Pepsi Is Giving Away A Massive Summer BBQ, Southern Style

Soda pop and barbecue make so much sense. The sharp, sweet, spiced notes of a cola or other soft drink pair well with rich, unctuous meats redolent of wood smoke and charcoal. Need proof? A quick search yields a plethora of recipes, such as tangy Dr. Pepper-glazed ribs or the Food Network's beer-can chicken with a cola-based barbecue sauce. Even if you're not mixing soft drinks into the actual food items served at your barbecue, there's little better to wash down a warm afternoon full of the activities that traditionally accompany summer fêtes. I'm looking at you, bags or cornhole or whatever you're called. 

Pepsi is no different. Just peep these recipes on Yummly. Ribs? Check. Pulled pork? Check. There's even a Pepsi-Cola cake with broiled peanut butter dressing, because you know no barbecue is complete without something sweet to round out the meal. It should come as no surprise then that Pepsi is kicking off summer 2022 with a barbecue-centric promotion like no other.

"Summer Better With Pepsi" is a celebration of summer fun and the convivial, casual atmosphere that naturally accompanies a summer barbecue — and for the purposes of the promotion know that they, and we, are using the large tent definition of barbecue that encompasses not just slow-smoking meats, but grill-outs as well.

It all starts with their online hub, where fans of Pepsi — who had us swooning recently with a maple-tinged cola released in conjunction with IHOP — and barbecuing can find Southern-slanted recipes, with some using Pepsi and other products from the PepsiCo family. Chipotle ranch burgers kick a kick from Lay's ranch dip and some crunch from their kettle-cooked chips. Pepsi-glazed ribs get a sweet shine courtesy of the signature soda. There are also playlists curated to get the vibe just right at your event, as well as specially-designed AR filters to make social sharing that much more fun.

But that's not all. One winner will receive Pepsi's ultimate summer barbecue prize package that will net them $1,000 in groceries and food delivery, $1,700 to put towards home improvements, and some backyard barbecue essentials, like a cornhole set, a cooler, and a speaker to kick out those custom playlists.

Looking to enter? Go to SummerBetterWithPepsi.com for the complete rules and restrictions and to sign up for your chance to win.