Smoking imparts a nice flavor to your barbecue. Simply throw a handful of soaked (and drained) wood chips/chunks on your coals just before you start cooking. Hickory and mesquite chips are two of the most popular. You can also place water-soaked fresh herb sprigs (or dried herb packets) like rosemary, thyme, oregano or basil directly onto the hot coals to add flavor.

2torial #0816: Learn2 Light a Charcoal Grill Wait and rearrange Now comes the wait. After about 10 minutes, it may seem like the fire has gone out. It hasn't. This is when it's really important not to be tempted to use any lighter fluid. Just be patient and leave the lid open. Talk with your friends or family. Whatever you do, stay nearby, keep a close watch on the coals, and keep kids and pets away from the grill. Depending on your lighting method, the charcoal will take about 15 to 45 minutes to develop a light coating of gray ash (you'll be able to see it glowing red all over if it's dark out). This means it's burning evenly, and it's almost time to start cooking. Before you start, you need to arrange the charcoal for the type of grilling you'll be doing. Direct grilling: If you're cooking food on the grilling rack, use your tongs to rearrange the charcoal into a single layer of briquettes at the bottom of the grill. Then put the top rack back on and use a basting brush to coat it with a thin layer of cooking oil. This will keep what you're cooking from sticking to it. Wait a few minutes for the rack to preheat (you don't want to put food on a cold rack). Indirect grilling: If you're cooking a roast, turkey, bone-in chicken, or ribs, use your tongs to rearrange the charcoal around the outside edge of your bottom rack (or bottom of the grill), leaving space in the center for your roasting pan where the food will be placed. You can also place the food directly in the center of the grilling rack (so it isn't above any coals) with a large dripping pan underneath it for the same effect. Step 3