Soaking Wood Chips

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  For a distict taste, try soaking wood chips in your favorite liquor.verre de whisky image by Christophe Fouquin from Fotolia.com
  
  Pour about 2 cups of wood chips into a large plastic or glass bowl. Add about 1/4 cup of liquid. Plain water is the most common choice. Beer, whiskey and apple juice are also options. Experiment to find your favorite.
  
  
• 2). Soak the wood chips for anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour. If using water, you can even allow the wood to soak overnight. As a rule of thumb: the stronger the flavor of the liquid being used, the less soak-time needed.
  
  
• 3). Drain the wood chips until they no longer drip. Place them in the middle of a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil (use 2 or 3 sheets of thinner foil) and fold the sides up. Crimp the gathered edges together to form a secure pouch. Poke several holes in the top using a knife or fork to allow the smoke to escape. Prepare one packet for each 20 to 30 minutes of intended cooking time.
  
  

Charcoal Smoking

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  Whiskey soaked wood chips, charcoal and steaks makes for a tempting mealsteaks on barbecue grill image by FrankU from Fotolia.com
  
  Build a fire using charcoal and lighter fluid (unless using instant light charcoal). Allow the coals to get hot, then wait for the fire to die down.
  
  
• 2). Place the wood chip packet on top of the hot coal bed. Wait until trails of smoke arise out of the pouch before proceeding.
  
  
• 3). Spread the meat and other food on the grill or on the rack inside the charcoal grill. At this point, the coals should be white and the wood smoking for several minutes. With the food in place, close or replace the lid to the barbecue leaving the ventalation holes open.
  
  
• 4). Keep the lid closed to retain the smoke flavoring the food as it cooks. Replace the chip packet as necessary -- roughly every 20 or 30 minutes. Avoid flare-ups of flame igniting either the wood or food by spraying with water.
  
  

Smoking With Gas

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  With a little practice, your grill will be the talk of the neighborhood.full grill image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Open your gas grill lid and remove the top grilling rack -- the grates that hold your food while you cook. Set the rack aside.
  
  
• 2). Place your chip packet on the heat diffusion plate--located just under the cooking rack surface, or over the burner. Do not place the chip pouch directly on top of the gas burners as ashes can clog the burner.
  
  
• 3). Set the temperature control for the grill burners on high to begin heating the wood packet. Wait until the pouch emits smoke, then lower the temperature to the desired cooking level.
  
  
• 4). Prepare the food as desired and arrange it on the top grilling rack. Close the lid and replace the wood packet only if necessary (about once every 20 to 30 minutes). Spray the chip pouch with water if it begins to burn instead of smoke.