New 2024 NC State Fair foods include deep fried spaghetti sandwich, hot dog-stuffed pickle
Try to imagine, if you dare, a hot dog stuffed inside a dill pickle, covered in panko and deep fried, with a drizzle of peanut butter.
That and many other culinary curiosities will be on the menu for the first time at the North Carolina State Fair. Organizers have released this year’s list of new fair foods, which will be among the deep fried, candy-coated smorgasborg from Oct. 17-27.
This year’s list is studded with collisions from two great eating forces — fair food tradition and TikTok. You can thank those forces as you stroll through the fair sipping on pickle-flavored Dr. Pepper.
Other trends seem to include breaded bologna fries, pickles in just about every kind of situation and new plates of nachos.
Somehow, this year’s roster of fair foods even includes deep fried spaghetti.
Here’s our run-down of new fair foods for 2024.
Savory
▪ Barbecue Bacon Queso Sandwich from Lawrence & Perry BBQ, LLC: Eastern North Carolina-style smoked chopped pork BBQ, drizzled with queso and sauce and topped with bacon.
▪ Battered Bologna Fries from Granny’s Country Kitchen: Bologna sliced into long cut fries, battered and deep fried, served with Carolina gold dipping sauce.
▪ Buffalo Chicken Pizza Cone from Kono Pizza: Mozzarella, breaded chicken, Ranch dressing and buffalo sauce inside a cone of pizza crust. (Kono Pizza)
▪ Buffalo Mac Bowl from Safari Eatz: Sauteed collards, grilled buffalo chicken, mac and cheese, drizzled with buffalo sauce.
▪ Buffalo Oyster Mushroom Sandwich from Fresh AF Vegan: Fried oyster mushrooms, lettuce and tomato topped with buffalo sauce on a bun.
▪ Cowboy Bites from Fat Boys BBQ: Smoked white cheddar cheese mixed with Texas-style brisket and a shake of “Bobby’s Original Rub,” rolled in panko and deep fried.
▪ Crabcake Sammie from Fresh AF Vegan: Fried crabcake served on a bun with “AF sauce.”
▪ Crack Fries from GoldenKdog: Fries tossed in cheese seasoning with several dipping sauces
▪ Deep Fried Loaded Cheese Puffs from Chester’s Gator & Taters: Deep fried cheese puffs loaded with cheese, bacon, jalapenos and Ranch dressing.
▪ Deep Fried Ribs from Lawrence & Perry BBQ, LLC: Deep-fried baby back ribs hand-tossed in a variety of sauces, including BBQ sauce, lemon pepper, Carolina gold and sweet chili jerk.
▪ Fried Cheesy Croissant from LaFarm Bakery: Mini croissants fried and topped with cheddar cheese and jalapeno slices.
▪ Fried Fufu from Ethio-Ini Alkaline Cuisine: Fufu with a blend of seasoning and deep fried.
▪ Granddaddy Nats Fufu Plate from Ethio-Ini Alkaline Cuisine: A burger covered in gravy with gomen greens and fufu.
▪ Jerk Pork Belly Bao from Cool Runnings Jamaican: Jerk marinated pork belly in a bao bun with a vegetable mix.
▪ Kale Me Shawarma from Neomonde Mediterranean: Sweet potato fries topped with beef and lamb shawarma, pickled red onion, feta crumbles, kale chips and house-made beet barbecue sauce.
▪ Korean BBQ Kimchi Nachos from Bulkogi Korean BBQ: Nachos topped with chicken or beef Korean barbecue, corn, beans, kimchi, jalapenos, mozzarella and nacho cheese.
▪ Loaded Bologna Fries from Granny’s Country Kitchen: Bologna fries battered and fried and loaded up with chili cheese sauce.
▪ Mema Mia from Ezzell’s Something Good: Deep-fried spaghetti with meat sauce nestled on top of a garlic parmesan toasted hoagie bun with extra meat sauce and cheese topped with sweet southern slaw.
▪ Mexican Street Corn Nachos from Red Carpet Amusements: Nachos with cheese, corn, mayo, parmesan cheese and Tajin seasoning. Takis and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos also available as optional toppings.
▪ Mexican Street Corn Potato from Spudastic Potato: Baked potato stuffed with Mexican street corn topped with cilantro and lime.
▪ Monster Tots from Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken: Jumbo tater tots stuffed with either buffalo chicken or bacon cheddar and chive fillings.
▪ NC Crab and Shrimp Bomb from Waypoint Oyster Bar: A ball of cheesy N.C. blue crab meat and shrimp rolled in Flamin Hot Cheetos.
▪ Turducken Burger from Chick-N-Que: A blend of turkey, duck and chicken on a bun. (Chick-N-Que)
▪ Philly Chicken Egg Roll from Woody’s Wing Wagon: Based on a Philly Roll, but with chicken instead of steak.
▪ Philly Eggroll from Fresh AF Vegan: A vegan Philly eggroll served with vegan beef, onions, peppers and mushrooms wrapped in an eggroll and deep fried.
▪ Pineapple Bowl from Brazilian Bowls: Pineapple bowls with rice or fries, charcoal chicken, Brazilian steak, island shrimp, black beans and corn and many extra toppings.
▪ Red Velvet Glazed Funnel Cake Chicken Sandwich from Mediterranean Grill: Nashville-style chicken on a red velvet funnel cake bun with sweet syrup and hot sauce.
▪ Sausage & Peppers Egg Roll from Woody’s Wing Wagon: Italian sausage, cherry peppers, diced onion and cheese, wrapped in an egg roll wrapper and deep fried, then served with marinara sauce.
▪ Swedish Meat Pizza Cone from Kona Pizza: Cone of pizza crust filled with mozzarella, meatballs, cranberry sauce and gravy sauce.
▪ Sizzling Hot Funnel Cake from The Busy Beaver: Funnel cake with nacho cheese and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
On-a-stick
▪ Alaskan King Crab Pop from Oak City Fish & Chips: Fried, seasoned Alaskan King Crab skewered and topped with half a lemon.
▪ Bacon Cheeseburger Corn Dog from Pioneer Wagon: Burger and cheddar cheese hand dipped in corn dog batter, topped with cheese and bacon.
▪ Big Bacon Wrapped in Cheese on a Stick from Bubba’s Bacon: Deep fried bacon and cheese on a and stick.
▪ Honey Butter Mozza Dog from GoldenKdog: Mozzarella cheese rolled in batter with panko then deep fried, drizzled with honey butter sauce.
▪ Trompi Al Pastor Stick from Las Gringas: Slow-roasted al pastor pork served on a stick meant to represent the spining trompo.
Pickles
▪ Chamoy Pickles from N&T Concession: Flavored pickles wrapped in Fruit Roll Ups and stuffed with a variety of fruit candy, sprinkles and Takis chips.
▪ Dilly Dog from Red Carpet Amusements: A large dill pickle stuffed with an all-beef hotdog, fried in panko batter and topped with optional peanut butter.
▪ Fried Pickle Mac & Cheese from Chester’s Gators & Taters: Mac & cheese mixed with fried pickle chips and a drizzle of Ranch dressing.
▪ Pickle Dr. Pepper from Red Carpet Amusements: It’s a cup of Dr. Pepper served with with dill pickle chips.
▪ Dill Delight Funnel Cake from The Busy Beaver: Funnel cake with powdered sugar, Ranch dressing and dill pickles.
▪ Sweet & Spicy Cheese Puff Fried Pickles from Chester’s Gators & Taters: Fried pickle chips drizzled in cheese sauce and topped with cheese puffs and a sweet & spicy sauce.
Drinks
▪ Aqua Loca from Just Popping Around: Lime juice, orange juice, tomato and grapefruit mixed together.
▪ Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Iced Tea from Tika Tea: Strawberry-flavored iced tea mixed with Hershey’s chocolate syrup and served with three hand-dipped chocolate strawberries.
▪ Glazed Donut Coffee Float from Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts: Donut-flavored iced coffee over creamy vanilla ice cream, topped with a golden glazed donut hole, and delicate glazed donut crumble rim.
▪ Mango Boba from Just Popping Round: Fruit mango tea with boba.
▪ Mangonada from Just Popping Around: The popular sweetened blend of mangoes and fruity Chamoy.
▪ Sweet Maple Bacon Iced Tea from Tika Tea: Sweet iced tea with maple syrup, maple bacon flavoring and served with strip of bacon.
▪ Pumpkin Spice Iced Tea from Tiki Tea: Sweet tea meets pumpkin spice.
▪ Summerween Slush from Moose Joose Slush: Orange Creamsicle slush served in a Jack-O-Lantern cup with whipped cream center, topped with a whole creamsicle popsicle, more whipped cream and orange cookie crumble.
Desserts
▪ Acai & Dragon Fruit Bowl from Brazillian Bowls: Acai bowl with fruit, including dragon fruit, bananas, strawberries and blueberries.
▪ Affogato from Magdelena’s Chimney Cakes: A shot of espresso poured over vanilla ice cream.
▪ Cake Parfaits from Cool Runnings Jamaican: Layered cakes served in jars.
▪ Candied Oatmeal Pies from The Candi Queen: Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies covered with a candy coating.
▪ Carmel Apple Mini Cakes from Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken: Mini pancakes covered in apple pieces, caramel sauce and whipped cream.
▪ Chamoy Pineapples from N&T Concession: Flavored pineapple wrapped in Fruit Roll Ups and stuffed with a variety of fruit candy, sprinkles and Takis chips, then dipped in fruity Chamoy sauce and seasoned with Tajin.
▪ Cotton Candy Mini Cakes from Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken: Mini pancakes covered in whipped cream and cotton candy syrup.
▪ Deep Fried Cannoli from Fontana Foods: Here the traditional Italian dessert gets the fair food treatment.
▪ Fried Hazelnut Croissant from LaFarm Bakery: Mini fried croissants topped with hazelnuts.
▪ Minne Cookie Dough Pie from The Original Minneapple Pie: Deep-fried chocolate chip cookie dough served with a choice of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
▪ White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Dough on a Stick from Kora’s Cookie Dough: Cinnamon swirl cookie dough mixed with white chocolate and dried cranberries.
▪ Peach Cobbler Pizza Cone from Kona Pizza: A cone of pizza crust filled with peaches with peach filling, cinnamon crumbles and topped with icing.
▪ Simba Dessert from Safari Eatz: Fried dough stuffed with apple filling and served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
▪ S’more Pizza Cone from Kono Pizza: A cone of pizza crust filled with s’mores ingredients, marshmallows graham cracker and chocolate.
▪ Strawberries & Cream Waffle Stick from Waffle Chix: Belgain waffle with strawberry shortcake cookie dough baked inside with whipped cream and a strawberry sauce.
▪ Strawberry Daiquiri Crunch from Boozie Bakes: Strawberry cake baked with white wine and topped with a strawberry shortcake crumble and a strawberry daiquiri drizzle.
▪ Strawberry Lemonade Donut from Fluffy’s Hand Cut Donuts: Doughnuts with lemon frosting and strawberry lemonade crumbles.
▪ Sweet Cheese Pie from Mediterranean Grill: A pancake stuffed with cheese and topped with syrup, pistachios and chocolate sauce.
▪ Tanghulu from The Candi Queen: A traditional Chinese snack with a crunchy, sweet exterior and a soft, tart interior, made with fruits like strawberries, grapes and oranges.
This story was originally published October 8, 2024 at 10:00 AM.
