How to Burn Wood Chips at Home

Grilling meats with charcoal and wood chips will give them smoky flavor.

With warm weather comes outdoor grilling. Grilling is often a family event in many households and is a common sight at summer get-togethers. Charcoal grills are a favorite of many because of the flavor the charcoal gives to the meats. Adding wood chips to your charcoal grill can give your meats a rich, smoky flavor. The process of smoking your meats with wood chips is relatively simple and can be performed on any charcoal grill.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• Water
• Wood chips
• Charcoal grill
• Charcoal
• Lighter fluid
• Matches
• Meats

Instructions

1. Fill a large bucket or container with water.

2. Soak the wood chips in the water filled bucket for about an hour. Drain them before use.

3. Pour the appropriate amount of charcoal into your grill. The amount of charcoal depends on how much food will be cooked.

4. Spread the charcoal evenly along the bottom of the grill.

5. Soak the charcoal with lighter fluid by pouring it directly on top of the charcoal. The lighter fluid should saturate the charcoal but not pool at the bottom of the grill.

6. Stand 3 feet away from the grill and toss a lighted match onto the charcoal.

7. Wait until the charcoal is well started, then spread handfuls of the soaked wood chips on top of the charcoal.

8. Place your meats on the grill and cook as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Wood chips can also be used to smoke barbecued meats in a "burner box" on a gas grill.

References

• Taste Odyssey: Using a Smoker Box on Your Grill
• Barbecue University: The Art of Smoking
• Smoker Cooking.com: Charcoal Tips