July 4, 2022 - Independence Day | National Barbecued Spareribs Day

Welcome to July 4th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate slow cooking by day and lighting up the night. While Independence Day is celebrated across the country today, one town holds the record for the longest running parade. Since 1785, Bristol, Rhode Island has boasted this unbroken tradition, with nearly 200,000 attendees from all over the world. The festivities begin on Flag Day or June 14th with soapbox races and outdoor concerts that continue throughout the month of June. This culminates on July 4th with the parade that commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. From just about anywhere today you can see spectacular displays of fireworks and attend festivals and parades in your own neighborhood. No matter how you celebrate, Independence Day is a time to cherish freedom and to honor those who sacrificed to build our great Nation. Fireworks may take center stage tonight, but most of us celebrate with a barbecue. Technically what most of us do is grilling, that is cooking meat over a fire. Barbecue is cooking meat slowly over indirect heat or in a smoker. This tradition started in the American South, where farmers would try to use every bit of meat they could from the pigs they had raised. Some of the meat, such as between the ribs, was pretty tough to eat. But they found that cooking ribs slowly over indirect heat made the meat tender and succulent. The tastiest of these come from the belly, and are called spareribs. Today while we celebrate our Nation’s birthday we also enjoy a food that is uniquely American on National Barbecued Spareribs Day. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices