After A Year Off, The State Fair Is Returning To Dallas In 2021 — And These Are The Very Real, Over-The-Top Foods They’re Thinking About Serving Attendees.

After mostly taking 2020 off because of the still-ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the cholesterol-spiking Dallas parasite that is the State Fair of Texas will be returning in full this year.

That’s right: The corporate overlords behind the sucky-as-ever event are officially casting aside the disappointing drive-through version of their festivities that they ham-fistedly threw together at the final minute last fall, and have announced plans for the fair to come back in all of its jingoistic glory in 2021 from September 24 to October 17.

And when it does return to action at Fair Park, you can rest assured that it will be bringing with it — per usual — another roster of disrespectful, artery-clogging and overpriced concessions for Texans to gorge themselves upon.

Honestly, when you consider how Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs just recently struck up a deal to ship its beloved offerings all over the country, year-round, to anyone who wants them, the already flimsy “But the food is great!” excuse for visiting this annual atrocity now feels more indefensible than ever. But, hey, if dying of cardiac arrest before you turn the age of 35 sounds like your idea of a good time, let’s take a look at the just-announced semi-finalist entries into this year’s Big Tex Awards food competition, the winners of which will be slowly killing attendees served up at booths along the Midway starting this September 24.

2021 Big Tex Choice Awards Food Competition Semi-Finalists

Bacon Jam Corn Bombs. Warm bacon jam over corn hushpuppies with a drizzle of ranch and topped with candied jalapenos.

Country Fried Shrimp Grits. Deep-fried cooked grits infused with shrimp and cheese, covered with a shrimp and crawfish sauce.

Crawfish Etouffee Stuffed Turkey Leg. A slow smoked extra-large turkey leg, stuffed with savory crawfish etouffee, served with a side of rice.

Crispy Crazy Corn. Sweet whole kernel corn, deep-fried and dashed with secret seasoning and topped with a tangy pineapple slaw and a drizzle of freshly made jalapeno crema and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Dallas Hot. Smoked turkey frank dunked in a fiery seasoned batter and deep-fried, then smothered with mac and cheese, topped with fried jalapenos and drizzled with Cholula.

Deep Fried I-35. A fried kolache topped with smoked beef brisket, as well as a combination of peach juice and Dr Pepper that has been combined into a BBQ glaze drizzled over the rest.

Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls. Meatballs loaded with Gulf Coast shrimp, stewed chicken, blue crab meat, and andouille sausage, rolled in a saltine cracker and breadcrumb batter and fried. It is served with a side of dark gumbo roux sauce and topped with chicken fried okra spears.

Deep Fried Shrimp Etouffee. A deep-fried dumpling filled with piping hot rice and house seasoned shrimp, then smothered in onion, celery, tomatoes, green peppers and cheese, and served with creole mustard or chipotle ranch.

Frozen Ranch Water. A cocktail of silver tequila, Topo Chico, and lime.

Hawaiian Luau. A sandwich with a Hawaiian bun, honey mustard slaw, slow roasted pork with lightly fried Spam, caramelized pineapple rings and a drizzle of Hawaiian teriyaki sauce on top.

Lobster Corn Dog. Breaded lobster cake, basted with cornbread batter, deep-fried and served with Remoulade.

Lucky Duck Dumplin’. A pastry filled with cream cheese, duck bacon, roasted sweet corn, herbs and spices deep-fried and served with Thai chili glaze.

Pork Shots. Smoked sausage wrapped in hickory smoked bacon to form a tiny bowl filled with mac and cheese. The outside is then sprinkled with a secret BBQ rub.

Takis Locos. Takis are covered with melted cheese, refried beans and a dollop of sour cream, all topped with pico de gallo, cilantro and a serrano pepper.

Texas BBQ Brisket Banh Mi. Served on a toasted Vietnamese baguette, topped with chopped smoked brisket, BBQ sauce, cilantro, cucumber and pickled daikon radish and carrots. Honey sriracha aioli, hoisin sauce and fresh jalapeno slices are served on the side.

Texas Chicken Fried Steak Flauta Basket. Secret tangy, spicy sauce spread over a flour tortilla with crunchy chicken fried steak fingers, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and dill pickle chips, then rolled up and deep-fried. It is served with zesty curly fries with house seasonings.

Texas Easter Eggs. Deep-fried eggs filled with meats, spices, cheeses, peppers and served with dipping sauce.

Texas Fried Surf and Turf. Filet mignon medallions filled with chunks of Langostino Lobster and a jalapeno slice, then wrapped with a slice of hickory smoked bacon and served with tempura fried asparagus.

Twice-Fried Albondigas (Mexican Meatballs). Spiced beef rolled with lightly browned rice, chopped vegetables and aromatic seasonings served on top of tomato-based sauce.

Brisket Brittle. A Texas brisket confectionary. Think peanut brittle, but with meat.

Deep Fried Pancakes. Deep-fried hotcakes served with your choice of maple butter, blueberry sauce or pecan butter syrup.

Deep Fried PB & Raz Bulee. A deep-fried peanut butter sandwich pocket topped with vanilla creme and turbinado sugar, then broiled and caramelized. Lastly, it’s dolloped with mixed berries.

Deep Fried Peach Cobbler Soul Rolls. A deep-fried buttered peach and spiced sugar mixture topped with cinnamon sugar and Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Deep Fried Ritz. A deep-fried Ritz cracker with strawberry-swirled cream cheese filling. It is topped with a fudgy chocolate glaze and a Ritz cracker-powdered sugar crumble with an optional strawberry topping.

Deep Fried Toffee. A toffee square wrapped in a biscuit bite and deep-fried, then garnished with powdered sugar.

Deep Fried Halloween. Deep-fried pretzel covered in candy corn syrup, rainbow sprinkles, powdered sugar, orange and white buttercream icing, candy, Oreo cookie crumbles, candy corn, a marshmallow whip cream, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, chocolate syrup, caramel sauce and candy corn drizzle.

Fried Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding). Bread layered with shredded cheese over piloncillo (unrefined whole cane sugar) syrup and raisins. It is then battered and fried, and topped with whipped cream topping and a drizzle of dulce de leche, cinnamon, and sprinkles.

Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake. Chunks of cake donuts served with a scoop of baking morsels, English toffee and almonds, blended with custard and covered in panko and vanilla cookie crumbs. All of this is then fried and topped with powdered sugar and sprinkled with toffee bits and a dollop of mocha whipped cream.

Going Bananas. A banana rolled in funnel cake batter and deep-fried, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate and peanut butter sauces.

Southern Fried Lemon Box Pie Balls. A pie ball infused with graham crackers, lemon zest and brown sugar  that is battered and fried, and topped with Chantilly cream.

Texas Pumpkin Poke Cake. A Texas-shaped pumpkin cake with vanilla glaze, caramel, whipped cream and a secret spice.

The Armadillo. A cookie butter semifreddo drizzled with cookie butter and sandwiched between two deep-fried armadillo-shaped cookies.

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