Summertime Grilling with Blueberry and White Pepper Pork Chops

*This post has been sponsored by BBQ Week contributors, including 

Not Ketchup.  All views and opinions shared are my own.*

Fire up your grill with these marinated Blueberry and White Pepper Pork Chops.  The lightly sweet marinade caramelizes on the pork chops on the grill and the Blueberry Pico served on top brings a bright, contrast that will make your taste buds wanting more!

Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops #dairymonth

Celebrate National Dairy Month with this juicy, flavorful, Buttermilk marinated pork chop that is an quick supper fix any day of the year.

I've enjoyed sharing dairy recipes this week with several of my blogging friends and it got me thinking about my favorite dairy products.  My family and I love all dairy products from ice cream, to cottage cheese, to milk.  But one, maybe surprising, dairy product that I love to cook and bake with is - Buttermilk.

Buttermilk brings a richness to any food you add it to.  In baking, it adds a creamy taste and texture.  In cooking, it can give a tangy flavor while making your meat juicy.  It is a versatile dairy product that my family is always excited to see in our refrigerator because they know I have plans to make something extra special and delicious!

Now onto my Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops.  Being pig farmers we obviously eat a lot of pork in our house.  And yes, even though I love the most popular pork product - bacon - just like the rest of the world, my favorite is the pork chop.  Pork chops are easy to make and we probably make them a couple of times a month.  These Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops are simple, yet with lots of flavor.  My favorite part is that you marinate them in buttermilk overnight to make them nice and juicy!

Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops

4 boneless Pork Chops
1/2 pint Buttermilk
1/2 cup Bread crumbs, Italian seasoned
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp Seasoning salt (being an Iowan my favorite is Cookies 😉)
Salt and pepper

Place all four pork chops in a resealable plastic bag with the buttermilk.  Lay flat in refrigerator overnight so each pork chop is covered evenly in buttermilk.

After marinating, take the pork chops out of the buttermilk, keeping a nice coating of buttermilk on each one and discard the remaining buttermilk and bag.  Season each pork chop with salt and pepper.  In a pie plate, mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and seasoning salt.  Dip each pork chop evenly on both sides in bread crumb mixture.

Heat skillet to medium/medium high.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter in pan and cook coated pork chops 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.

Place pork chops in a shallow baking dish and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until pork reaches 145°F.  Let rest and enjoy!

Be sure to check out my other #dairymonth recipes from earlier this week (Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Custard Muffins and Chili Cheese Corn Salad) and check out the other great recipes shared by some of my other blogger friends too!  Thank you to all the dairy farmers that work hard everyday to take care of their animals and take pride in making quality milk and fresh dairy products.  What is your favorite dairy product?  Are you a buttermilk fan like me?  Remember to Comment for a Cause.

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Chocolate Oreo Fudscicles by Family Around The Table
Yogurt Banana Pudding Pops by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
No Bake Oreo Cream Pie by Tip Garden
Creme Anglaise ('Real Custard') by Caroline's Cooking
Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops by Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids
Earl Grey Panna Cotta by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
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A look at the Presidential Candidate's Favorite Iowa State Fair Food - the Pork Chop on a Stick

If you've been listening to the news over the last week you've probably noticed that every Presidential Candidate has had to get their hands on a Pork Chop on a Stick while attending the Iowa State Fair.  This is really no surprise to me.  The Pork Chop on a Stick is easy to eat (with no awkward photo opportunity - i.e. corn dogs), is a classic "stick" fair food, is one of the healthiest foods on the fairgrounds, showcases Iowa's #1 pork production in the country and it is delicious!

The Upper Chop Shop located
east of the Pork Tent
(The Lower Chop Shop is located across
the road from the Livestock Pavilion)

The Pork Chop on a Stick can be found at the Iowa Pork Producer Association's Chop Shops at the Iowa State Fair.  What is really neat is that the chops are cooked and served by pork producer volunteers from across the state.  My Farmer and I have been volunteering at the Chop Shops for the last 9 years we decided last weekend when we were volunteering at our shift this year.

This Iowa State Fair patron is all smiles
as she receives a Pork Chop on a Stick

So you might be asking, what is the Pork Chop on a Stick?  To simply put it, the Pork Chop on a Stick is a French Cut Pork Chop.  This pork chop is cut from the center of the pork loin and leaves the bone in, creating a stick to hold on to for eating on the go, or actually gives it an elegant look if served on a plate.  One question that I get every year serving Pork Chops on a Stick is, "where's the stick?".  It is the bone!  No additional wooden stick needed for this Iowa State Fair food staple.

The Iowa Pork Producers serve around 5,000-6,000 Pork Chops on a Stick daily at the Iowa State Fair.  The chops are put on long racks, that are then inserted into a rotisserie grill.  They cook for about an hour, or til they reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Top Left: My Farmer and our friend Mike getting chops ready to go in the grill
Bottom Left: Pork Chops on a Stick cooking on the rotisserie grill
Right: My Farmer taking Pork Chops on a Stick off the grill and into serving pans

Our friend Mike graciously let me use one of his
photos from his phone when Donald Trump stopped by
for his Chop on a Stick the day of our volunteer shift

Looking at these photos I'm getting hungry for a Pork Chop on a Stick!  It is no wonder that everyone comes by for one, including Donald Trump ;)  If you are headed to the Iowa State Fair be sure to get a Pork Chop on a Stick and check out my top Fair Food guide too (that includes the Pork Chop on a Stick).  And if you aren't able to make it to the fair, but are still hungry for a pork chop, check out this infographic on how to cook pork chops four different ways.

Our friend Mike, myself and My Farmer
during our Chop Shop volunteer shift

The Pork Tent is always a highlight for our family and friends every year, and this year it is turning out to be the place to go if you're running for President.  What are some of your favorite spots to visit at the Iowa State Fair?  What is your favorite Fair Food?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Pork Chop Party! + Pork Chops 4 Ways Infographic

It is very common for our family to cook up pork chops when we have family and friends over.  Pork chops are easy and delicious to prepare.  I enjoy to cook them with a simple rub or marinade.  I love cooking pork and sharing about our hogs at home, and tomorrow I'm excited to share about pork at Jethro's BBQ n' Pork Chop Grill in Johnston as part of the Iowa Food & Family Project's "Join My Journey" program.

I'll be joining Kristin Porter, Iowa Girl Eats (pictured above) and Nicole Patterson, Farm Girl Facts of Life at the event from 11am to 1pm.  If you are in the Des Moines area you should stop by for lunch, eat some pork and register for prizes!

If you can't come to Johnston tomorrow, or even if you can, I highly recommend you make some pork chops for your family tonight!  Spring is the air, which means that our grill and smoker are fired up on a regular basis.  Enjoy the weather and prepare your pork chops outside, or cook them the traditional ways of oven baked or pan fried.  Anyway you do it, be sure to enjoy this nutritious, lean protein with great company (and maybe a side of baked beans!).  Here is an infographic with cooking basics for pork chops:

Here are a couple of my favorite pork chop posts - be sure to check them out and fix a pork chop for supper tonight:

• Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops
• Iowa State Fair Food - Pork Chop on a Stick

What is your favorite way to prepare pork chops?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!