Consider The Type Of Meat You're Grilling Before Adding Oil

Any carnivore would probably agree: Out of all the ways to prepare juicy, succulent, delicious meat, grilling has got to be at the top of the list. There's just something primally satisfying, we think, about sticking some meat on top of a hot fire and cooking it to charred, smoky goodness. What would our backyard BBQs be without grilled chicken thighs, seared burgers, and beautifully crusted steak? Pretty darn sad, if you ask us.

Happily, for us meat lovers, great grilling doesn't require much, with well-sourced meat, a generous amount of seasoning, and an adequately hot grill getting any grill master off to a great start. However, one factor to be aware of is whether or not to oil meat bound for the grill. Although cooking on the stovetop almost always starts with a drizzle of oil in a pan, not every cut of meat will require oil before it's grilled.

If you love grilling, chances are your grill station is equipped with a few essentials, such as extra-long tongs, coarse salt, and a bottle of high smoke point oil such as avocado, coconut, or peanut. These oils, which can withstand very high temperatures before starting to degrade, can be a great addition to naturally low-fat cuts of meat, such as boneless, skinless chicken breasts or lean pork chops. A nice coating pre-cooking will allow you to grill away without any sticking.

But one of the meat's most delicious features — that is, natural deposits of fat that add tons of flavor as they render during cooking — makes that coating of oil unnecessary in some instances. Many cuts of lamb, for example, already have plenty of fat, and won't need to be brushed with oil. A marbled steak won't need oil, nor will an adequately fatty hamburger; most chefs and butchers recommend that burgers contain 20% fat for maximum juiciness. Skin-on cuts of chicken won't need oiling, since the skin will provide natural greasiness, and neither will pork on the fattier side of the spectrum. So the next time you grab your basting brush and a bottle of oil before heading to the grill, consider how much fat is in the meat you'll soon be chowing down on.