Soaking fruit or vegetables in wine, liquor, or syrup so that they may absorb these flavors Salt and sugar macerations are used to draw excess moisture out of the food for a secondary preparation This is done for canning, jam and preserve making, and to remove bitter flavors from vegetables
soften, usually by steeping in liquid, and cause to disintegrate as a result; "macerate peaches"; "the gizzards macerates the food in the digestive system"
If you macerate food, or if it macerates, you soak it in a liquid for a period of time so that it absorbs the liquid. I like to macerate the food in liqueur for a few minutes before serving Cognac is also used to macerate and flavour ingredients and casseroles Seal tightly then leave for four to five days to macerate. = marinate. to make something soft by leaving it in water, or to become soft in this way (past participle of macerare )
to soften by soaking; to cause disintegration of tissues, etc , by separation of cells, e g by microbiological action, solutions of pectolytic enzymes, chelating solutions such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), etc The term is frequently used incorrectly instead of comminute, q v
To soak fruit or other food in liquid in order to soften and flavor it with the liquid Brandy is often the soaking liquid Recipe: Old Southern Berry Shrub