While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Time for some rib-tickling fun - July 4 is National Barbecued Spareribs Day.

The word sparerib is actually derived from German. If you’ve been told that these meaty morsels are actually extra bones, your source of information was probably just ribbing you.

There are four different types of rib cuts: baby back, spareribs, St. Louis and rib tips. Spareribs are actually a combination of St. Louis and rib tips. Spareribs are also straighter and flatter than baby back ribs, which are curved. Even though spareribs are less expensive than baby backs, they’re often preferred given their connective tissue and fat, which equals flavor.

Spareribs work well with a dry rub or a sauce - or both! Many folks trim the membrane - also called silverskin - from the back of the ribs before rubbing them down, but some choose to skip the step. They can be smoked, grilled or broiled and benefit from a long cooking time at a low temperature.