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  3. New State Fair Foods We're Excited (and a Little Scared) to Try

New State Fair Foods We're Excited (and a Little Scared) to Try

By Food & Wine Updated June 28, 2017
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The Defibrillator, New York
Credit: © Fried Specialties
Grab the tums and put on your most forgiving pair of stretchy pants — it's State Fair season! Along with the live animal births, butter sculptures and slightly suspicious mechanical rides, the food-on-a-stick scene continues to break new boundaries. From crispy pig's tail to pretzel-crusted cheese curds, here are new fair foods that we'll be first in line for. — Julia Heffelfinger
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Minnesota Wild Rice Benedict Muffin, Minnesota

Minnesota Wild Rice Benedict Muffin, Minnesota
Credit: © Minnesota State Fair

Lulu's Public House knows the key to any true Minnesotan's heart: wild rice add-ons. This English muffin “cup” is studded with wild rice and then filled with sliced ham and a soft-cooked egg before it's smothered in hollandaise. Um, yes please. Aug. 27th – Sept. 7th, mnstatefair.org

  • America's Wacky Fair Foods

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Hot Tail, Minnesota

Hot Tail, Minnesota
Credit: © Minnesota State Fair

This dish from Minneapolis hot spot The Rabbit Hole is taking state fair food to a new level. It's a Korean-style roasted pig's tail coated in an umami-rich scallion ginger sauce. Don't miss it; it's only available from Sept. 2-7. Also from The Rabbit Hole, a Kimchi 'n' Curry Poutine topped with a runny soft boiled egg. mnstatefair.org

  • More Korean Recipes

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Corn in a cup, Iowa

Corn in a cup, Iowa
Credit: © Iowa State Fair

This seemingly simple fair food is much more impressive than it sounds. You can go for Mexican-style (corn niblets, pork chorizo, butter, mayo, coyote cheese (?) and lime with "spicy magic dust" (??) or eat like the locals do and try The Iowan (corn niblets, cheddar cheese, pork sausage, mayo, butter, lime, and "spicy magic dust"). Either way, if it has corn in it, we're there. Aug. 13th – 23rd, iowastatefair.org

  • More Corn Recipes

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Ultimate Bacon Brisket Bomb, Iowa

Ultimate Bacon Brisket Bomb, Iowa
Credit: © Iowa State Fair

You know that if a dish has the word "bomb" in it, it's worth your time. Ground brisket is smoked and mixed with onions, jalapeños, and pepper jack cheese before it's shoved on a stick, wrapped in bacon and glazed with a sweet and spicy chili glaze. Aug. 13th – 23rd, iowastatefair.org

  • Sweet and Savory Bacon Dishes

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Elephant Ear Ice Cream, Ohio

Elephant ear ice cream, Ohio
Credit: © Nicole Arnold / Velvet Ice Cream

Ohio-based Velvet Ice Cream is swirling its classic vanilla with caramel sauce and crispy nuggets of fried, cinnamon-coated elephant ear pastry. July 29th – Aug. 9th, ohiostatefair.com

  • Crazy Things People Do to Ice Cream

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Smoked Pig Patty, Indiana

Smoked Pig Patty, Indiana
Credit: © Indiana State Fair

Winner of the fair's Signature Food Contest, this porky burger from the Indiana Pork Association is smoked, smothered in BBQ sauce and topped with dill pickles from local company, Schleckler's. Aug. 7th – 23rd, in.gov/statefair

  • Best BBQ Cities

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Beer-Battered Pretzel-Coated Cheese Curds, Wisconsin

Beer-Battered Pretzel-Coated Cheese Curds, Wisconsin
Credit: © Wisconsin State Fair Park

It's hard to imagine a more fitting Wisconsin food: yellow cheddar cheese curds dipped in a pilsner-based batter, then coated in crushed pretzels and panko before being deep fried. Aug. 6th – 16th, wistatefair.com

  • Perfecting Pretzels

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Schweinefleisch Frites, Wisconsin

Schweinefleisch Frites, Wisconsin
Credit: © Wisconsin State Fair Park

You don't need to be able to pronounce this dish to enjoy it. Strips of pork belly are battered and fried - of course - and served with a franziskaner hefe-wessbier dipping sauce (naturally). Aug. 6th – 16th, wistatefair.com

  • More Pork Recipes

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The Cheesy Charlie, Oregon

The Cheesy Charlie, Oregon
Credit: © The Patty Wagon

This burger is not for the faint of heart (or the lactose-intolerant, for that matter). At the Patty Wagon booth they'll be serving a beef patty topped with blue cheese, cheddar cheese, nacho “cheese” (!), mac and cheese (!!) AND bacon. It's all sandwiched in a pretty awesome house-made bun. Aug. 28th – Sept. 7th, oregonstatefair.org

  • Over-the-Top Burgers

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Tot-chos, Oregon

Tot-chos, Oregon
Credit: © B2 Eats

Tater tots? Good. Nachos? Good! Totchos? Obviously. The B2 Eats booth will be serving these smothered tots with all of the nacho fixings. Aug. 28th – Sept. 7th, oregonstatefair.org

  • Outrageous Nachos

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The Defibrillator, New York

The Defibrillator, New York
Credit: © Fried Specialties

If you're not sweating just looking at this photo, then props to you. This monster from the aptly named Fried Specialties booth is a half pound deep fried Angus burger that's topped with six strips of deep fried bacon, deep fried pickles, cheese and then sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches. Side note: the guy behind this booth will also deep-fry whatever you bring him. Deep fried pepto bismol, anyone? Aug. 27th – Sept. 7th, nysfair.org

  • More Grilled Cheese Recipes

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    1 of 11 Minnesota Wild Rice Benedict Muffin, Minnesota
    2 of 11 Hot Tail, Minnesota
    3 of 11 Corn in a cup, Iowa
    4 of 11 Ultimate Bacon Brisket Bomb, Iowa
    5 of 11 Elephant Ear Ice Cream, Ohio
    6 of 11 Smoked Pig Patty, Indiana
    7 of 11 Beer-Battered Pretzel-Coated Cheese Curds, Wisconsin
    8 of 11 Schweinefleisch Frites, Wisconsin
    9 of 11 The Cheesy Charlie, Oregon
    10 of 11 Tot-chos, Oregon
    11 of 11 The Defibrillator, New York

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    New State Fair Foods We're Excited (and a Little Scared) to Try
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