A. Pre-seasoned means a coating of wax or vegetable oil has been applied to prevent the cookware--usually cast iron--from rusting while it sits on store shelves or in the warehouse. This cookware is ready to use straight out of the box, according to Hugh Rushing, spokesman for the Cookware Manufacturers Association, a trade group. But once food starts to stick, you'll need to season it again.
You might want a piece or two of cast iron, such as a Dutch oven or skillet, because it keeps food warm for a long time and can be used for recipes that you start on the stovetop and finish in the oven. If the cast iron isn't pre-seasoned, follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to do it. Whether it is or isn't you'll have to continue to season the pan over its lifetime. Here are the re-seasoning instructions that Lodge Logic includes with its pre-seasoned cast iron pans.
—Kimberly Janeway
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