Leaching

Leaching is the process of removing undesirable compounds, such as tannins, bitterness, or excess salt, from ingredients through soaking, boiling, or repeated rinsing. This technique is often used to improve the flavor or texture of foods. For example, leaching is employed to reduce the astringency of acorns by soaking them in water to extract tannins or to desalinate heavily salted ingredients like preserved meats or olives. The effectiveness of leaching depends on factors such as water temperature, duration, and the solubility of the targeted compounds.