The Suburban Soapbox

You can clean and oil a grill grate with just an onion. Cut a large yellow onion crosswise in half.  Spear the root end with a grill fork. Pour about 1/4 inch of canola oil into a shallow bowl just slightly larger than the onion.

Heat the grill to high, dip the cut side of the onion in the oil, and rub it against the grate. It will smoke as it cleans and coats the grill.

Once it is clean, set the onion aside, and adjust the heat as needed. As soon as you finish grilling, quickly repeat the technique with the onion. For best results, use the onion one last time before the grill is completely cool.

Tip from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home.