From crispy vegetables to an assortment of meats, a grill helps create some of the tastiest dishes. It’s the perfect appliance for hosting a barbeque with friends and family. However, the functions of a grill are not straightforward, and there are various factors one needs to consider, right from lighting a fire to cleaning it. Not following the proper method could result in a poorly cooked meal. Here are five common grilling mistakes to avoid. Using lighter fluid Those who have charcoal grills tend to use lighter fluid to ignite the fire. However, this liquid contains chemicals that may mix with the food during the cooking process. One should consider lighting the coal in a chimney starter instead. It has a top chamber where the coal sits and a lower chamber for the fuel (usually newspaper) used to ignite the coal. Skipping preheating When using charcoal in gas grills, skipping the preheating process could result in the cooking grate not being sufficiently hot. This mistake may cause meats to stick aggressively because their proteins form a chemical bond with the metal. One should let the metal surface become sufficiently hot before placing the raw food. Not oiling the grate Charcoal and gas grills are made of steel or cast iron and must be oiled before grilling to keep the food from sticking.