Steam Oven Sheet Pan Meal: Pork Tenderloin and Seasonal Vegetables

Sheet pan meals are appealing for several reasons, they are fast to cook, oven roasted vegetables are delicious , prep and clean-up is minimal, and you are not tied to the stove cooking a meal. Cooking vegetables and a protein on one tray can be a good option when cooking for one or two people, but when cooking for a larger group or when different temperatures will better suit the foods being cooked, then using two pans is a better option.

Sheet Pan Meal Cooked in the Steam Oven

Because steam ovens have smaller cavities than standard convection ovens it can make sense to cook the vegetables and protein on separate trays. The other factor to take into account is the temperature that will best suit the foods being cooked. Basically the important factor to successfully cook a sheet pan meal in convection is  planning.

Tips for Planning the Cooking of a Sheet Pan Meal

Let’s review the planning for roasting this sheet pan meal of Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots. 

For flavor and appeal a pork tenderloin is best when given a quick sear prior to cooking. Because this is such a lean cut of meat, if the cooking is finished in the oven at a low temperature, the meat will be very tender and juicy. Once removed from the oven the pork should be set aside to rest for 5 minutes or so prior to being sliced.

Carrots cut into ¼” thick slices on the diagonal and brussels sprouts sliced into ¼” slices will cook in 20 minutes. Onions, garlic and maybe some mushrooms or parsnip cut to the same dimensions can be added to the mix for added flavor.

So here is the cooking plan:

For the vegetables:

Heat the steam oven in the combination Convection Steam mode to 325 F. Combine the vegetables with a little olive oil salt and your preferred seasoning, spread on a rimmed baking tray and place in the oven. The vegetables will be cooked at a low temperature in the combination convection steam mode then finished at a high temperature in the convection mode without added moisture for crisping and browning.

For the pork:

Heat a skillet over moderate heat, season the pork tenderloin, add a little oil and butter to the skillet and brown the tenderloin on all sides over moderate heat.  Transfer the tenderloin to a small oven pan or use the skillet if it is oven-safe and place in the oven. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes until the meat is firm to the touch. Remove the tenderloin from the oven, remove it from the hot pan and set aside to rest. 

Change the oven mode to Convection and increase the temperature to 400 degrees and cook the vegetables for an additional 5 minutes.

Both the pork tenderloin and the vegetables benefit from a short period of high heat cooking but at different stages of the cooking process; however, by taking the time to plan the cooking you can easily use one oven to cook the entire meal.

This is a very simple meal, but I hope it gives you a sense of how to plan and cook a sheet pan meal in the steam oven.