12 Rodeo Houston carnival foods you need to eat before you die

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Monday, March 11, 2019
12 RodeoHouston foods to eat before you die
12 RodeoHouston foods to eat before you dieYou better come to the rodeo carnival with a big appetite.

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Feeling hungry? Rodeo Houston is underway now, and you better bring an appetite.

One of our favorite parts of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the carnival food, and lucky for you, Eyewitness News is taking the guesswork out of what you should eat.

We tried many of those classic carnival favorites and some more contemporary treats, and have managed to draw the list of dozens of items down to a list of 12 best HLSR eats.

The Fantastic Four

During our trip to the RodeoHouston carnival, there were four delicious dishes that took our taste buds for a ride.

The jumbo corn dog is a little old school, but this snack is as big as your forearm! Like all great corn dogs, the rodeo's jumbo wiener is dipped in a tasty batter and deep fried, offering the right ratio of crunch and meaty goodness with every bite.

Meantime, we fell in love with the Flamin' Hot Cheetos roasted corn on the cob. It's a new variation on a carnival classic, but instead of butter, you're getting a punch of cheesy-peppery flavor right to the kisser. This may have been our favorite item sold at the carnival this year.

Not in the mood for corn? Grab an order of Texas-sized chili cheese curly fries, and we know you'll be over the moon. Beefy chili and nacho cheese collide over a bed of the biggest, curliest potato twists you'll likely ever see.

PHOTOS: Eats and treats at RodeoHouston

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Finally, rounding out our fantastic four flavors is the deep-fried Oreo cookies. You bite into these tennis ball-sized beauties expecting that classic Oreo crunch. But instead, you get a scrumdiddlyumptious wave of soft dough, softened chocolate cookie crumbs and that memorable Oreo creme.

If Heaven had a flavor, this would be it.

Eight greats at the rodeo carnival

While there are dozens and dozens of possible snacks and meals out at the carnival, these eight really hit the spot:

  • Texas-sized turkey leg: You might look like a caveman eating one, but we promise you won't care.
  • Sausage on a stick: Nobody does Texas barbecue like these guys, and this savory sausage cannot be beaten.
  • "Chicken dinner on a stick": It's a kabob made with Texas-sized chicken breast nuggets. Seriously, their size is insane.
  • Roasted corn on the cob: Grab a pat of butter and dress that thing up right. Ask for a burnt one if you can. They're the best.
  • Fried pickle chips: Crispy, crunchy, and the right mix of salty and sour.
  • Deep-fried Twinkie: Tastes kind of like a Shipley's donut. Do not miss this treat.
  • Steak: Duh.
  • Deep-fried Cheesecake: It's cool and warm at once, and it's worth saving cheat day for. Seriously. Eat this.

What's the strangest thing you can find at the rodeo this year?

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