I like to smoke ribs on Memorial Day. It's a long process, dirty, smokey, but oh so tasty when it's finished. It takes me about six hours to smoke ribs the way I like them.
I start flavoring the pork ribs the day before. I made a Cuban style rub this year, which turned out well. The ribs had a spicey, and slightly tangy flavor which was a nice change from my usual rib rub.
The process starts about 9 AM. I start the fire, which needs to burn down about an hour to an hour and a half. During the burn down, I clean the grill and utensils and get my stuff laid out for easy access.
The cooking process starts at 10 AM. I sear the ribs at about 500 °F for two to three minutes on both sides to develop a crust and seal in the meat juices. I do this on my propane grill.
Next, I move the meat to a smoking grill. The temperature has to be low, about 225 °F to 250 °. The grill cover should be very warm, but not too hot to touch. Once you place your meat on the smoking grill, place the cover and cut the air flow down by almost closing the air vents.
The only time I check the meat is about an hour and a half into the smoking. I have to stoke the fire and add some Mesquite chips or charcoal to keep the temperature in the correct range. You do not need a fancy smoker. You do need a grill that can be covered to hold in the smoke and retard the charcoal and wood combustion. You want a smoldering pile of chips and charcoal, not a white hot pile that fries your knuckles whenever you get too close to the grill.
You should never place the meat directly over the flame. I always start a small fire to the side of the grill, so that the meat can be positioned away from the flame. It's usually always better to make the fire about one half the size you think it should be. You can always add fuel later. A flame that's too hot will just burn your meat. You do not want to see any bubbling or hear any searing noises when you are smoking the meat.
The best part is the next day, when office co-workers want to know where you bought the ribs. 