Barbecued Eggplant

Three ingredients and one important technique: salt the eggplant slices and let them rest for 30 minutes before anything else. This draws out excess moisture and slightly concentrates the eggplant’s flavor. Wipe off the salt with a kitchen towel rather than rinsing. Rinsing adds moisture back; wiping removes the salt while keeping the flesh dry enough to absorb the BBQ sauce properly.

The slices go onto an oiled baking sheet, get brushed with sauce, bake 15 minutes, then flip, brush again, and bake another 15 minutes. The result is tender eggplant with a slightly sticky, caramelized BBQ coating on both sides.

One-third inch is the target thickness. Thinner and the slices dry out before the center softens. Thicker and you end up with tender edges and a dense, undercooked center.

Kitchen Tips

• Salt both sides of each slice and stand them upright in a colander if possible so moisture drains away rather than pooling.
• Don’t skip wiping with a dry towel. Rinsing the salt off leaves the surface wet and the BBQ sauce slides off instead of adhering.
• Watch the eggplant in the final few minutes of the second bake. “Tender but not mushy” is the target. Once eggplant goes past tender, it collapses quickly.

Variations

• Use a smoky chipotle BBQ sauce for extra depth and a subtle smokiness that reads almost like a grill flavor.
• Serve over rice or stuff into a sandwich with coleslaw for a full vegetarian meal.
• Add a drizzle of tahini over the finished eggplant for a Middle Eastern-inspired version.