Let's Get Fried! Top 10 Big Tex Choice Awards Announced

Early this morning, the fryers runneth over at Fair Park. Semifinalists for the Top 10 Big Tex Awards put their best-fried food forward for a highly coveted shot at State Fair of Texas glory.

While the fair doesn't kick off until later in September, the concessionaires have been planning for months. In early July, the fair named 36 semifinalists. Today, it whittled that group down to 10 finalists, five each in savory and sweet categories. The food was evaluated on four main qualities: uniqueness, creativity, presentation and taste.

Before the fair kicks off, a final competition will take place for the best sweet, best savory and most creative.

Why all the fuss? It's big money. Every year, more than 2.5 million people roll through the gates at Fair Park, each with their eye on some form of fried food. As we saw in the show Deep Fried Dynasty last year, some vendors are trying to clear $30,000 a day or more in some cases — for 24 days straight. But being a Big Tex winner or even a top 10 finisher literally puts a booth on the path. The sky is the deep-fried limit. Well, so long as it doesn't rain. That's another story.

So, being a finalist is a big deal, and while the wind was blowing on this hot August morning, the semifinalists gathered to hear who won the Top 10 Big Texas Choice Awards, as listed below.

Savory Finalists

Deep-Fried Cheesy Crab Tater Bites

Vendor: Isaac Rousso

Minced crab meat is blended with potato, cheese and spices, fried a golden brown and served with a cheesy Cajun sauce that has a base of onions, bell peppers and celery (think gumbo). A sprinkle of Cajun spices is added along with the final touch of crawfish.

Deep-Fried Pho

Vendor: Michelle Le

Noodles, thin slices of beef, fresh herbs, bean sprouts and broth simmer for hours before being rolled and deep-fried. To tie it all together, these eggroll-like creations are served with a side of broth for dipping, lime, jalapeños, cilantro, hoisin sauce and Sriracha.

Loaded Fries Pizza

Vendor: Tom Grace

Hand-tossed pizza dough is stretched onto a 16-inch "pizza screen," then loaded with buttermilk ranch dressing, mozzarella, french fries, cheddar cheese and bacon. Think loaded fries on a thin-crust pizza.

OX'cellent Soul Roll

Vendor: Kerston and Shawn Thorns

Slow-simmered oxtail, potatoes, smoked Gouda and mozzarella are rolled into a light and flaky spring roll, then deep-fried. Oh, this could be amazing. It's served with hush puppies and garlic chili sauce (an interesting pairing). We're jazzed to see about this one, but with the price of oxtail we can only imagine the cost here.

Turkey Ribs

Vendor: Abel Gonzales

Mr. Fried Jesus, Abel Gonzales, is back in the finals with a twist on a holiday favorite. Straight from the press release: "Take the best part of the turkey you never knew you loved and gently fry it, and serve it with stuffing seasoned fries, homemade giblet gravy and secret salsa recipe." Interesting. We trust anything Fried Jesus does, so we're excited.

Sweet Finalists

Biscoff Delight

Vendor: Stephen El Gidi

A classic New York-style cheese cake is coated with Belgian chocolate, which is then covered in an outer layer of crushed Biscoff cookies. It's crunch and gooey all at the same time. A caramel drizzle is the final touch. That beer next to it oddly looks good.

Bourbon Banana Caramel Sopapillas

Vendor: Cody and Lauren Hays

If we're picking just on name and looks alone, winner-winner-chicken-dinner. Here, pillowy sopapillas are topped with vanilla-caramel-infused bananas, bourbon syrup, crushed candied pecans, sweet mascarpone cheese, crumbled Nilla Wafers and powdered sugar. The State Fair needs a DoorDash option.

Fernie's Fried Cherry Pie in the Sky

Vendor: Christi Erpillo and Johnna McKee

Here's a piece of Americana (photo at top). Tart cherries and shortbread cookies are deep-fried in a flaky crust and topped with almond butter shortbread crumbles. It's served with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, which is drizzled with cherry preserves and whipped cream, and topped with sugared, dark sweet cherries.

Sweet Encanto

Vendor: Tony and Terry Bednar

A thin waffle is covered with caramel dulce de leche, cream, slices of strawberry, kiwi, peach and shredded coconut, then topped with raspberry jam.

Trail-Ade

Vendor: Ruth Hauntz

A refreshing drink for those hot days at the fair. Here cucumbers, summer fruit and mint are blended with lemonade for a nonalcoholic cocktail served in a souvenir cowboy boot. How about half and half with that beer?