Should I Spray My Grill Before Cooking?

Author Meathead Goldwyn of AmazingRibs.com says oiling hot grill grates is not a good idea. According to his cookbook, if you use oil to grease hot grates, the oil will smoke and carbonize almost instantly once the grates reach the oil’s smoking point.

“Another option is to give the meat a light coat of mayonnaise,” he said. “Mayo is mostly oil, but it doesn’t drip off as easily, and surprisingly, it adds little flavor to the food. It is also an excellent way to hold in the spices.

On top of that, the carbon layer on the grates only makes the sticking worse. Instead, Meathead told HuffPost, “put a light coat of oil on the food, which is refrigerator temp ― the food rarely heats up beyond 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, as it warms, it becomes runny and drips off, but by then the food is less sticky.”

“Another option is to give the meat a light coat of mayonnaise,” he said. “Mayo is mostly oil, but it doesn’t drip off as easily, and surprisingly, it adds little flavor to the food. It is also an excellent way to hold in the spices. It works especially well on fish and chicken.”