North Carolinians have strong opinions about their barbecue. But Michael “Mike D” De Los Santos seems to have cracked the code when it comes to well-loved and award-winning barbecue sauces and dry rubs with his company, Mike D’s BBQ sauces and rubs.

Mike D's BBQ
Photo credit: Gloria De Los Santos Mike D’s BBQ

De Los Santos loved North Carolina barbecue from a young age and eventually worked in a food truck where customers raved about his ’cue. He started a blog to review sauces and soon discovered that the sauce he was looking for didn’t exist – yet. He then set out to create a sauce with the right balance of sweetness, smoke and a little bite. Today, Mike D’s signature sauce nods to North Carolina’s barbecue history as a flavorful hybrid of tomato-based and vinegar-based sauces.

See more: Southern Smoke BBQ Has a Big Impact on a Small Town

Superior BBQ Sauces

De Los Santos’ sauces and rubs have won several awards, including the 2022 Scovie Awards’ First Place Dry Rub/All Purpose, 2019 Best BBQ Sauce at the MetroCooking DC BBQ Bash, 2018 Grand Champion from the NC Specialty Foods Association and many more. Current varieties include Mike D’s Big Sauce, Spicy BBQ Sauce, All Purpose Rub and Sweet & Spicy Rub.

You can find all products at Mike D’s BBQ Supply and General Store in Durham. For more information or to purchase online, visit mikedsbbq.com.

See more: Tried & True ’Cue: Vivian Howard’s Caramelized Onion Oven-Cooked BBQ Recipe

Comments

  • Elaine Barnett.

    I would love to try Mike’s BBQ sauces and rub.I bet it would also be good on chicken.

  • Jennifer Farley

    Always love to try new sauces and such! Like to mix it up a little.

  • Karen Coats

    Would like to try your sauce

Comments are closed.

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North Carolina Field & Family Spring 2026
Flip through the pages of the Spring 2026 edition of North Carolina Field and Family magazine. In this issue, impress your guests with creative yet easy spring holiday recipes, learn how farmers face challenges planning the future of their farmland, meet some North Carolina beef producers raising the steaks, start your engines with eight reasons to visit Richmond County, get crabby with Sheri Castle’s Deviled Crab recipe and much more.

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