Wood pellets are a popular choice for infusing grilled food with smoky flavor, but there's one mistake that might be messing you up. Here's what an expert says.

A new peer-reviewed study quantifies broadly for the first time the air pollution and public health impacts across the United States from both manufacturing wood pellets and burning them for energy.

As you fire up the grill, remember that the secret to crowd-pleasing smoky flavor is starting with the best fuel. "Whether it's pellets ... make this the night before and hold until tailgate time. 6.