This was my first attempt at making barbecued ribs.  I bought a smoke box especially for this dish, and I used hickory wood chips for the smoking because they provide a mild smoked flavor.  Ribs absorb a lot of smoke so we did not need mesquite.  Smoking the ribs took all afternoon – like six to eight hours.  They turned out amazing for my first time.  I also made my own dry rub and barbecue sauce.  I may have added too much cayenne pepper to the dry rub, but I thought that added to the dish.  The BBQ sauce I made was traditional, but it was better than the store bought BBQ sauces I have had before.  After I cooked the ribs with the dry rub, I brushed BBQ sauce on them and allowed them to cook more so the ribs would be crispier on the outside.  Overall, the ribs absorbed a nice smoky flavor, and I want to try smoking different things in the future.