From classics like funnel cake to unusual dishes such as donut burgers, the Mississippi State Fair has made a tradition of offering a wide range of food in its 165-year history.
On opening day of the 2024 Mississippi State Fair, the Clarion Ledger took two downtown restaurant owners and chefs to try out some of midway's vendors. Michael Longo and Ashley Davis, owners and chefs at the well-loved Jackson deli Steve's, tried several dishes from classic to unusual.
Here's what they recommend:
Smoked ribs
A staple of any Southern state fair is barbeque. For their first dish, Longo and Davis were instantly drawn to the smoky aromas wafting through the midway coming from the Memphis Que smoker.
Longo and Davis opted for a rib plate complete with baked beans and fries. The chefs praised the tangy, smoky sauce and the tenderness of the meat. The sauce, Davis said, was similar to a sweet baby raised sauce and while not as vinegary as she normally likes, was delicious.
The only critique the pair had was a lack of unique flavor on the baked beans. Both agreed some onions and peppers added to the side dish would have made the entire meal perfect.
Longo said if you want ribs at the fair, Memphis Que was "the place to get them."
Sweet and spicy pickles
As a quick walking snack, Davis opted for some pickle samples from Louisiana-based company Bayou Best Pickles.
She tried the sweet pickles, calling them "almost like candy" with a sweet taste that hits the back of the tongue. Davis also sampled the spicy pickles which she said had a nice, classic dill pickle taste as the base.
Owner Alvin Ray said Bayou Best Pickles offers a variety of styles and ships all over the globe.
MSHD ratings are in: These three Jackson area restaurants failed September health inspections. See details here
Beef sundae
The next dish was certainly a unique twist on traditional fair food: a beef sundae. The dish served up by Beef Barn combines the nostalgic feelings of a classic ice cream sundae with the savory, smoky flavors of meat.
Beef, gravy and shredded cheddar cheese are piled on top of mashed potatoes. A cherry tomato on top completes the sundae aesthetic.
As for the chefs' initial thoughts? Longo said the beef sundae is "not what you would typically consider fair food, but I would definitely make this a stop." The dish, Longo added, is pretty heavy, so make sure you have a bottle of water at the ready before you start eating.
Both chefs were wowed by the dish's creativity and said the sundae was a nice twist on a classic shepherd's pie like the one they serve at Steve's.
"(The beef) just kind of spreads apart in your mouth," Longo said. "Whatever gravy's on there, that brown gravy, is to die for. This is exactly what we would serve at Steve's."
The biscuit booth
No taste test at the Mississippi State Fair would be complete without a stop at the biscuit booth.
For decades, Mississippi fair goers have enjoyed warm buttery biscuits filled with sweet maple syrup at the free booth sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.
Growing up in Brandon, both Longo and Davis are very familiar with this Mississippi State Fair favorite.
"You can't help but not smile," Davis said as she took the first bite.
Longo agreed, adding that the smells and tastes make the biscuit a nostalgic dish reminding him of his childhood coming to the Mississippi State Fair.
Local vendors
The midway food options include a host of local vendors. Longo and Davis made a stop for some street tacos at Jackson's own Green Ghost Tacos.
Longo and Davis chose three tacos — pork, chicken and carnitas. The pair are already fans of Green Ghost, and Thursday's tacos did not disappoint. Longo's only criticism was he would have like more meat on the carnitas taco.
Other local vendors found on the midway include Mr. Turkey Leg, J and D Blueberry, Malone's Taffy and more.
Funnel cake
Lastly, to round out the afternoon taste test, Longo and Davis grabbed a fair classic: funnel cake.
Thursday marked the first time Davis, who bakes sweets at Steve's like cookies and chess squares, had ever tried funnel cake.
"It's like a beignet, it's really light," Davis said after her first bite. "It makes you smile."
Get ready: Mississippi State Fair: what to know before you go
"This is what I also ate growing up," Longo said. "It brings me back."
Come try for yourself
These dishes are just a fraction of the cuisine offered at the Mississippi State Fair.
If you want to come try these delicacies for yourself, head to the fair grounds. Most of the food vendors are set up along the midway.
The fair is open from Oct. 3 to Oct. 14.
If you want to come try food without the added admission fee, make sure to arrive weekdays between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Admission is free during these weekday hours every day of the fair's run except for Columbus Day, Oct. 6.
Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS State Fair food: We took professional chefs to the fair. Here's what they recommend
Local News
