How To Cook a One-Dish Meal of Japanese Eggplant and Pork Blade Steak in Convection

Being able to cook a complete meal in the oven is a great way to prepare a quick healthy meal and by using the Convection modes for cooking you can cook multiple dishes at one time with great results. I prepared this meal in a Combination Convection Microwave, Broil oven which is the perfect size for cooking smaller quantities of food.

Japanese Roasted Eggplant and Grilled Pork Blade Steak

Using the Convection Broil Mode to Cook a Complete Meal

Convection cooking yields great results because there is better moisture retention when foods are cooked in Convection; however, choosing the right Convection mode can be confusing because ovens have multiple cooking modes to choose from. It all comes down to understanding where the heat is coming from in each mode and how to use it to your advantage.

For example, for this meal, the Japanese eggplant needs to roast for 30 minutes and the steak needs to broil for approximately 10 minutes. I chose the Convection Roast mode to cook the eggplant but set the timer for 20 minutes. At that point, I changed the oven mode to Convection Broil, so I could broil the pork steak while continuing to roast the eggplant.

Using these two oven modes in conjunction with each other allowed me to create an easy flavorful one-dish meal.

What if my Oven Doesn’t Have a Convection Broil Mode?

Not all gas ovens feature a Convection Broil mode, but you can still achieve great results cooking a meal as I have outlined above. For best results when you change the cooking mode to Broil move the pan with the eggplant to a low rack position so it is not too close to the powerful heat of the broil element. That way the eggplant can continue cooking white you broil the steak.

Preparation Steps and Choreography for this Meal

This meal has great flavor but there are a few ingredients and condiments required to achieve that flavor, so begin by heating the oven and assembling all the ingredients. Once the eggplant is cubed it only needs to be tossed with the oil, garlic, and ginger and spread onto the baking tray ready to go into the oven.

While the eggplant is roasting, season the pork steak, mix the ingredients for the sauce, and chop the garnish. Drizzle the sauce over the eggplant when it comes out of the oven, slice the pork steak, and serve it over the eggplant with the garnish.

Important Tips for Oven Broiling

When the oven is programmed in the Convection Broil mode it will come to temperature very quickly so you can place the pan with the pork steak in the oven right away. Remember to arrange the oven racks before you begin cooking so they are in the best position for you to place the food and always broil foods with the door closed.

If you are concerned about smoke and odors traveling into the living space turn on the ventilation over your cooktop to help keep the kitchen air clean.

Our Convection, Steam, and Combination Convection Microwave ovens are all designed to make meal preparation easier while yielding great results, so I hope this meal will inspire you to put those ovens to good use. In my next Blog Post, in response to some queries, I will be reviewing steaming Artichokes in the Steam oven.

Larissa, Your Convection Enthusiast