What results from soaking onion pieces past the 12-hour mark when preparing onion water?
Answer
Significantly stronger taste and aroma
Allowing the onion pieces to steep for an extended duration beyond 12 hours shifts the extraction curve further along, leading to a concentration of compounds that results in a markedly more intense sensory experience. Specifically, the taste and aroma become significantly stronger. This intensity is often cited as a reason why extremely long soaks are avoided, as the resulting infusion can become challenging or unpleasant to drink due to this heightened pungency. Longer periods leach out more subtle or less soluble components that contribute to the depth and strength of the final infusion.

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