Disclosure: Chevrolet provided me with a Silverado and travel accommodations for this trip, but all words and opinions are my own. |
| 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Centennial Edition in front of the Caldwell County Courthouse in Lockhart, TX |
Truck, BBQ, Texas. Chevrolet reached out to me to see if I was interested in joining them on a Texas BBQ road trip. You know I love barbecue so I was all in. The road trip took place over two days and started in Houston and finished in Lockhart, the BBQ capital of Texas. Chevrolet generously let me drive around a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Centennial Edition for a week. Did you know Chevy has been making trucks for 100 years?! Congrats to them. I loved the vehicle. I will talk about why later.
Starting in Houston, we stopped in at Gator Pit of Texas. Owner Ritch Robin gave us a tour and a history of his pit building business. Founded in 1996, Ritch and his crew build custom pits for backyard cooks and commercial ventures. Ritch began welding when he was in high school back in Louisiana. All the backyard pits they sell start with a at least quarter inch of steel. Ritch also teaches barbecue cooking classes and does competition BBQ. If you are looking to order a pit, do not hesitate because lead time is about eight months right now.
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| Owner Ritch Robin |
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| A commercial pit being built |
The representatives from Chevrolet were on-hand for a towing demo with some useful information. Always make sure your truck is rated correctly for what you are hauling. Think about combined gross weight with supplies and not just an empty trailer and smoker. Find the appropriate hitch where it makes the trailer leveled at point of contact. Your trailer might require brakes depending on the size of it. With safety being first, the tires need to be up to pressure and the lights need to be in working order on the trailer. Double check the mirrors so you can see around the trailer. When towing a pit, give yourself ample time and space (roughly four seconds) to brake. These are some helpful tips.
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| Chevrolet Colorado, Silverado 1500, and 2500 |
After the tour and demo, we headed to Twin Cabins Ranch which is just outside of Kyle. This gave the out-of-towners roughly 150 miles to get to know their truck. When we arrived at Twin Cabins Ranch, Brisket U taught us their brisket class. It was pretty informative. You gain a lot of knowledge especially if you do not have any experience coming in. We smelled different types of woods, watched a brisket get trimmed, and learned one way to slice a brisket. We were served brisket, ribs, and chicken for dinner.
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| Smelling oak |
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| Pit loaded with brisket, ribs, and chicken |
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| Trimming brisket |
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| Slicing brisket |
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| Dinner |
The next morning I was ready to explore Lockhart. I wanted to hit two spots. I decided on Smitty's Market and Kreuz Market. There is so much history and tradition between the two. I hold a special place for Lockhart in my heart. Without it, I am not sure if my passion and love of barbecue would be where it is today. I got to Lockhart at 9:45 AM. It is the perfect time to get to Smitty's. 1- You are eating barbecue for breakfast. 2- There is no line. 3- The heat of the open pit is not as bad that early in the day. Prime rib was not ready yet so I ended up ordering brisket, ribs, and original and jalapeño sausage. A tasty spread to start the day.
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| Smoked lined walls |
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| Brisket, ribs, and sausage |
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| Inside of Smitty's |
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| Wood stack at Smitty's |
When I showed up to Kreuz Market at 10:45 AM, the place was already busy. They had only been open for 15 minutes. I could not make up my mind in what to order, but I know you always have to order the pork chop. Always. I settled on a pork chop, ribs, sausage, and mac and cheese. A well-balanced meal. A delicious smoky one that is.
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| Pit room inside of Kreuz |
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| Pork chop, ribs, sausage, and mac and cheese |
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| Inside of Kreuz |
The 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Centennial Edition:
•Available on LTZ Z71
•Heritage bowtie emblems and Centennial door badges
•Spray-in bedliner with heritage bowties
•Centennial Edition badging on floor liners
•Centennial Blue exterior
•22-inch premium Silver-painted wheels with chrome inserts
•Chrome tow hooks, door handles, mirror caps and belt line
I have never been a truck guy until I drove this Silverado. The blue paint on the Centennial edition is pretty sharp. I liked that I sit higher off of the ground. I drive a compact and hate that I cannot see around other vehicles. I have leather in my car so the Texas summers can be uncomfortable when you first get in. The ventilated/air conditioned seats were a nice added touch. On top of that, the key fob had a remote start button. You can have the AC blowing before you even enter the vehicle. I love technology so the inclusion of Apple CarPlay (Andriod Auto is also available) was a joy. I can control my phone hands free. Apple Maps led me to the right spot. Perfect for BBQ crawls. I can access podcasts and Apple Music from the steering wheel. My passengers or I can charge our phones wirelessly on the mat on the center armrest. The built-in 4G LTE WiFi was a dream. The antenna in the truck is much stronger than the one in your phone so you get a better signal. You can connect up to seven devices. I am in a market for a new vehicle this fall. A Chevy truck might be in my future.
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| 100 years! |
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| 22-inch premium Silver-painted wheels with chrome inserts |
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| 4G LTE Wi-Fi built-in |
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| Apple CarPlay |
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| Navigation on Apple Maps |
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| Wireless charging on center armrest |
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| Air conditioned seats |
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| Key fob with remote start |
Thanks to Chevrolet for inviting me on this Texas BBQ road trip. I had a lot of fun. It was a blast to the drive the Chevy Silverado around. Some of the people on the tour were from other parts of the country. I think it was great for them to see how BBQ pits are made, explore the roads and the countryside of Texas, learn how to properly smoke a brisket, and taste some of the finest BBQ Texas has to offer.
Until next time, happy smoking...
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