The Big Tex Choice Awards 2021 Finalists Are Here

No matter how many times you drive through the State Fair of Texas, it never gets normal. Without fail, the nice people who give you directions at the gate make it sound so easy: “Just drive straight and turn on Washington,” but Google Maps farts the bed when you ask it to escort you to the livestock building…

Although driving a car down the midway is arguably the most Dallas way to take in the State Fair of Texas, at 5:30 a.m. every year for the Big Tex Choice Awards finalist announcement, the fairgrounds are extra eerie and unnatural. Which, honestly, is also very on-brand.

This year, it’s even stranger than usual. Not many months ago here, you were shoulder to shoulder with FEMA checking on hundreds of cars of people to make sure they didn’t suffer any abnormal side effects from their first of two jabs. It was 32 degrees outside as you told people their 8-hour ordeal was almost over. A stranger offered you hand warmers. You remember trying to lighten the mood by wondering aloud why Fletcher’s wasn’t offering free corny dogs with every vaccine.



“Is the livestock building this way?” You don’t realize at the time that you’re asking the Deep Fried Armadillo guy for directions. An hour later, he’ll be swarmed by cameras and people wanting to touch his giant armadillo branding iron. He’ll be in the background of some influencer’s Instagram story that primarily features her own face and doesn’t reflect the faint smell of blue-ribbon horse dander in the room.

The guy carrying the boom mic across the parking lot is the context clue you needed. You’re in the right place. And then, a familiar face: You see Juan Reeves from Smokey John’s BBQ smiling his dang face off, holding a serving of his Crispy Crazy Corn while some dude in a Big Tex costume acts like Vanna White as he reveals each finalist to the local news cameras. That’s when it hits you right in the happy heart: Deep-fried normalcy is clawing its way back.

Forty-three entries were submitted. The State Fair of Texas had an internal committee narrow the field to 32 semi-finalists. And today, they narrow the field to 10 competitors fighting for the titles of “Best Taste – Savory,” “Best Taste – Sweet,” and “Most Creative,” in the 2021 Big TexChoice Awards competition.

“Everyone who’s a finalist this time has been here before. It’s a real family,” Brent Reaves eyes the room with a smile on his face and an excitement level that’s commendable for 6 in the morning. You’ll remember Juan and Brent Reaves and (of course) the legendary Miss Ruth from their Fried Jello win. “That was five years ago—can you believe that?” Reaves says to Miss Ruth. She shakes her head and makes a joke about the guy in the Big Tex costume wanting to stand too close to her in a photo. She’s 88. And he’s simply not her type. Their crew has two finalists in the mix this year, including Crispy Crazy Corn and Brisket Brittle.

Juan Reaves has been working on perfecting this Crispy Crazy Corn for three years. Fried corn kernels are mixed in with slowed-smoked pulled pork, topped with a slaw, jalapeño crema, and cilantro. In your typical Big Tex Choice Awards competition of “What if we double-fry it and dust it with more powdered sugar?” this one is a nice departure. It’s probably not ridiculous enough of a concept to win, but it was the best savory bite of the day. And this crew should win something for exuding pure happiness.

On the other side of the spectrum in the savory category are the Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls from Gourmet Royale. They previously made it to the BTCA finals with Southern Fried Chicken Alfredo Balls. Simply put, they’re pros at balling up your favorite entrees and frying them. Plus, they have a way with words, “The balls are served with a side of dark gumbo roux sauce for your dipping pleasure.” Um. My “dipping pleasure?” Where do we sign up? This one is a favorite to win the Best Savory category. It has all the things you want from the fair: 1) it’s portable, 2) it’s fried, 3) there’s hot sauce, and 4) you get to say “balls” when you order it. Everyone wins.

Deep Fried I-35 made it into the finals, and we’re confident that it will win Most Creative. It will not win Best Savory. Its taste profile is going to divide families and confuse sober people. But that’s ok. The Most Creative category has never required winning dishes to universally taste good. (See: Fried Bubblegum and Fried Beer.) The Most Creative award is about making people laugh to themselves, “What the hell is this?” It’s midway dare food. It doesn’t have to taste good, it just has to be entertaining. It’s a totally different game. And there was nobody else in the room playing it. (Read our exclusive interview with Deep Fried I-35 before scoring a spot as a finalist.)

Isaac Ruosso is your Fried Pop Tart winner from long ago, and he always smiles his heart out while he brings something that’ll turn your sweet tooth into one giant cavity. This year is no exception. He’s bringing you a fried pretzel that’s piled high with frosting and candy. “It’s just fun. We need some fun right now,” Ruosso says. Which is very true. And sounds very nice. But in reality, this is the snack you only buy for kids you don’t have to be around in the next three seconds. It’s a nightmare-maker. The Haunted House of the fried midway. Hide your kids from Ruosso’s booth. They’ll love every item on the menu.

Christi Erpillo, whose previous wins include Fernie’s Deep Fried Peaches and Fernie’s Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly, brings you Fernie’s Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake this year. Her crew makes a mean funnel cake, and this toffee coffee crunch cake was the perfect thing to be eating before sunrise. Not sure how it pairs with 100-degree weather and a beer as tall as a 5th grader, but let’s all find out. She has our vote for Best Sweet. But, as LeVar Burton would say on Reading Rainbow, “Don’t take my word for it!” Go eat these fried attractions and tell us we’re wrong. We dare you.

So, here’s our call:

• Best Savory should go to Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls
• Best People on the Planet goes to The Reaves Brothers and Miss Ruth
• Best Sweet goes to Fernie’s Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake
• Most Creative goes to Deep Fried I-35.

Here Are Your 2021 Big Tex Finalists

Savory

Crispy Crazy Corn, Ruth Hauntz
Battered and fried kernals with smoked pulled pork and pineapple slaw.

Deep Fried I-35, Clint and Gretchen Probst
A sweet and savory decadent tribute to the Texas road trip: fried kolache dough with smoked brisket, with a drizzle of peach and Dr.Pepper barbecue glaze, and garnished with peach slices and powdered sugar.

Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls, Gourmet Royale
Balls of Gulf Coast shrimp, stewed chicken, blue crab meat, and andouille sausage rolled in saltine cracker and breadcrumb batter, then fried

Lucky Duck Dumplin’, Bert Concessions
Deep-fried pastry filled with a delicious combination of rich, fluffy cream cheese, blended with succulent duck bacon and roasted sweet corn.

Pork Shots, Glen and Sherri Kusak at Hans Mueller
Bacon-wrapped sausage with mac and cheese.

Sweet

Texas Pumpkin Poke Cake, Michelle Edwards
A Texas-shaped, decadent pumpkin cake with a gooey vanilla glaze, silky caramel, topped with fluffy whipped cream, and lightly sprinkled with secret spice.

The Armadillo, James Barrera
Cookie butter ice cream sandwich: made-from-scratch cookie butter semifreddo, drizzled with cookie butter, and sandwiched between two deep fried Armadillo-shaped cookies.

Brisket Brittle, Ruth Hauntz
Like old-fashioned peanut brittle, except with smoky brisket.

Deep-Fried Halloween, Isaac Rousso
A large chewy pretzel is dropped in the fryer, bathed in candy corn syrup, and covered with rainbow sprinkles and powdered sugar. Then there’s orange and white buttercream icing, then comes stacks of Halloween candies, like M&M’s, Reese Pieces, Mini-Twix, Oreo cookie crumbles, and candy corn just to name a few. Topped with a delicious marshmallow whip cream and a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup as the crown. Oh also, Hershey’s chocolate syrup caramel sauce and candy corn drizzle.

Fernie’s Fried Toffee Coffee Crunch Cake, Winter Family Concessions