Soaking wood chips is a highly debated topic in the BBQ community. Many pro-BBQers will say that soaking is an important step as it prolongs the burn and makes the wood smolder more and flame less. Others say that the soaking process will diminish the time that the wood produces smoke, and too much water in your chips can extinguish the flame entirely. Consult the instruction guide for your smoker and go with whatever method is recommended. For this specific recipe on a Traeger - the soaking is an unnecessary step.