(NECN/KXAS: Justin Hinton) - The state fair of Texas is just one month away and you know what that means: Fried food.
Kitchens across north Texas feel the pressure as chefs prepare their most creative items.
One of them, Butch Benavides is looking to make his mark with his cactus creation.
As Butch Benavides demonstrates how to make chicken fried cactus bites, his hands easily glide from cactus pad to cactus pad, cutting the thorns off each piece.
But finding the perfect fried food for the 8th annual Big Tex Choice Awards proved difficult.
“I don't think any of us ever thought, ever tasted cactus 'til that day. It was just something we came up with, just trying something different."
Turns out, it worked, but not without trial and error.
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"The first time we did it, it blew up, cuz it had too much water, it did. It blew up in the fryer."
While working out the kinks in that plan, his son thought of another item: A fried bacon cinnamon roll.
Together, they managed to find the perfect recipe, frying their place into the semifinals.
The state fair of Texas officially starts September 28 and runs through October 21.
