Objective To evaluate the cooking quality of food based on its color characteristics.Methods Using heating curves, color measurements, and anthocyanin content as evaluation indexes, the effect of steaming power, anaerobic environment, surface temperature change of eggplant, and steaming volume on the color of eggplant was investigated.Results Eggplants steamed in a steamer pot had significantly better color compared to those steamed in a steam oven. The steaming power, volume, anaerobic environment, and surface temperature of the eggplant all affected its color and anthocyanin loss rate. As the steaming power increased and the steaming volume decreased, the anthocyanin loss rate decreased. The lowest anthocyanin loss rate of 44.27% occurred when the steaming power was 2 500 W. When the steaming volume was 2 L, the anthocyanin loss rate of the eggplant was 21.04%. In an anaerobic environment, the anthocyanin loss rate was only 12.72%. When the surface temperature of the eggplant skin reached above 80 ℃ during steaming, anthocyanin loss was more significant.Conclusion Increasing steaming power, reducing steaming volume, and maintaining an anaerobic environment all help in retaining anthocyanins in the eggplant skin.