Humans have been frying food for centuries – it’s an easy way to increase the caloric content of food at times when food isn’t readily available. However, a trip to your local state fair will show that we have taken frying to a whole new level.
I’m sure you’ve seen (or at least heard of) the regulars – fried dough, fried Oreos, fried Twinkies, and fried Snickers, to name a few – but those are just child’s play when it comes to the wonders of the deep-fryer…but no worries, PCM has you covered when it comes to learning about the 15 weirdest fried foods of all time!
15. Chicken-Fried Bacon
Take bacon strips, dredge in batter, and deep fry before serving with a side of gravy. So basically, you’re taking fat, dipping it in more fat, frying in boiling fat, and then drenching in liquid fat…but despite all this, it still sounds delicious.
14. Fried Pickles
“This puts pickles on a whole ‘nother level,” said Snooki of MTV’s Jersey Shore. “It was crispy and juicy. Eating fried pickles was a life changing experience.”
13. Fried Cheese Curds
Before cheese makers ship off their product for consumption, they shave the cheese into geometric shapes. The shavings are then sold, frozen, battered, fried, and served with a side of dipping sauce (like a glorified cheese curl!). Count me in.
12. Fried Cheesecake
Imagine a slice of New York cheesecake. Then, imagine it enclosed in a fried, doughnut-like pastry with powdered sugar. One of the best ideas ever? I’m leaning towards yes.
11. Fried Grilled Cheese
Two slices of white bread are filled with American and cheddar cheeses, dipped in batter, coated with bread crumbs (for extra crispiness) and then fried. Forget about hotdogs and hamburgers…this is a true American sandwich.
10. Deep-Fried Pizza
Fried pizza is a common dish available in Scotland (and at your local state fair). Grab a frozen pizza, fry it, and voila – you’ve taken an already greasy food and made it worse, congratulations!
9. Fried Cheeseburger
Cheeseburgers aren’t good for you – so naturally, someone had to batter one up (usually it’s a frozen one from White Castle’s grocery store line) and drop it in boiling grease. I’ll pass on this heart attack, thank you.
8. Fried S’mores
I’m not sure if there could be anything more delicious than a fried s’more. “What I love about that the most is how the marshmallow is still there. You can see the graham cracker, you can see the chocolate. It’s delicious,” said one State Fair attendee. “It’s to die for.”
7. Fried Jellybeans
The deep-fried jellybean is not made up of individually battered jellybeans – instead, it consists of balls of dough with jellybeans inside that are deep fried. While I’m a fan of fried cheesecake and fried s’mores, this is one overly-sweet dessert I don’t think I’ll be enjoying anytime soon.
6. Fried Peanut Butter, Banana, and Jelly Sandwich
This former favorite sandwich of Elvis was reinvented when one enterprising entrepreneur decided to batter it up and fry it. Is it a meal? Is it a dessert? Does it matter?
5. Fried Butter
The same entrepreneur later decided to fry butter, which he says tastes like “a mix between a biscuit or a croissant that is just stuffed to the gills with butter on the inside.” If you’re wondering how anyone can fry butter, here’s the secret: he whips it until it’s light and fluffy, freezes it, covers it with dough, and then it is fried.
4. Fried Ice Cream
Fried ice cream is a popular Mexican and Asian dessert and is easy to make (who knew?!). Take any ice cream – make sure it’s frozen well below the temperature at which ice cream is usually kept – coat it in raw egg, roll it in a sweet treat like cookie crumbs, and deep fry it quickly. It’s like magic!
3. Fried Cookie Dough
Do you remember the guy who fried butter and PB, banana, and jelly sandwiches? He’s back with fried cookie dough, and apparently, it’s phenomenal! One connoisseur said, “The dough is warm and tastes terrific. The chocolate chips are melted and just add to the deliciousness.”
2. Fried Spaghetti and Meatballs on a Stick
Meatball mix and cooked spaghetti are mashed into big balls, which are then dunked in garlic batter, deep-fried, and served on a stick with a side of marinara sauce. For now, I’ll keep my spaghetti on a plate (but I would try one, just for the novelty factor).
1. Fried Coca-Cola
Remember the entrepreneur? Well, he’s back! His name is Abel Gonzalez Jr. and he’s a big deal when it comes to fried foods and state fairs…and to him, frying a world-famous beverage is easy. Take frozen Coke-flavored batter, deep fry it, top with Coca-Cola syrup (yeah, the stuff that comes in fountain drink machines before water is added), whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and a cherry.
