Enhance The Flavor Of Barbecued Food By Adding Aromatic Wood Chips To Your Grill

by Stephen Daniels

With spring just around the corner, it's time to start
looking forward to our favorite outdoor activities, and
nothing says springtime like the aroma of succulent foods
cooking on a barbecue. The majority of American households
sport an outdoor grill, but few people seem to realize how
much more flavorful their barbecued foods could be if they
just added one often overlooked grilling accessory: natural
aromatic wood for an authentic smoke taste.

Long before the modern barbecue grill came to be, meats and
vegetables were roasted over open wood fires. Smoke from
this wood added far more flavor than today's gas or charcoal
cooking methods. Fortunately, it's easy to add wood to your
grill for the same effect. In some cases, the subtle taste
imparted by wood smoke is all that is needed to flavor foods
without seasonings or spices. Many types of wood can be used
to enhance the flavor of grilled foods. Also, wood smoke
works equally well whether you are cooking right on the
grill or using a rotisserie. You can obtain wood from an
orchard when they are trimming back some of their trees,
harvest from your own backyard, or purchase chips or chunks
from a specialty store that offers barbecue accessories.

Chunks, chips or pellets of wood are all used for flavor
when grilling. Often, veteran grill chefs prefer chunks of
wood that are fist-sized or larger. These slow-burning
pieces can typically be added to the fire just before
placing the food on the grill without the need for
replenishment during cooking. Smaller wood chips and pellets
are too quickly burned if they are directly on the heat
source. Instead, it is necessary to protect them from the
direct fire while still letting them smoke during cooking.
Many accessories exist for this purpose, including
refillable baskets. You can also purchase pre-filled units
with your choice of wood chip flavors. Since chips and
pellets burn quickly, they should be checked often so more
can be added if required.

Many varieties of trees produce wood that greatly enhances
flavors for grilling. In fact, each type of tree will
impart a unique taste. Hickory is perhaps the most common
type of wood used for barbecue, but others are gaining
popularity for their accents with different types of meat.
Oak produces a more subtle smoky flavor than hickory or
mesquite, so it works well with most types of meat. The
sweet flavor of cherry wood is commonly used for grilling
fish, and apple is a favorite with pork ribs.

The possibilities for creating unique, delicious flavors
with natural wood chips, chunks or pellets are almost
endless. Novice to expert grill chefs everywhere can easily
employ this technique to enhance their food this spring, and
all year round.

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