7-Up Marinated Pork Chops {+ a Grilling Pack Giveaway!}

 

I live in Iowa, therefore we love pork.  If Iowa is know for anything it is corn and pigs.  {And Ashton Kutcher, Shawn Johnson, Tom Arnold and a handful of other celebrities}.  But really we are a farming state and VERY proud of that fact.  We supply a good chunk of the world with food.

 

I recently partnered with the Iowa Pork Producers Association, along with a handful of other Iowa food bloggers in an effort to showcase some great pork recipes knowing that our readers are becoming more and more interested in how their food is grown.

 

Pork producers and the pork industry have been dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the quality of pork in the United States for decades.  Today, the marketplace holds businesses and industries to higher standards, looking for them to act responsibly.

 

To learn more about modern pork farming and the values on which our producers operate, please visit www.porkcares.org.



 

 

With over 2,000 recipes on www.porkbeinspired.com it was TOUGH choosing just one recipe to showcase.  I was drawn to this one for its simplicity and light, summery touch.  I had all of the ingredients personally on hand {isn't that the greatest feeling when preparing a meal?} and our family loves a good marinade.

 

The kids and I even walked to the garden to pick some fresh basil for this one - nothing like foraging for our food!

 

I put the husband in charge of grilling the chops and I tackled the photos and side dish.  Did you know I got a new camera awhile back?  It makes food photography so much more enjoyable.  I also whipped up a simple rice pilaf to go along with the pork {rice, butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper}. 

 

Our kids LOVED this meal and so did we.  Simple, easy, yet so flavorful.

 

The awesome team at the Iowa Pork Producers Association has also generously decided to give away a grilling prize pack to one of my readers.  Just in time for summer!

 

The prize pack includes:

• $50 in pork coupons
• A 3-piece grilling too set
• A bottle of local Iowa barbecue sauce
• Pork Be Inspired grilling apron
• Meat thermometer {grill that pork to 145 degrees!}

To check out this recipe and enter the contest, click on 'read more' below.  You will want to try out these chops and enter for a chance to win.  I will pick one random winner next Friday, June 20th.  Your prize grilling pack will be mailed out in early July.

7-Up Marinated Pork Chops


Print this Recipe!
1/3 c. 7-Up
1/3 c. orange juice
1/3 c. soy sauce
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. dried basil {I used fresh from the garden}
4 bone-in or boneless pork chops

1.  In a large Ziploc seal able bag mix together the first 5 ingredients.
2.  Place pork chops in the marinade.
3.  Marinate overnight or at least 4 hours.
4.  Grill chops 8-15 minutes depending on thickness.
5.  Remove from the heat when internal temperature is 145 degrees F and let rest before serving.
6.  These can also be frozen in the marinade/baggie for camping.  As the chops thaw in the cooler, they will marinate.

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