Ready for a rattlesnake corndog? Meet the newest foods at the NC State Fair

Buffalo chicken croissants and rattlesnake corndogs are just two of the new fairtastic foods on the menu for this year’s NC State Fair.

Each year the North Carolina State Fair delights and disturbs eaters with an array of deep-fried delicacies and creative calorie bombs. Food vendors seem to have pushed the boundaries even further this year, with 40 dishes making their fair debut.

The NC State Fair runs from Oct. 13-23 and its buffet of culinary wonder is one of the biggest attractions. Each year there are Volkswagen-sized turkey legs and deep-fried Oreos have eased into the mainstream of beloved fair treats.

The new fair foods this year offer true adventures, with rattlesnake appearing on the menu for the first time, along with the latest in deep-fried bacon, tacos every which way and innovations on bites-on-a-stick.

Here are 12 dishes calling our name, or at least our curiosity, at this year’s NC State Fair. For the full list visit ncstatefair.org/2022/attractions/new.htm

1. Deep-Fried Piggy Tails by Beaver Concessions

Think of a bacon funnel cake on a stick, topped with cinnamon and sugar and sweetened further with a drizzle of maple syrup.

2. Deep-Fried Bacon Mac-n-Cheese Tacos by Bubba’s Bacon

These tacos might need a knife and fork or maybe rubber gloves. Here, mac-and-cheese tacos are filled with bacon and deep fried, then baconated even more with bacon crumbles and a cheese sauce.

3. Dillylicious Loaded Pickles by Chester’s Gators and Taters

The poutine has come for the deep-fried pickle. These plates of pickle spears are topped with bacon, ranch dressing and melted beer cheese.

4. DoriEsquites by Douglas Farms

Riffing on the walking taco, here a bag of pulverized Doritos is filled with off-the-cob Mexican street corn for an elote meets dive bar experience.

5. Chicken Pot Pie Biscuit by Fun Time Foods

Biscuits and gravy get the fair food treatment, with chicken pot pie scooped onto a flaky biscuit. Watch out, this will become next year’s hottest brunch trend.

6. Thanksgiving-Stuffed Turkey Leg by Hickory Tree Turkey BBQ

Here you’ll find Thanksgiving on a stick, with a smoked giant turkey leg, stuffed with gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce. For the full plate experience, add on yams, collards or mac and cheese.

7. Churro Tots by Hot Chix Hotcakes & Chicken

Dessert tater tots are now a thing. Here tots are coated in cinnamon and sugar and served with a caramel sauce for dipping.

8. Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels by La Farm Bakery

One of the Triangle’s most acclaimed bakeries just created one of the fair’s most outlandish dishes. This year, flaky, artisan croissants will be topped with Buffalo chicken dip and cheddar cheese for the Super Bowl food you’ve always wanted.

9. Rattlesnake Corndog by Pioneer Wagon

Many fairgoers will have the opportunity to try rattlesnake for the first time, done up in true fair fashion, made into a sausage and fried up as a corndog with an avocado sauce.

10. Deep-Fried NC Country Ham with Bourbon Peach Jam by Ragin’ Cajun

If you’re feeling ho-hum about deep-fried bacon, one of North Carolina’s true delicacies is getting the fryolator baptism this year. Here, slices of country ham are deep fried and served with some sweet bourbon peach jam to cut through the saltiness.

11. Pepsi-Glazed mini donuts by S2 Concessions

Noticing that Cheerwine had already made the leap from soft drink to ingredient, showing up in barbecue sauce and sausage, Pepsi is getting in the game. Here, Pepsi becomes the sugary glaze for bite-size doughnuts.

12. Sweet Potato Country Ham Biscuit by Somethin’ Good (Ezzell’s)

Thousands will miss the ham biscuits from Cary’s First United Methodist Church this year, which won’t be at the fair for the first time in decades. This may help ease the pain: a sweet potato biscuit filled with country ham and some brown sugar and cinnamon butter.