Since you asked
Q. How do I use wood chips in my grilling?
A. Wood chips add great smoky flavor to grilled meats and vegetables. Make sure you're using wood chips that are intended for cooking; any treated wood (like the kind you use in construction) is dangerous in cooking.
Mesquite and hickory are the most commonly available, but you also can use applewood, cherry, maple, or even pecan -- each of these imparts a different kind of flavor to the final product. Applewood is a great match for pork; mesquite is fabulous with beef and game, and hickory's great for chicken. As a rule of thumb, hard woods are generally best for smoking and grilling, and anything from a fruit or nut tree will give you the best flavor.
You can use wood by itself to grill, but because it burns quickly and unevenly, you'll have to keep a constant eye on the heat level. You also can add just wood chips to already lighted charcoal (either lump or briquette) -- though you'll need to soak them first in water for at least half an hour so they don't catch fire altogether.
If you're using a gas grill, check to see if yours has a special box for wood chips; if not, just put a metal tray half-filled with dry wood chips next to the meat as it cooks, and keep the lid closed for maximum flavor.
Scripps Howard News Service