, a simple pumpkin bread with vanilla icing.

We found the fall seasoning overwhelming and the cake was a little dry. But they get extra points for the large portion size.

# 7: Crispy Crazy Corn – $ 12

Crispy Crazy Corn comes with individually fried corn kernels.(Ben Torres / special article)

The word “crazy” seems appropriate here because every single kernel of corn is whipped and fried. How did you do that? I’m not sure, but the result scores points for innovation – even though it lacks taste.

Each bowl of fried corn kernels is topped with smoked pulled pork and coleslaw, making a bowl of southern ingredients that don’t seem to go together. We wanted more personality.

# 8: Deep Fried I-35 – $ 15

Deep Fried I-35 was hard to eat. The idea is there, but the implementation could be better.(Ben Torres / special article)

The inspiration for this dish is that its concessionaires wanted to offer great ingredients that could be collected while driving north or south on I-35. The base is a fried kolache, but it lacks the fluffiness of the large kolache that Czech Texans loved. On each kolache, smoked brisket – the star of the dish – is garnished with Dr Pepper peach glaze and peach slices. The problem is, how do you eat that pile of barbecues? We had a fork but no knife, so we tried to pick it up and eat it from the side, like a slice of pizza. Bad idea because the peach juice dripped out the side, making for a messy, mushy base.

# 9: Brisket Buns – $ 12

Here’s a good thing about the Brisket Brittle: you can take this cute plastic boot cup home with you.(Ben Torres / special article)

Brisket, for dessert? We were there until the sticky, sugary brittle stuck in our teeth three hours later. Peele found that the brittle had a strange aftertaste of spices and smoke. I wish they had candied the brisket instead of including it in that hard-to-eat dessert.

$ 10: Fried Halloween – $ 15

Halloween came early with the deep-fried Halloween dessert at the State Fair of Texas in 2021. It’s scary.

If you have kids this will be first on your list. We happily showed an elementary school kid and her mom to the booth where they bought this huge soft pretzel with marshmallow whipped cream, corn syrup, sprinkles and loads of chocolate Halloween candy.

But adults: leave that to the children. Fried Halloween is a sugar bomb and a calorie overload, even at the State Fair of Texas.

For more food stories, follow Sarah Blaskovich on Twitter @sblaskovich.

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