Eight finalists for best fried food of 2009 State Fair of Texas includes — fried butter

100% pure butter is whipped till light and fluffy, then specially sweetened with a choice of several flavors.

Looking for the fried foods at the 2011 State Fair of Texas? Click here.

Howdy! It’s the Fifth Annual Big Tex Choice Awards where State Fair of Texas vendors duke it out in a friendly food fight to determine the new best edibles.

Since 2005, creative cooks have whipped up wildly imaginative treats, and local, national, and international programs, publications, and websites have taken notice.

Participants submitted their recipes in early August. (Drum roll, please.) Now, eight are left standing. The kitchen heats up on Labor Day for the final round where a panel of three judges will pick the winning entries in two categories: Best Taste and Most Creative. How will they top last year’s big winners, Chicken Fried Bacon and the Fried Banana Split?

Green Goblins – Cherry peppers are hollowed out, stuffed with spicy shredded chicken and guacamole, then battered and deep fried. Served three to a skewer and topped with queso.

Deep Fried Butter – 100% pure butter is whipped till light and fluffy, then specially sweetened with a choice of several flavors. The tantalizing mixture is surrounded by a special dough and quick fried. Served on a stick.

Twisted Yam on a Stick – A delicious, towering, spiral-cut sweet potato on a 13” skewer is fried to a delicate crispy texture, then gently rolled in butter and dusted with cinnamon and sugar.

Fernie’s Deep Fried Peaches & Cream – Sweet juicy peaches are coated in a delicious batter of cinnamon, ginger, coconut, graham cracker crumbs, eggs & milk, then deep fried to a crunchy golden brown on the outside, while luscious and sweet on the inside. Served on a plate drizzled with raspberry sauce and sprinkled with streusel topping & a dollop of whipped cream. A side of vanilla butter cream icing is provided for dipping.

Texas Fried Pecan Pie – A mini-pecan pie is battered and deep fried to a golden brown. Served drizzled with rich caramel sauce, then topped with whipping cream and chopped candied pecans.

Country Fried Pork Chips – Thin sliced pork loin is seasoned, surrounded by a tasty corn meal batter and deep fried. Served with sides of ketchup or cream gravy.

Sweet Jalapeno Corn Dog Shrimp – Shrimp on a stick is coated with a sweet and spicy corn meal batter, then deep fried to a golden brown and served with a spicy glaze.

Fried Peanut Butter Cup Macaroon – A peanut butter cup is wrapped inside a coconut macaroon fried and dusted with powdered sugar. Also available with a scoop of Blue Bell ice cream.

MSNBC Fried Butter video

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Source: State Fair of Texas

Michael Anderson, verified:

Deep fried butter -- the circle is finally complete

3 years, 9 months ago
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Jesus Valadez, verified:

um... fried butter? I think I finally found a fried food that I'm not going to try.

3 years, 9 months ago
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Ted Howard, verified:

It all sounds good, but the fried butter sounds kinda like a gimmick in the same vein as fried Coke a few years back.

3 years, 9 months ago
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Teresa Gubbins, staff:

Ted you are very wise: the guy who devised this is Able Gonzales, who created fried Coke and who <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/sep/03/fried-cookie-dough-wins-2007-texas-state-fairs-bes/">won in 2007</a> for his fried cookie dough

3 years, 9 months ago
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Jesus Valadez, verified:

While I found Fried Coke disgusting, at least coke is something you can just pick up and drink without thinking about it twice. Now with fried butter... no one just grabs a stick of butter and takes a bite out of it.

3 years, 9 months ago
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Alex Bentley, staff:

"...no one just grabs a stick of butter and takes a bite out of it."

You have been on the internet, haven't you, Jesus?

3 years, 9 months ago
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Jesus Valadez, verified:

I'm sure they were giving it a second thought. My point still stands.

3 years, 9 months ago
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denoyell, anonymous:

It'll turn out like the fried bacon last year. What they judge is great; the execution at the actual fair is nasty.

3 years, 9 months ago
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momzilla, anonymous:

I get indigestion just thinking about that deep fried butter. The green goblins sound like something I'd eat, though. Yam on a Stick sounds interesting too.

3 years, 9 months ago
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Travis Bush, verified:

The last one sounds like it might not be too bad..

3 years, 9 months ago
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Martin K, verified:

Green goblins sound good, but fried butter??? You've got to be kidding!

3 years, 9 months ago
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tetsujin28, anonymous:

Forget these top eight and lets make our own list of favorites that are at the Fair each and every year. For some reason I always have to have a slice of cheese pizza from the vendor in the food area connected to the Tower building. Greasy but good~just like the way all mall pizza's used to be. Favorite place to have a beer is at the small eatery located at the beginning of the Embaracadero building. Caramel apples from the vendor that is always located at the foot of the smaller Ferris Wheel are always ripe and appetizing. Also the pineapple soft serve ice cream vendor needs a mention. But my all time favorite is the fresh corn on the cob.

3 years, 9 months ago
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tetsujin28, anonymous:

My wife's favorites; the Gorditas from the vendor located by the carousel (in the back) Hans Mueller sausage, and the fresh fruit watermelon juice from the vendor located at the exit of the Womens building. (Yes she throws in a Fletcher's but who does not?)

3 years, 9 months ago
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Teresa Gubbins, staff:

tetsujin, your command of the State Fair food options is nothing less than impressive

3 years, 9 months ago
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jtmbls, anonymous:

It's too early in the morning for this thread.

3 years, 9 months ago
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John Turner-McClelland, verified:

What's next? Deep fried Crisco?

3 years, 9 months ago
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david torres, verified:

Haven't been to the fair in 20 yrs....How much is one coupon now? it was 10 cents each, last time we went...

3 years, 9 months ago
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alexander troup, verified:

40 dollars to get in and a hotdog is 9 bucks and a beer is 19 bucks....real good price,no.. I made that up because I used to work the fair, and I saw what makes a Fair fun and exciting,...diffent events each year,not 4 buildings for cars and the same old stuff...a Fair is to be fun while I love the Womens building exibit,it is the Fair, and this sculpture in butter is a great Fair event...A/T, See you then when the fair begins with two cans to get in...

3 years, 9 months ago
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Jesus Valadez, verified:

Yeah, I don't go for the crappy rides at the Fair. We walk around to look at the different exhibits and I walk around to try to work off all of the fried food I've had(the year before).

3 years, 9 months ago
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alexander troup, verified:

Your so right JJJJJJJJESUS, those rides have become crapppyyy...Why,...because the Fair is run by mutants from the Carnival business...while they took out the freak shows so we wont know what freaks look like..

The car race's have been gone for over 40 years,well Grand Prix ran in 85 there..and..the Train Museum is cool but the train dosen't go anywhere....A/T, hers lookin at you State Fair...2009, from 1886..

3 years, 9 months ago
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Margie Hubbard, verified:

We always go on the first day. The grease is clean and the employees haven't learned to hate the public yet. Now about that fried butter... (shudder) I just don't think I can do it.

3 years, 9 months ago
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LaDivina, anonymous:

Do these deep fried delectables come with a free side of angioplasty too?

3 years, 9 months ago
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david torres, verified:

no, just a cold glass of water to wash down, so it can harden inside your digestive system!!!

3 years, 9 months ago
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LYDIAatNTFB, anonymous:

Don't forget! On Wednesdays, bring 3 canned goods and get in for $1 benefiting the North Texas Food Bank! www.ntfb.org

3 years, 9 months ago
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david torres, verified:

it used to be 3 cans and get in for FREE!! What happened with that? How many coupons will that cost me, $1.00? one serving of fried butter?

3 years, 9 months ago
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Jesus Valadez, verified:

I have school all day(I do mean all day) on Wednesdays. :(

3 years, 9 months ago
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KeepOurFreedoms, anonymous:

I agree with Alexander Troup. The fair used to have something different every year. 4 buildings with cars and trucks plus all the surrounding grounds makes it a car show instead of a fair. Same old vendors everytime with the same stuff, nothing new. There isn't even any trash on the ground like their used to be. LOL Whatever happened to the music that we could hear all over the fairgrounds? Has anyone looked a the animals? There aren't that many anymore and the stalls are empty.

3 years, 9 months ago
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