Why "season" a new wok?? I just dont get it...?

So factory chemicals and dyes won't come off on your yummy food. Trust me, I didn't season my new skillet at first and went to make a grilled cheese-YUCK! It came out so black and it was from all the oils and dyes from the factory. I hope this helps though and good luck making your general tso tomorrow!

If you fail to follow the suggested directions then that puppy will rust over and be all nasty. You will end up making a doggy dish out of it. The pan needs to be properly set so that it can repel the onslaught of food bacteria and water born illnesses associated with cooking on a nasty rusty none seasoned utensil. Pitty. To add insult to injury you decide right off the bat to cook a dish that entails every aspect of wrecking even the finest seasoned wok. Here is what you do. Get some peanut oil and a chicken. Flour up that cut up chicken and deep fry it southern style. Just put seasoned salt on it and dust the pieces with plain flour. When ya get through you can strain and reuse your now seasoned oil. Rinse out the wok with water and a brush. NEVER USE SOAP ON A WOK DAMMIT

Wipe the wok dry and put a light coating of your chicken frying oil on it. Put it in a place where dust or pets cannot get to it. Use is as often as you can. It cooks killer bacon, hash browns and scrambled eggs. For lunch you can whip up a soup in 2 minutes that would cost you 20 bucks at Piccadilly cafeteria. For dinner the possibility's are endless and it does not have to be Chinese food. You can make a mean hamburger, killer pork chops, steak, or just about anything Rachel Ray's tiny brain can think of in that wok. Just remember you mainly want to braise or fry. Save the boileries for the stock pot madam. Bon appetite.

'Seasoning' is the term given to the process of preparing the metal to be cooked on. A wok is seasoned to create a smooth cooking surface that prevents food from sticking, discolouring or imparting a metallic taste. A highly acidic dish (containing lemon or vinegar) will react even with seasoned metal and should be transferred out of the wok immediately to avoid tainting the flavour. This is not necessary with a wok which is coated with enamel or some other non-reactive material.