To smoke food on a covered charcoal grill, cook over indirect heat with a small amount of charcoal and wood chips.

1. Soak wood chips for 30 minutes; drain.

2. Using a charcoal chimney, fire up about two dozen briquettes or a dozen handfuls of lump charcoal. Pour the coals into a single layer on just one side of the lower grate, or pile them into a charcoal basket placed on one side of the grill. (A) The charcoal is ready when coated with thick gray ash. You should be able to hold your hand about five inches above the coals for about five seconds.

3. Place a disposable aluminum foil pan filled with water on the other side of the lower grate, and toss a handful of soaked wood chips on the charcoal. Place the upper grate, or grill rack, on the grill. (B) Arrange the food on the grill rack above the pan on the unheated side of the grill.

4. If the grill lid has a built-in thermometer, place the lid on the grill so that the thermometer is directly over the food. (C) If there's no thermometer, place the lid's vent directly over the food and insert a candy thermometer in the opening so that the probe is in the air near the food; close the vent to secure the thermometer.

5. Maintain a temperature of 200° to 225°. Close the grill's bottom vents as needed to lower the heat, and open them to raise it.

6. If you'll be smoking longer than an hour, you will need to add more preheated charcoal (about one-third of the original amount) and another generous handful of wood chips. Refuel when the temperature starts to sink toward 200°, and add more presoaked wood chips when you no longer see smoke coming from the grill.

If smoking one large piece of food, rotate it midway through the cook time for even cooking. Avoid lifting the lid except to add more charcoal, rotate the food, or check for doneness.