# Duck Breast oxidized after slcing it on-site and putting it in the holding ovens for 20 minutes??



## dusteep (Nov 27, 2011)

hi There!

I have never seen this before. I did a cranberry and savoury marinated duck breast. Cooked it to perfection (132 pulled from oven with a proper resting period) in the main kitchen. Transported them on site and sliced them on site just prior to service (25 minutes). They were gorgeous! I put them in an on site warming oven (180 F) to bring the temp up and checked on them 5 minutes before service and they had developed green patches -some very green! This was for buffet service. I have never done duck breast buffet style, always plate service and sliced them during plate up. I was shocked as you can imagine to see this result and lost about an eighth of my product - almost all of the aiguillettes were affected? I have never done a cranberry marinated duck before - I have glazed with it before but never in the marinade process. What happened here? Any insight would be really appreciated! The only thing that I can think of was that there was an oxidation that occurred because of the citric levels??

Thanks in advance!


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

Now you know why duck breast is never served buffet style right????


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## dusteep (Nov 27, 2011)

LOL!!!! Carving Station it is!!

I would seriously love to know the science behind the reaction though -as I have worked with duck many times and have never seen this before. When you are doing plate up for 1200 - the plates sit in the shams for a while - not 20 minutes by any means but sometimes around 10-12 if the servers are falling behind. Never a green duck then -I really believe it has to do with the acidity from the cranberries. Alton Brown where are you?! I would love to have the knowledge.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

I just got through Google-ing the subject and found nothing about what you describe. Most recipes call for some kind of acid in the marinating process so I doubt it is the cranberry acid. Was the product frozen prior to cooking or was it fresh? It could have been something not under your control.


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## volpe (Nov 28, 2011)

Same here. I was trying to think about what makes cranberries unique among other berries (thinking along the lines of anti-oxidant properties) but I was reaching and found nothing.

Definitely going to keep this in mind though.


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## dusteep (Nov 27, 2011)

Ya - I've been trying to think outside of the box on this one too! Since then, I've replicated the exact same method and I would have to agree that the cranberries aren't the culprit. So I was thinking that it may have to do with the offsite variables. I have even considered the possibility that maybe the offsite location perhaps had cleaned their equipment with something that caused the reaction in the holding ovens? I just want to thank you guys for your responses it is really awesome to have your professional expertise and experiences to bounce ideas around!

Thanks again!!!


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