Much less troublesome than brisket, quicker to prepare, and assuredly delicious. Do not balk at the amount of back ribs called for; their long, thick bones account for most of their weight. When scaling up, be sure your smoker can accommodate the number of back rib slabs you wish to serve.

Please read about Barbecuing. Pat dry:

If using back ribs, be sure the membrane on the concave side of the ribs has been removed. To peel the membrane from the ribs, see here. If using short ribs, trim off all but a thin layer of fat from their meaty side. Rub on all sides with (using the lesser quantities for short ribs):

Place on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight and for up to 2 days. Heat a smoker or grill set up for barbecuing to 300°F (preferably with a water pan). Add to the coals:

Add the ribs to the cooler side of the smoker or grill and cover so that the top vent pulls smoke across the meat. Adjust the vents to maintain the temperature (this is difficult and may take practice, or, in the worst case, a fresh load of charcoal). You may add another small chunk of hickory wood every hour for the first 4 hours. If you do not have a water pan inside to keep the smoker or grill humid, baste the meat every 2 hours with:

Cook the ribs until they are tender and their bones wiggle, about 4 hours for back ribs, and up to 9 hours for short ribs. Do not cover the ribs in foil to shorten the cooking time. If desired, brush the ribs for the last hour of cooking with: