The State Fair of Texas has unveiled the 15 finalists for the 22nd Annual Big Tex Choice Awards, showcasing a creative lineup of savory dishes, sweet treats, and inventive beverages that will compete for the Fair’s highest culinary honors.
This year’s competition began with a record-breaking 77 entries submitted by 46 State Fair concessionaires, making it the largest field in the contest’s history. Open exclusively to concessionaires with at least two years of experience at the Fair, the Big Tex Choice Awards celebrate the creativity and entrepreneurship of the small business owners behind one of Texas’ most beloved traditions.
After a blind judging process narrowed the field to 15 finalists, judges will crown winners on August 18 in four categories: Best Taste – Savory, Best Taste – Sweet, Best Taste – Sipper, and Most Creative. This year’s State Fair of Texas opens September 25 and runs through October 18.
Savory Finalists Put Texas Twist on Fair Food
This year’s savory finalists feature inventive takes on familiar favorites.
Among the contenders is the Burger Chop Tater Tacos by Tom Grace, featuring a chopped burger topped with mozzarella and American cheese inside a taco shell made entirely of cheddar cheese tater tots. The creation is finished with buffalo buttermilk ranch coleslaw, garlic parmesan buffalo sauce, and additional tater tots.
Dickel’s Smokehouse is competing with Dickel’s Texas Two Step Tacos, a two-taco combination pairing a pineapple pork sausage-stuffed jalapeño wrapped in a blue corn tortilla with a brisket-wrapped roasted jalapeño served on a yellow corn tortilla.
Also making the finals are:
- Flamin’ Crunch Pizza, featuring jalapeño cheddar queso, cheese, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, queso blanco, and buffalo ranch.
- Golden Crunch Melt, a grilled tortilla stuffed with chicken pastor, peppers, onions, three cheeses, crispy potato strings, and smoky chipotle crema.
- Nacho Wings, combining taco-seasoned chicken wings, nacho cheese, fresh toppings, and loaded fries.
Sweet Treats Include Chocolate Corny Dog
Perhaps the most talked-about finalist is Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog, created by Beck Fletcher, which transforms the iconic State Fair favorite into dessert.
The sweet version features milk chocolate fudge hand-dipped in Fletcher’s Original Corny Dog batter before being deep-fried and topped with vanilla icing and raspberry compote.
Other sweet finalists include:
- Berry Me in Matcha, a New York-style cheesecake on a stick coated in Belgian white chocolate, crushed matcha cookies, strawberry jam, and fresh strawberries.
- Fernie’s Frozen Espresso-tini Bar, a frozen espresso martini popsicle made with cold brew coffee and Fernie’s Funnel Cake Cream Cocktail, finished with a chocolate shell.
- Holy Flan! Buñueloco, featuring a crispy buñuelo bowl filled with arroz con leche, cinnamon Blue Bell ice cream, and a deep-fried flan wrapped in puff pastry.
- Texas Pecan Praline Cheesecake Cone, a waffle cone dipped in white chocolate, pecan praline, and cookie crumbles before being filled with cookie butter cheesecake.
Creative Cocktails and Frozen Drinks Round Out Competition
The new sippers category includes everything from cereal-inspired shakes to frozen cocktails.
Among the finalists are:
- Corn Flake Shappé, blending toasted Corn Flakes, dulce de leche, Texas pecan flavors, warm spices, whipped cream, and strawberry crumble.
- Nevins Soft Serve Peach Bellini Float, a sparkling wine-infused peach soft serve topped with sparkling sugar and frozen peach.
- Rousso’s Bacon Jam Caramel Apple Hard Cider, combining apples, caramel, churros, cinnamon sugar, and smoky bacon jam.
- Sunset Soft Serve Rita, featuring strawberry and mango margarita with vanilla soft serve, chamoy, Tajín, and hot honey topping.
- Tropical Coco Fresca, a layered pineapple-watermelon agua fresca topped with icy coconut snow and a Tajín-chamoy rim.
Finalists Advanced Through Blind Judging
To earn a place among this year’s finalists, concessionaires first submitted original recipes with creative names and descriptions. The entries then underwent the Big Tex Choice Awards’ signature blind judging process, during which an internal panel evaluated each submission without knowing which concessionaire created it, ensuring every dish was judged solely on its own merits.
The top 15 finalists will now compete before a panel of 35 judges that includes hometown celebrities, television personalities, food experts, and content creators. Each entry will be evaluated on four key criteria: taste, value, creativity, and overall appeal to fairgoers.
Winners To Be Announced Before Fair Opens
The Big Tex Choice Awards have become one of the State Fair’s signature attractions since launching in 2005, highlighting inventive concession foods ranging from Fried Beer to Fried Peaches and Cream.
This year’s winners will be announced on August 18, giving fairgoers an early look at the foods expected to draw some of the longest lines when the State Fair opens later this fall.
In addition to the 15 finalists, this year’s semifinalists included entries such as Deep Fried Thai Tea Tres Leches Cake, Dirty Dr Pepper Do-Si-Do Float, Fried Gobbler Roll, Loaded Lone Star Rings, Soft Serve Smoked Peach Bourbon Smash, and Twinkle Twinkle Brisket Star.
Provided by Dallas Express
