Oiling the cooking grate?

I don't, usually.  Sometimes I will halve an onion and rub the grid down with that, just to clean it up a bit.

I like to use a little oil on the grate.  Mine is the older porcelain grate and the porcelain is starting to wear.  A little oil just helps keep the food from sticking.  Another option is to use oil or butter on the meat.  

I remember seeing something somewhere that said you should oil the food, not the grate.

You don't need to oil anything unless you have problems with the food sticking.  Some foods stick more than others.  Some foods have plenty of oil in them.  Fish likes to stick.  A little mayo (emulsified oil) helps with fish (on the fish).  A lean steak won't stick if the grate is hot enough.  Seasoned grates don't necessarily need any oil. 

Bottom line, a little oil is great for seasoning to stick to on the food side, but you don't need it unless the food sticks and you can put it on the grill or the food, as long as it's in between the two. Figure out what works for you, or error on the side of caution and keep everything lubed up.

No oil for me! Welcome aboard.

@susanshaw - I don't use any oil on my SS grid, but I do clean it after each cook.  Others don't clean at all.  Neither is right or wrong - it's just personal preference.  I use a stainless steel mesh pad grill scrubber brush while the grill is still hot.  The purpose is to get the big chunks and sauces off.  You will find that everything here is controversial - some will say any brushes lose pieces of their bristles, and those pieces stick to the grid and will cause leprosy.  I don't buy it.  Ebola maybe, but certainly not leprosy.

Anyhow - see how easily I get side tracked? - as you cook on the grid, unless you use solvents to clean (and those cause depravity), some oil will remain after cleaning off the chunks.  Some folks still like to give it a quick coat of canola.  I don't.  You will develop your own style. 

Cast Iron grids require some oil, or they will rust.   

Welcome aboard - Enjoy!!!

SmokeyPitt said:

Farbuck said:

I remember seeing something somewhere that said you should oil the food, not the grate.

Did anyone else ever hear that or am I just having another of those senior moments where I think Civil War soldiers give me advise on life

On the amazingribs site I'm pretty sure there was a tip in regards to searing.  He suggested painting the meat with fat (oil, clarified butter, etc) rather than the grill or pan.  

Same advice from Elizabeth Karmel author of Taming the Flame. Oil the food not the grids. I seldom oil meats but veggies are always tossed in oil. 

I like using oil on high heat direct grills (like for skin on chicken). I find it helps to keep the skin whole and not rip little holes in it. Most other types of cooks I don't bother.

I just use some Pam when cooking fish. Also don't squirt on when grill is on the fire, Ron is correct.

I heat the grill up so previous cooks bits are loose. Scrub the grate enough to get any residue from prev cook off, then spray it with Pam. Makes a fireball if you aren't careful. I spray it at an angle, so that it hits the face of the cast iron, then do the same to the opposite side. I love how food doesn't stick at all this way. I cook a lot of boneless skinless chicken breast, and they tend to stick. This method corrects that for me. 4 of my 5 eggs have cast iron, this keeps the grates looking new. I use the medium the most, so I don't do much more than this. The others I will come back after the fire is done and hit it with Pam to keep the mold and rust at bay in between cooks. Then I leave the bottom vent open a half inch or so to let it dry out.