The State Fair of Texas Food Award Finalists Are INSANE

The State Fair of Texas in Dallas has no shortage of incredible and crazy food creations.

From fried beer (yes, beer), to fried bubblegum, to a buffalo chicken in a flapjack and more, the State Fair of Texas has anything you can possibly imagine. Yes, even fried butter.

This year was no different when the fair announced its 2015 Big Texas Choice Awards Finalists on Tuesday (Aug. 18). And for the first time ever, lobster has made it.

The fair gives out two awards each year: one for Best Taste and the other for Most Creative. Last year, Fried Gulf Shrimp Boil won Best Taste and Most Creative went to a homemade beer, Funnel Cake Ale (YES!).

The 2015 race looks like it's gonna be a close one. Here are the finalists:

State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
1
Chicken Fried Lobster With Champagne Gravy
We're only on the first one and our jaws have dropped. It's an entire lobster tail (deep-fried, of course) with a side of lemon butter and is covered in champagne gravy. Ummm ... sign me up.
State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
2
Cowboy Corn Crunch
It's sweet corn, jalapeno, bacon and cream cheese all fried to a crispy golden brown. I might have my winner right now.
State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
3
Deep Fried Alligator's Egg Nest
Inside a crispy fried bread crumb texture lies alligator meat, Monterey Jack cheese, chopped jalapenos, garlic and onions. On top is a sweet and spicy chipotle sauce. Gaaaahhhh.
State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
4
Fernie’s Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly
Carrot cake fans, this bud's for you. Take a flattened, cinnamon-swirled bread filled with carrot cake, raisins and carrots and roll it with a coating of cream cheese before breading it with a mixture of Panko crumbs, graham crackers, cinnamon and nutmeg. And don't forget the powdered sugar and cream cheese frosting. Yep, "holy moly" is correct.
State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
5
Fried Beer-Battered Buffalo
Like lobster, buffalo meat is making its first appearance at the State Fair of Texas. This take has Mesquite-smoked ground buffalo rolled in Pequin chili pepper, then crusted with Corn Nuts before being dipped in a Shiner Beer batter. Fry it, dust it with bacon bits and add a side of chipotle cream sauce and you've won at life.
State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
6
Lone Star Pork Handle
This pork chop also has a Texas-style flavor. But this one is dipped in a Lone Star Beer batter, covered in bread crumbs and fried to a golden brown. Then they add a bourbon barbecue glaze to finish. And it's got a great handle -- the bone.
State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
7
Pretzel-Crusted Pollo Queso
I love cheese. You love cheese. We all love cheese. So, when you take shredded chicken and add a mix of cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, bacon, cilantro and Sriracha and fry it inside a pretzel-crusted ball, we'll all love cheese a little more.
State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
8
Smoky Bacon Margarita
Ahhh, saving the booze for last. But this isn't your typical alcoholic beverage. This frozen lime margarita includes a healthy amount of smoked bacon flavor and even has crumbled bacon on top. For those of you who don't like bacon ... wait, everyone loves bacon, so this is irrelevant.