Tony, I can tell you something about ribs and smokers.
You really won't need a smoker to produce good ribs. If you have a grill with a cover, then try using your current equipment.
I have a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker, and it does a very good job on the slow cook items like turkey, and especially pork shoulder. Pork shoulder to me is the ultimate barbecue, and you will need to cook for hours and hours to get that right.
I have cooked and eaten with Tommy many times, and since he has not answered you instantly, I'm jumping in here.
Buy good ribs, get "back ribs" in full racks. A rack will feed two or more adults depending on their appetite.
The Memphis "dry" ribs you hear about originated from a place called The Rendezvous.
This recipe is authentic:
http://www.wchstv.com/gmarecipes/drybbqrub.shtmlThe above recipe produces ribs very much like the Rendezvous, but be aware that they are a bit chewy this way, and many Memphians will disclaim these - they are certainly not the Memphis in May prizewinners. Give them a try.
Note, the cook time is short enough to use a Weber or equivalent, no need for an elaborate smoker. I like their dry rub recipe, but it is a bit salty. I use it for pork shoulder and for my own rib technique.
The following is similar to the Tommy C ribs, and works great, I have used it many times to great effect.
Clean them and pat dry. If you have the patience, use pliers or the right knife to peel the membrane off the bone side.
Spray with PAM, and apply dry rub.
Get your grill going with a big fire. Put on a double handful of hickory chips pre-soaked in water for a few hours.
Put the ribs on bone-side down, cover and cook for about 45 minutes or an hour, turning a few times.
Then, get a big roll of HD aluminum foil. Put each rack in a big length of foil that will close completely when folded up.
Pour in the vinegar and dry rub described in the GMA recipe, maybe half a cup. You can add prepared sauce, but not really necessary. Be sure an put in a slug of apple juice, this is the secret ingredient. Wrap the foil, make sure it will not leak juice.
Put the racks into a pre-heated oven at 275 degrees for another 3 hours or so. Pull them out, unwrap, and pour on some sauce. At this point, you should be able to grab one rib bone, twist, and it will pull free.
Always a good idea to warm up the sauce in the microwave before serving, makes a big difference. After the first hour on the grill, the smoke flavor is completely ingrained, and you will have a nice grilled color and finish. The long bake will tenderize them to the point of the meat almost falling off the bones. If you go much longer than three hours, it WILL fall off the bone.
If you are preparing at home to serve elsewhere, you can put the ribs still in the foil into a cooler, and take your sauce with you. Will hold for hours.
Now if you are really set for a challenge like smoking a pork shoulder, then take a look at:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/The Weber "bullet" is similar to the common "Brinkman" smoker, except that it will actually burn a long time and hold a consistent temperature, unlike a Brinkman.
Mine will burn 8-10 hours on a load of charcoal, and I have produced some great pulled pork on it.
Pork shoulder is very cheap (Costco and Sams have shoulders) and in the taste of this Memphis barbecue fanatic, a better meal. Just takes about 10-12 hours to smoke on a slow fire to get it right.
Having lived in Texas all these years, I do recommend the Stubb's sauce if available in your area. It is really great and not worth the trouble to attempt duplication. Carol (Mrs TCup) orders it in. Their dry rub is good, too.
http://www.stubbsbbq.com/?r=google&gclid=CM2H-vvShp0CFRaenAodZCCLawThis sauce is a bit zestier than some of the ketchup and molasses type sauces, but I actually like KC Masterpiece, etc.
And of course, the carolina types have their mustard and vinegar stuff, which I find to be the ruination of good meat...
