Speedy Spray

• Using cooking spray is the quickest way to deliver oil to the hibachi rack's surface. The sprays are available in olive oil and flavored varieties, but a basic vegetable oil blend or canola oil is all you'll need for spraying the hibachi rack. The best time to spray the rack is when it's already hot, so that it doesn't burn off before you start cooking. Before spraying, lift the rack off the hibachi and direct the rack away from the grill, so that the sprayed oil doesn't fall into the hot coals.

Careful Coating

• There are times in which you don't have cooking spray, or can't remove the grill rack from the hibachi. In these cases, clamp a wad of paper towels with a pair of tongs, dip the paper towel wad in a shallow bowl of oil and rub it all over the hot grate. A vegetable oil blend is standard for this application, but other oils with a high smoke point include peanut, canola and highly refined or "light" olive oil. Save extra-virgin olive oil, which is more expensive and has a lower smoke point, for salads and lower-temperature cooking.

Basic Brushing

• Brushing your meat, fish or vegetables with oil before placing them on the hibachi gives the food a protective coating in addition to imparting flavor. This step shouldn't be used instead of oiling the rack, though, as the rack conditioning is more crucial for preventing sticking. Oiling the food provides a bit of extra insurance, however. Choose an oil that brings out the flavor of foods, but that also won't smoke or turn rancid on the grill. Light olive oil is a traditional choice for most foods, while sesame oil is another high-heat oil which goes especially well with Asian grilled dishes.

Solid Seasoning

• A hibachi can also be oiled with solid fat. This option may be the best choice for hibachis made of cast-iron because the heavier material better fills in the tiny gaps on cast-iron's surface. Cast-iron grill racks that have been properly seasoned with a solid fat don't need to be oiled before every use. Give them a touch up every few months. Use butter, lard or suet as your solid fat. After rubbing the oil on, it's best to heat the hibachi at a high level for about 90 minutes.