Walking through the food area of every state fair is an adventure — the smell of fryer oils and sugar quickly bombards the senses, even if it’s sometimes unclear what’s underneath that mysterious dough.
State fairs first began in the 19th century as a way for farmers to show off their agriculture and livestock, but quickly evolved into the epitome of a summer event filled with rides, contests, and most importantly, food.
Although you’ll find American classics like burgers, hot dogs, funnel cakes, and fried Oreos, many state fairs also elevate the food into the most repulsive or bizarre dishes imaginable, state delicacies that make their annual summer appearance. Here’s a look at some of the craziest and most memorable state fair foods from across the U.S.
Dallas, Texas – deep-fried beer
Not just is everything bigger in Texas, but everything is also fried. These little ravioli-shaped pillows are pieces of dough that have been filled with beer and then deep-fried and are enormously popular at the Texas State Fair. They have even won numerous culinary awards.
Indiana – hot beef sundae
There’s nothing that can cool the Indianapolis fairgoers quite like a sundae…only this one is made with beef. As a solution to what the Indiana Beef Cattle Association deemed a “boring” rib-eye steak sandwich, inspired dreamers created the hot beef sundae. Made to look like ice cream, this meal features a pile of mashed potatoes topped with marinated beef and covered with “sprinkles” (corn and cheese) and completed with a cherry (tomato) on top.
Syracuse, NY – butter sculpture
Butter sculptures are popular at multiple state fairs — think of the classic Butter Cow in Iowa. But one of oldest locations for them is Syracuse, New York. Although this food isn’t something fairgoers eat, they have flocked every year since 1969 to see artists work around the clock to turn more than 800 pounds of butter into a sculpture…