Edibles offer an excellent alternative for those who cannot bear the idea of inhaling smoke into their lungs; they act in a different, less direct, but still very effective way. Be careful however: we must not underestimate them. If not carefully prepared and taken lightly, they can also prove to be stronger than the classic joints. It all depends on the preparation and concentration of the active ingredients.
As you might have guessed, edibles are meant to be eaten and unlike the direct approach of smoking or vaping, the active ingredients in edibles are released into the bloodstream via digestion, so it’s a slow, progressive release.
There are many different types of edibles, such as chocolate brownies, gummy bears, and cookies among others. Any food can be potentially made with cannabis: you can make chocolate bars, pasta sauce, pasta itself, coffee, honey. In short, there are many alternatives. In this article, we will see how to prepare excellent cannabutter, which can be used to make cakes, biscuits, pasta, and much more.
How to prepare Cannabis-infused butter
Preparing weed butter is easy and cheap. The only thing you will need in quantity is patience. Keep in mind that butter burns very easily, so it is advisable to keep a constant eye on your butter during preparation. For this recipe, we will use 30 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per tablespoon of butter. You will have to make several attempts to figure out what your perfect dose is. The dose can depend on many factors, such as if you are a regular smoker, if you have a high tolerance, etc. To begin with, it is recommended to take a quarter of a spoonful of butter and wait at least an hour to feel the effects (as already mentioned, the effect of the active ingredients in edibles enters circulation more slowly). The right amount varies from person to person. Keep in mind what doses you’re using to better understand whether to increase or decrease. Overzealousness on this point will ensure you have a balanced and not unpleasant experience.
A fundamental step in preparation is the decarboxylation of cannabis. Without getting too technical, decarboxylation is the transformation of inactive ingredients (THCA and CBDA) into active ingredients (THC and CBD) by cooking cannabis flowers. With this process, the psychoactive properties of the plant are activated, and in addition, it allows the butter fats to bind more effectively to the cannabinoids. Another fundamental piece of advice is not to grind the weed before putting it in the oven, unless you want to see it flying inside the oven. Cook first, then grind!
Decarboxylation
- heat the oven to around 105°C
- take a metal pan and put a sheet of baking paper on it
- arrange the cannabis flowers evenly, and put it in the oven
- keep the inflorescences for 20/40 minutes (1 hours if the cannabis is freshly harvested)
- Check often and mix the cannabis buds to prevent burning
- When the color changes from bright green to a dark brown-green, you know that your weed is decarboxylated
- At this point, remove it from the oven and let it cool on the pan. Once cooled, grind it with your hands or a grinder.
Weed butter infusion
This step takes 4-hour of infusion in order for the cannabinoids to fully bind to the butter fat. Alternatively you can perform this step on other kinds of fats including olive oil, sesame oil, coconut oil etc.
For butter, it is recommended to use the unsalted one. The longer you infuse butter and cannabis, the stronger the final product will be. The 4 hours infusion gives medium potency to the butter and a non-invasive weed flavor. Add water occasionally during the infusion to prevent burning. As long as the intensity of the fire is low and you keep an eye on the pot, it will hardly burn, but you will have your kitchen invaded by the typical cannabis aroma.
Here the list of the things you will need to prepare your cannabis-infused butter:
- 1½ cups water
- 8 oz. unsalted butter
- ½ oz. decarboxylated cannabis
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Thermometer
- Cheesecloth or mesh strainer
Place a medium saucepan over low heat and add butter together with a small amount of water.
Wait for the butter to melt and add the decarboxylated and chopped weed. Stir gently with the wooden spoon and cover. Leave to cook for 4 hours on very low heat, turning every half hour; add water if necessary. If you have a cooking thermometer, make sure the temperature does not go above 80°C.
At the end, filter everything with the cheesecloth or strainer and pour it into a container. Use immediately or store in an airtight jar, place it in the fridge or freezer for no longer than six months. The next morning if stored in the fridge, you may see a layer of water on top of the butter, don’t worry, you can gently pour the water out of the jar being careful not to spill the butter.
Some tips
Now that your cannabis-infused butter is ready you can indulge yourself with multiple recipes, from cakes to pasta you can explore the effects and flavors of cannabis from your taste buds. How to use weed butter is up to you: there are hundreds of recipes available. You can flavor your butter with sugar, fruit, spices, and aromatic herbs. You can use it for desserts or savory dishes. Some interesting spices are garlic, thyme, basil, chili powder, or pepper. For those with a sweet tooth, we can recommend adding fruit such as orange, lemon, or apple juice, or simply adding sugar, coconut powder, and crushed sweets! But always remember: if it’s your first time using edibles go easy, take the right precautions and don’t overdo it, there’s always time and a way to increase the doses, just because it’s always unpleasant to feel bad!
