When the Indiana State Fair kicks off on Friday, Aug. 2, be sure to bring your appetite when you check out the delicious new food items that are being featured at the tents sponsored by Indiana’s Pork and Beef checkoffs.
Indiana Pork will have three different tents across the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
“We have one located near Pioneer Village, we have one that’s located in front of the West Pavilion or the Cattle barn, and then we have our third food tent in front of the Indiana Farm Bureau Fall Creek Pavilion or the Swine Barn—or you can’t miss us,” says Jeanette Merritt, Director of Communications with Indiana Pork.
She says their signature dish this year is their Pork Riblets.
“They are run through the same seasoning that our pork burgers are seasoned with, so if you love the taste of our pork burgers, you’re going to love these ribs,” says Merritt. “They are dry, so they’re not going to create a ton of sticky fingers, but we are serving them with three different sauces: a hot honey, a citrus sauce, and a barbecue sauce.”
Meanwhile, at the Indiana Beef Council food tent, they plan to serve up their specialty dish—the Hoosier Cowboy Sandwich.
“It’s a perfectly grilled ribeye stuck between two pieces of pepper jack cheese on grilled sourdough bread,” says Brian Shuter, Executive Vice President of Indiana Beef.
Shuter told Hoosier Ag Today how he and his team collaborated with American Dairy Association Indiana on the Hoosier Cowboy Sandwich.
“Last year sitting around the Indiana State Fair, we were playing around with some sandwich ideas and decided to try throwing a grilled ribeye in the middle of one of their grilled cheese sandwiches,” says Shuter. “In addition, we’ll also have beef brats, beef hot dogs, as well as a smoked brisket sandwich.”
Where can you find the Indiana Beef tent at the Indiana State Fairgrounds?
“We’re tucked in the corner here in the just outside the Cattle Barn on the North End. As you walk along Main Street and get close to the Cattle Barn, you’ll certainly smell our ribeyes grilling on the grill,” says Shuter.
Merritt says the Indiana State Fair is the “Super Bowl” of the Indiana agriculture community.
“I love celebrating every aspect of agriculture,” she says. “For people who haven’t visited the Indiana State Fair in a while and think it’s the same thing, it really isn’t. There are new opportunities all around the fairgrounds this year. It’s a great way to spend the day with your family—or reconnect with all of your friends. It’s just a great way to spend August.”
Shuter says the Indiana State Fair gives the Indiana Beef Council and other ag groups the opportunity to educate the public about the importance of the ag industry.
“We love the educational opportunities here to connect with our consumers so they can learn more about where their food comes from,” says Shuter. “We also have our own booth in the Ag/Hort building to help connect to consumers, so there’s no better showcase for Indiana agriculture than the Indiana State Fair and we’re happy to be a part of it.”
The Indiana State Fair begins Friday, Aug. 2 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 18. The event will be closed on Mondays.
Click HERE for the Indiana Beef Council.
Click HERE for American Dairy Association Indiana.
Click HERE for the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center.
