Is it important to let meat sit in oil before grilling/baking?

You should put oil on your meat to prevent it drying out. Does it make a difference if you coat then cook straight away or leave coated for a while, if so how long should you keep it for?
Best Answer
I've never put oil on my meat to prevent drying. I do sometimes cook a steak in a hot cast iron pan with a lot of butter, but that's more to develop a crust than anything.
The most important factors in preventing dryness would be cooking time and temperature.
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Quick Answer about "Is it important to let meat sit in oil before grilling/baking?"
You actually want the outside of the meat to dry out: the drier it is the faster you'll get a brown crust on it (Maillard reaction) and more juice will stay on the inside. Oiling the outside won't prevent it from drying inside if you overcook it.Should I oil my meat before grilling it?
Should I Oil My Steak Before Grilling? You don't need to rub oil on your steak before grilling it. Some chefs claim this tip will keep your steak from sticking to the pan, but there's no evidence this is the case. As long as you put enough oil on your cooking surface, you shouldn't have an issue with steak stickage.Should I oil my steak before grilling?
On The GrillSeason the steak one hour before cooking, using extra virgin olive oil, fresh ground black pepper, and kosher or sea salt. Leave it at room temperature until cooking.What is the purpose oiling meats before roasting?
So you should always dry your meat, e.g. with paper towels. This will mean your spices are less likely to stick to the surface. Oiling the meat first helps the spices to adhere better, rubbing them in or just sprinkling doesn't make much of a difference.What does cooking in oil do to meat?
Cooking steak in oil retains moisture and flavor in the steak and helps it to cook just right without any sticking. Oil is used for flavor and getting just the right cooking appeal to your steak. You also want an oil that won't throw up a bunch of smoke when you're cooking!Anthony Bourdain on the worst mistake when cooking steak
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Answer 2
You actually want the outside of the meat to dry out: the drier it is the faster you'll get a brown crust on it (Maillard reaction) and more juice will stay on the inside. Oiling the outside won't prevent it from drying inside if you overcook it.
You don't need to coat the outside in oil before grilling, you just need to keep an eye on it when grilling so it doesn't stay there for a long time just dehydrating.
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