Guava Citrus Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

Last summer, foodies and Chicago-area influencers gathered at the Chicago Botanic Gardens with local Illinois farmers for a night of great food and conversation. Illinois farmers Andy Roselius, Drew Kuhn, Joni Bucher and Tammy Wakely shared their agriculture story while guests enjoyed a three-course, seasonally inspired meal.

Try-out the main course with this guava citrus marinated grilled pork chop recipe. As an added bonus, pork can be leaner and more nutritious than chicken and a lot of it is produced right here in Illinois.

Ingredients:

8 small guavas, seeded and chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 cup of fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
2 lbs of thin pork chops, use your favorite cut

Instructions:

In a blender or food processor, blend the guavas, garlic, orange juice, cumin, salt and ground pepper until smooth. Taste for flavor and adjust if needed.
If it’s too tart add a tablespoon of sugar.
Marinate the pork chops with the guava citrus marinade for at least one hour before grilling. Get tips for grilling the perfect pork chops here.
Top with guava papaya relish, or your favorite salsa.

BONUS: Add some edamame on top for an extra crunch