I have a cast iron dutch oven with a ceramic coating and have notice some fine micro-cracks in the enamel on the cooking surface. It hasn't chipped yet, but I am afraid it will over time. Can the pot be reglazed, protected or repaired somehow?

It can be re glazed but at a cost.
Generally this is caused by excessive heat and quick cooling,if it becomes to dear to fix buy one without the enamel coating. This is only just to make a utensil fit to the decor of a house but impractical for what the Dutch oven is really used for.

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I'm buying a "pre-seasoned" cast iron Dutch oven.
* What does it mean to be "pre-seasoned?"
* Will I need to "season" it again? (I'm pretty sure I have to.)
* How do I "season" it?
* Do I need to clean it any special way?

Thank you for your help! You can probably tell I don't cook very much.

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are there specific remedies to handle this problem? I always heard that cast iron lasts forever

Seasoning Cast Iron
Seasoned Cast Iron can be considered the "grandfather" to today's "non-stick" cookware.

Cast Iron Cookware must be seasoned properly and it will last a life-time. ( I still use my Grandmother's cast iron skillets on a regular basis and they must be at least 60-70+ years old.)

New Pans
Heat the oven to 250o – 300o
Coat the pan with lard or bacon grease. Don't use a liquid vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned.
Put the pan in the oven. In 15 minutes, remove the pan & pour out any excess grease. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 2 hours.
Repeating this process several times is recommended as it will help create a stronger "seasoning" bond.

Also, when you put the pan into service, it is recommended to use it initially for foods high in fat, such as bacon or foods cooked with fat, because the grease from these foods will help strengthen the seasoning.

Pans needing Re-Seasoning
If the pan was not seasoned properly or a portion of the seasoning wore off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should be properly cleaned and re-seasoned.

Remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a scouring pad. I understand that heating the pan first to a temperature that is still safe to touch helps open the pores of the metal and makes it easier to clean.
Dry the pan immediately with dish towel or paper towel.
Season the pan as outlined above.
Caring for Cast Iron Cookware
Seasoning a cast iron pan is a natural way of creating non-stick cookware. And, like you cook and clean the modern non-stick cookware with special care to avoid scratching the surface, your cast iron cookware wants some special attention too.

Clean the cookware while it is still hot by rinsing with hot water and scraping when necessary. Do not use a scouring pad or soap (detergent) as they will break down the pan's seasoning.
Never store food in the cast iron pan as the acid in the food will breakdown the seasoning and the food will take on a metallic flavor.
Store your cast iron cookware with the lids off, especially in humid weather, because if covered, moisture can build up and cause rust. Should rust appear, the pan should be re-seasoned.
When you purchase cast iron cookware, they are medium gray in color, but after usage, they start turning darker. (My pans are very black in color.) This is normal and should be expected.

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I am trying to replace my teflon/aluminum pans with cast iron. I can’t seem to find just the right grouping of pans. I also am having trouble figuring out why there is such a huge price range from one company to the next. Does anyone know a reliable place I should order from?

I have many many pieces of cast iron cookware. Some purchased new and some I bought from garage sales. I can't imagine why you would sell a seasoned cast iron item!!
Lodge is not my first choice but it isn't a bad product but I have had trouble with the handles coming loose. If you get a Lodge get the ones without the stainless handles. The cast iron is fine, but not the handles.
Wagner with the handles as part of the skillet seems to hold up better.
I have been cooking with cast iron since my Mother started me cooking at the age of 7 (that was in 1948) and I love a cast iron skillet.
You can usually find a decent skillet at a rummage sale if you look around enough. A cheap brand is a mistake as they wont season well and sometimes they will break. You needed spend a fortune either, a good cast iron skillet in the 10 1/2 inch range will run you from $15 to $18 depending on where you buy it.
check out this site for a good selection and some ideas.
www.wagnerware.com/
You could probably go to JC Penny or Sears for a quality skillet.
If you look at a used one (they are fine) don't worry about rust, it will clean up fine. If you need any more help you can e-mail me. And I can help you with seasoning it too if need be.

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I always heard about "seasoning" a cast iron skillet or pot but never understood why its done with cast iron but not with, say stainless steel or aluminum. Anyone?

Seasoning cast iron cookware is done with oil and heat. You rub the inside of the cookware with oil and heat same.

It is done to prevent oxidation because of the water in everything we cook. That is also why you don't wash it with soap and water. Rust is the enemy of cast iron.

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I have some cast iron that needs to be reseasoned. I don't remember how it is done. How do you get years of use off and what is the proper way to clean them after use? Can you just wash them in a sink of warm soapy water. If not how are they sanitized? Thank you!

Sorry, I didn't read through the other answers, so I might be repeating or even contradicting the others, but here goes…

I've been using cast iron cookware for years, as has my father. He is set in his ways about how to take care of them, and his main rule is "NEVER wash them in soapy water!" This removes the seasoning you work so hard to put into the pans.

Whenever he gets a new piece of cast iron (I say "new" but mean "new to him" because the ones on the market today are pieces of junk and not mirror smooth on the inside) he will have it sandblasted to remove all residue on it. (this makes them a shiny (silver) color instead of black) Then he bakes them for several hours in the oven on a low temp with bacon drippings or cooking oil. Cast iron is porous, and the heat will cause the oil to spread throughout the pan. Keep checking on them, and adding the oil/grease to it. The pan should start to darken. You want it to be near black by the time it is ready.

To clean: Wash in hot running water. Use a steel sponge, but do not scrub hard, unless there is a stubborn cooked-on food spot. Dry immediately on a hot stove top. Dab a paper towel in shortening or bacon grease and rub into dry hot pan (be careful to not get burnt) or just spray with a cooking spray.

Do not ever let pan sit in water for long periods of time, or let water sit in pan. This will cause rust and/or remove your seasoning.

The heat from the washing, and drying is enough to sanitize your pan.

A properly seasoned pan is almost non-stick. Glassy smooth on the inside, and crusty on the outside.

Another tip, always spray with a little cooking spray before cooking anything in it, even if it doesn't call for it. This ensures your cookware will absorb the spray first before the food.

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