Split Tree’s tasty ribs difficult to beat
This is the fifth installment of the Tour d’BBQ.

By the Daily News
Thursday, February 4, 2010 10:56 AM CST

Our tour through barbecue history left off with the 19th
century, when the communal pig-slaughter and smoking
for preservation gave way to community festivals, church
gatherings and political gatherings where attendees washed
down piles of smoked pork with liquor, lemonade and
eventually soda. By the beginning of the 20th century, cooks
had established roadside pit barbecues - the forerunner of
the modern restaurant.

Because of the rural setting of the emerging barbecue
restaurants, as well as the labor-intensive nature of
smoking the meat, few people owned more than one joint.
In the early years, those places were little more than
run-down shacks with a few tables and chairs, and a sign
(maybe with neon) showing an anthropomorphic pig dancing
over some food.

One of the great changes to American barbecue dining
culture - going on concurrently in the rest of American culture
- came with the increased use of the automobile in the early
20th century. What had been pit barbecues became permanent
roadside “restaurants” inviting drivers to stop in and sample
the food.

As the automobile became the favorite way to spend an
afternoon or weekend sightseeing, people became willing to
travel some distance to visit different eateries.

In that spirit I traveled to faraway Alvaton to sample the fare
at the rustically themed Split Tree Barbecue. The location
hearkens back to the early 20th century barbecue joint.
It’s not really near any other commercial businesses, sitting
between Bowling Green and Scottsville. The decor is like a hunt
camp, with a great deal of open space - very simple.

The menu is also a marvel of simplicity, with offerings of pork
served chopped or sliced as plates or sandwiches. The menu
also includes chicken and ribs. Sides include barbecue beans,
cole slaw, potato salad, chips, pickles and homemade corncakes.
Split Tree’s focus on a few items allows it to put more effort into
what it does make. The results show.

I started with a chopped BBQ sandwich, piled high with Split Tree’s
excellent cole slaw. The sandwich was so large I almost couldn’t
pick it up. After the first few bites I surrendered and used a fork,
but it was OK because I don’t think anyone saw me break the
“BBQ code” in this fashion.

The sandwich was really good. Split Tree’s cooking style leaves
the meat very smoky, and the pork comes out a teensy weensy
bit on the dry side. But this doesn’t detract at all from the flavor
or the texture. Enough moisture remains to leave it edible even
without the BBQ sauce that sits at each table.

The cole slaw gave it a nice balance, both in flavor and texture.
It’s not normally how I eat a barbecue sandwich, but I’m glad I
had it this way. The combination of the smoky meat on the one
hand, and the slightly sour, crunchy wetness of the slaw on the
other resulted in a marvelously complex flavor.

The sandwich was good, but it was the ribs that took the show.
One of my companions solemnly declared them “the best ribs I’ve
ever had. Ever.” I’m not sure I’d go quite that far. I’ve had ribs made
by friends, the flavor of which would cause an atheist to see God.
But those were all privately made. I’d agree that these are probably
the best ribs I’ve had, so far, in any restaurant in the area.

The meat was soft to the point of falling off the bone, but retained a
nice pinkness and tenderness. The ribs had a bit of smoke flavor, but
had been cooked in a way that didn’t drive the flavor of the meat out.
We made our way through the first plate and then went back for
another. I suspect that we could have sat there for quite a while
devouring ribs.

The BBQ chicken was the one item that we couldn’t agree on.
One person liked the drumstick, but no other part; one person
wasn’t that into it; while I thought the dish was quite tasty.

This is a smoked half-bird with a crisp skin and a complex flavor.
The smoke seems to be hickory, which infuses the chicken with an
almost gamey flavor. I also thought I was tasting a bit of sage
in there, but I couldn’t be sure. I found both the wing and the
drumstick - which are usually the first to go dry - juicy and
flavorful, and the breast was moist. I didn’t use any sauce on
it because I was so intrigued by the flavors derived from the
cooking.

As I said, I liked this one, but my dining companions were divided.
I’d like to try it again to see if that was a one-time flavor, or if that’s
how it is prepared. Everything else I’d like to try again because it
was so good.

This was a great stop on the Tour d’BBQ. The location and style
evident at Split Tree Barbecue fit in perfectly with our ongoing
history of barbecue.

Moreover, the food was excellent, and it was a pleasant drive
out of town. I’ll be back at the next chance.

— Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants
a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment,
contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff
at 783-3235 or via e-mail at malexieff@bgdailynews.com.

SPLIT TREE BARBECUE

115 Wilson Road, Alvaton

842-2268

Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

Cuisine: Barbecue

Price range: $2.50 to $8.75

Specialties: Ribs, chicken, pork

Libation situation: None

Smoking: Yes