DALLAS — Texas foodies, the votes are in.
On Wednesday, the State Fair of Texas shared the judges' top 10 picks for the 20th annual Big Tex Choice Awards.
This year, a record number of more than 60 contestants submitted their unique food creations in the "savory," "sweet" and "most creative" categories. Twenty-four unique items were selected for the semi-finals, and now the competition is down to the final 10.
Here’s a closer look at this year’s potential winners by category.
Savory finalists
Dominican Fritura Dog
First up in the savory category is Justin Martinez’ Dominican Fritura Dog, which is deep-fried twice in corndog batter and made with Dominican salami and fritura cheese. Atop this unique hot dog is Dominican sauce, cilantro and garlic plantain chips.
The Drowning Taquitos
Next are The Drowning Taquitos. Created by Tony and Terry Bednar, these rolled, deep-fried tortillas are served in a cup with cream sauce, shredded lettuce, guacamole salsa, tomatillo, pico de gallo, avocado, jalapeno and Cotija cheese. Inside each taquito is shredded chicken.
Hippie Chips
If you’re looking for a unique twist on a classic fair food, the Hippie Chips are a good option. This dish, created by Rose and Tom Deschenes, consists of potato chips covered with sriracha, green onions, bacon pieces and either ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Hot Chick-in-Pancake Poppers
For a mixture of sweet and savory, Palmer and Amanda Fortune introduced the Hot Chick-in-Pancake Poppers. These pancake balls are filled with Nashville hot chicken and pimento cheese, with Nashville hot powdered sugar and Sriracha honey on top.
Texas Fried Burnt End Bombs
Finally in the savory category are the Texas Fried Burnt End Bombs, made by Nick and Vera Bert. These potatoes are made with bacon and cheese, then stuffed with brisket and covered in raspberry chipotle barbecue glaze.
Sweet finalists
Nevins Nutty Bar-Laska
“It’s on a stick! What’s more fair food than that?” That's what Josey-Nevins Nayes had to say about the Nevins Nutty Bar-laska, created alongside Tami Nevins Mayes. This nutty bar is topped with toasted marshmallows, strawberry sauce, freeze-dried strawberries and two Oreos.
Rousso's Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick
Speaking of on-a-stick, if you're looking for a sweet and savory combination, Isaac Rousso has created Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick. The 12-inch bacon slice is caramelized inside the cotton candy, with extra glaze on top.
Strawberry Pop-Tarts Beignettfle
Yet another item on a stick is Justin Martinez' Strawberry Pop-Tarts Beignette. This combination waffle-beignet is covered with vanilla icing, whipped cream and sprinkles. Take a bite to experience fresh strawberry filling inside.
Texas Sugar Rush Pickles
Cereal and pickle lovers alike might appreciate the Texas Sugar Rush Pickles by Heather Perkins. The sliced pickles taste like cotton candy and are covered in Froot Loops, Lucky Charms and Cap'n Crunch. The concotion, served in a cup, includes vanilla ice cream, cotton candy, cotton candy sugar crystals, strawberry syrup and powdered sugar for a colorful mix of flavors.
Tropical Two-Step Punch
Finally, if you're craving a sweet beverage in the hot Texas sun, the Tropical Two-Step Punch might be what you're searching for. Binh Tran created this drink made of citrus, mango and passionfruit. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions are available.
The top three winners will be chosen at 2 p.m. on Aug. 22 during a private event.
The State Fair of Texas will be held from Sept. 27 through Oct. 20. There, attendees can try out these unique treats for themselves.