In the spirit of The_Jazz' one man "Prime Directive", I'm commiting what Baraka dubbed "necrothreadocity" on one of my threads.
I'm still our household's "Grill Queen", only because DH decline's the position (that would be the grilling and being Queen). I have no illusions to greatness. I own and have read Raichlen's "Barbecue Bible" cover to cover and still can't master the hand test to tell whether a steak is med-rare or med-well. In deference to some of the other reponses, I strictly grill and have never BBQ'd
Now, the reason for the resurrection. I have never used wood chips until a few weeks ago when I found them
very cheap at Meijers (Hickory). The first two times I grilled steak, I was in a hurry and forgot to soak the chips so I just threw them on the coals straight. The result was gobbs of smoke, watering eye's and flare-up's, but otherwise MUCH tastier meat! The last time I did soak them and although I didn't think there was much difference (maybe slightly less acridness and red-eye-ed-ness), I think I prefer the more smoke infused meat of the non-soaked chips.
I know I'm late to the wood chip smoking game but it's always been cost prohibitive for me until I stumbled across these cheap chips. Ok fine, I didn't stumble, I was slowly working my way down the grilling accessories isle, wishing/drooling the whole way and there they were at the end.
Anyone care to add comment's, opinions, suggestions on using chips? Favorite wood's, method's or any other thoughts?
P.S. As far as I recall from re-reading the thread, it seems that only I and Leto are the freaks that actually like the smell and taste lighter fluid imparts (although I'd argue that by the time the coal's are ready for grilling, most if not all of the fluid has long since burned off, leaving next to no flavor).