To smoke ribs, a popular and effective method is the "3-2-1" technique, which involves smoking the ribs over low heat and wood smoke for 3 hours, then wrapping them with a liquid and cooking for another 2 hours, and finally saucing and smoking them for 1 more hour. Here's a step-by-step of how to do it:

1. Preheat your smoker to about 180-200°F (82-93°C).
2. Prepare the ribs by removing the membrane on the back, trimming excess fat, and seasoning both sides with a dry rub of your choice.
3. Smoke the ribs for 3 hours at low temperature over hardwood (such as apple, cherry, hickory, or alder).
4. Wrap the ribs tightly in foil with a braising liquid (apple cider with brown sugar and butter is common) and cook for 2 hours at about 225-250°F (107-121°C).
5. Remove the ribs from foil, baste with barbecue sauce, and return them to the smoker for 1 hour to set the sauce and finish cooking.
6. Let the ribs rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

This method produces tender, flavorful ribs that are slightly saucy and can be customized with various rubs, liquids, and sauces based on preference.

Another simpler method is to smoke ribs unwrapped at around 250°F for 4-5 hours, seasoning them beforehand and not opening the smoker often, finishing when they reach an internal temperature of about 200-205°F and show good meat pull-back from the bones.

Both methods yield delicious smoked ribs, with the 3-2-1 being more hands-on and producing fall-off-the-bone tenderness, and the straightforward low and slow method delivering robust smoke flavor and a firmer bite. If a faster method is preferred, some smoke ribs at higher heat (around 350°F) for about 3 hours with a foil wrap in the middle, but lower temperature, longer cooks are generally favored for classic smoked ribs.