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Blame it on bacon: smoking food is becoming one of the summer's most popular ways to cook. The Wall Street Journal reported this week on the "explosion of smoked foods on American menus," from high-end restaurants to roadside barbecue joints. It's understandable--who hasn't been captivated by the smell of wood smoke and the intense flavor it injects into meats, fish and other foods?

While you can buy many foods already smoked--chicken, turkey and salmon come to mind--doing it yourself isn't difficult, just time-consuming (you've heard the phrase "low and slow," right?). Smokers run anywhere from $50 to more than $400, but it isn't difficult to turn a basic charcoal grill into one using wood chips you've soaked in water.

To make your own smoker, first remove the grill's grate. Push the charcoal to once side of the grill and light it; the coals are ready when they're glowing red or starting to turn grey. Set a heavy-duty aluminum pan, filled halfway with water, on the other side of the coals. Gently lay a handful of wet hardwood smoking chips over the coals; replace the grate, and place the food on the grate.


Close the lid and adjust the vents so the temperature instead stays at about 250. Every hour, replenish the charcoal; every half-hour, add more wood chips (a handful of each should suffice).

While chicken, ribs and fish are excellent smoked (one bite of Myron Mixon's smoked "cupcake chicken" and you'll be hooked), we're intrigued by Elizabeth Karmel's recipe for smoked cheddar mac 'n' cheese, and grilling expert Adam Perry Lang's smoked eggs, which he swears make the best egg salad.

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