For North Carolina pitmaster Ryan Mitchell, that legacy stems back more than 150 years—nearly as long as Juneteenth has been recognized. As a third-generation pitmaster and son of American Royal Barbecue Hall of Famer Ed Mitchell, the celebration of Juneteenth, coupled with the tradition of barbecue, is a sacred one.
“The cookout has always been an outdoor spiritual experience, and it has always been something that is near and dear to most Black people’s hearts,” Mitchell says. “You light up a grill and you put some food out—I see that smoke and flavor in the air as a symbol of hope and a symbol of community.”
That flavor conventionally comes from the sauces and rubs on meats meeting the hot grates of a grill. “By adding them prior to and during cooking, the flavoring gets deeper into the meat and makes it more intense,” says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports. Rogers says that the combination of smoke with the incorporation of spices, rubs, and sauces can be very desirable, and from a food safety standpoint, it can also keep meat safer because some have antimicrobial properties.
Below, we’ve rounded up a handful of Black-owned brands that are sure to make your summer cookout more flavorful. While most sauces, rubs, and seasonings can be used with a number of different meats, we’re offering up suggestions on dishes and spirits to enjoy them with.
