What are the most common mistakes when baking edibles?
What else can go wrong when cooking with cannabis?
This article is your edibles making troubleshooting guide. Get familiar with it and you will avoid the marijuana cooking mistakes that regularly trip up cannabis cooks and be well on the road to making potent edibles that also taste great.
And while people most frequently ask “what are the most common mistakes when baking edibles,” know that quality cannabis cooking starts long before you get to the oven. Also, there is far more to cannabis cooking than just baking.
Of course, these tips take those facts into consideration. For more details check out my comprehensive only Cannabis Cooking Course.
Cannabis Cooking Troubleshooting and Common Mistakes When Baking Edibles (in no particular order)
1. Over grinding the plant material when making marijuana butter or cannabis oil.
For some reason the majority of internet sites tell people to finely grind the marijuana being used to infuse marijuana butter or cannabis oil. There is even a commercially made electronic gadget for making marijuana butter and other infusions that includes a built-in electric grinder that you cannot bypass. (Despite its widespread popularity, I am not a fan of of the Magical Butter Machine for this reason.)
I have never understood the advice of finely grinding your weed. Yet I see it repeated almost everywhere!
If you want better tasting edibles, DO NOT FINELY GRIND THE MARIJUANA!What you are extracting, the plant’s resinous trichomes, are ON the buds and leaves not IN them!
All grinding accomplishes is to put more plant material into the finished product which in turn increases green color and unwanted herbal flavors. Read more about preparing cannabis for cooking here.
2. Medicating fat-free foods
Yes, you technically can medicate gummies, honey, hard candies and other fat-free foods, but how these became the public’s go-to food to medicate is beyond me. They are certainly not the best choice by a long shot.
OGs and other long time users know better. When it comes to edibles, cannabis binds to fat and metabolizes better with fat. It just does.
I find if I feel the effects of fat-free edibles at all, they tend to come on quickly (a plus), not last very long (a minus), and leave me with a headache at the end (a very bad thing).
You might react differently, but I know I am not the only one who reports these effects from fat-free edibles.
If you do choose to make fat-free edibles you would do yourself a favor to consume them along with something that does contain fat, for instance coffee with cream. However, I think a better choice is to forego fat free foods entirely. You can medicate most any food, why choose one of the least effective ones?
(PS you CAN successfully make gummies with infused oils, but it takes some insider know-how or else you will end up with an oily mess instead of a delicious gummy. I share all in my Ultimate Guide to Cannabis Gummies online course.)
3. Not decarboxylating the cannabis first.While too much heat will kill your THC, some heat is necessary.
Most people do not realize the raw cannabis plant contains no THC at all. It does contain THC-A (or THC-acid). It takes the process of adding heat or decarboxylation to make the chemical reaction that converts THC-A to THC. I
f you are infusing butter or oil, some decarboxylation is taken care of in the process of infusion, mostly. But lab tests show that even when making infusions, decarbing first will up the percentage of THC extracted. If you are cooking with kief you will need to decarboxylate first. I recommend this step when cooking with hash too, as it can help maximize the THC potency. For more info on decarboxylation, why you need it, and how to do it, see this page.
4. Cooking marijuana at too high a temperature.Generally speaking, lower cooking temperatures are better. Various terpenes will degrade at various temperatures along the way. Furthermore, THC is completely degraded at temperatures in excess of 392 degrees F although it starts to break down long before that.
You will need to pay attention to cooking temperatures when using the infused butter and oils, or when cooking with marijuana concentrates. Do not use infused marijuana oils for direct sautéing for frying.
If you are making something battered, make sure the medicated part is inside the batter as opposed to the coating.
When it comes to baking edibles, there is not much worry about. You can cook at oven temperatures up to 400 degrees F, (or more) as long as the food itself does not get that hot. And it usually doesn’t. For instance a Thanksgiving turkey that roasts for hours in a 350 degree + oven only reaches in internal temperature of 160 degrees.Read more about temperatures in cannabis cooking here.
5. Adding too much cannabis/over medicating.There is no easier way to ingest too much marijuana than by eating it. Sometimes people are impatient and think “it’s not working” and eat more. By the time it all kicks in they have overdone it.
While “overdoses” are not dangerous in that they are never fatal, they won’t shut down your organs, they can make you feel anxious, paranoid, and/or disoriented.
Dosing edibles is somewhat of an art, a lot of factors need to be taken into consideration and people’s tolerances run a wide range. An amount that one person does not even physically feel might be enough to make someone else experience couch-lock for hours. When cooking with marijuana, especially new plant material you are not familiar with, it’s a good idea to vape or smoke a little to get general idea of its potency. Keep in mind that cooking can intensify potency somewhat. If you do find a batch of your edibles is more potent than you intended the remedy is easy – eat less! Learn more about dosing when cooking with marijuana at this link.
6. Adding too little marijuana/undermedicating.I know marijuana is an expensive ingredient and the natural urge is to use as little as possible. But think of it this way, you can always eat smaller portions, but if your batch of edibles does not deliver, there’s no way to avoid disappointment.
I won’t say that you “wasted” the weed as you will still be getting medicinal benefits even if you don’t feel high, but if you were expecting/desiring a buzz and you use too little, then you certainly did not put your plant material to its optimal use.
If you ever find yourself with a weak batch of food, you can eat more.
If you make a batch of infused butter or oil that is less potent than you’d like, you can augment it later by heating gently to dissolve some decarboxylated kief or hash into it before using in recipes. Or you can re-infuse for stronger potency.
7. Not paying attention to servings and portion sizes.If you don’t know how many portions your recipe makes, it will be impossible to determine how much medicine to add. To get a proper dose divide the total amount of cannabis or infused marijuana butter or oil in the entire recipe to achieve an amount that usually works for you. Exercise will power if necessary. My cannabis dosage calculators (see above) can help you do this.
Hash and Kief
8. Improperly Incorporating Concentrates
Cooking with concentrates like hash oils or even kief is a joy. These dissolve almost instantly in warm (and sometimes even cold) liquids. You can can also easily stir them into other ingredients like mayonnaise, yogurt, sour cream and more.
Hash can be a little trickier. It can come in many textures from dry and crumbly to sticky and putty-like.
Dry hash can be sent through a small food processor or coffee grinder to turn it into a fine powder. You can even use a mortar and pestle for this. The sticky variety is best heated in a liquid until it dissolves. Learn more about cooking with hash and kief here.
9. Using too delicate a hand with seasonings.Most people do not like the green herbal flavor of marijuana shining through their foods. Likewise recipes with lots of spices and flavors going on tend to mask this better than delicate and subtle fare. Use as much or a little more seasoning and flavor adding ingredients (such as onion and garlic) when cooking with cannabis than you would if you were cooking without marijuana. Get more tips for improving the flavor of edibles here.
10. Believing gummies, brownies, cookies, and sweets are the only foods suitable as marijuana edibles.The number of people who think that sweets are the only kind of edibles you can make with marijuana consistently amazes me. The fact is, most any food can be infused with cannabis. In fact, it is usually easier to hide the green herbal flavor that most people don’t like in spicy and/or savory foods.
There are lots of terrific cannabis cookbooks on the market to help you expand you cannabis culinary repertoire, including my own Cannabis Gourmet Cookbook. You can also find lots of recipes, both savory and sweet, on this website.
Common Mistakes When Baking Edibles and Cannabis Cooking Troubleshooting Wrap Up
No doubt there are other mistakes you can make. But these are some of the most common. Check out my online Cannabis Cooking course for more details and the answers to many, many more cannabis cooking conundrums.
Learn Cannabis Cooking the Easy Way!
Cheri’s Sicard’s comprehensive online course “Easy Cannabis Cooking for Home Cooks” will turn you (yes even YOU!) into an expert cannabis chef. Harness the power of edible marijuana for long lasting relief from pain, insomnia, anxiety, nausea, and a whole lot more, even if you have never cooked with cannabis before or have gotten less than perfect results in the past. Once enrolled you get life access on all your devices, plus easy email access to Cheri for questions or troubleshooting. Get more details here.
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Hi im kat,
My father in law is baking for the first and ive been showing him what to do but hes burning everything and i just want to know if burning the cookies is burning out the hash?
That is possible if you burn the food, yes. You might have some potency left, if you can take the taste, but likely diminished.
What do u do with the leftover water after the oil sets?? Didn’t know if u can reuse the water at the bottom for other stuf?
I usually just toss the water down the drain or water the garden with it.
Decarb happens in the cook, step 4 not needed, sorry.
If you read the point you would understand that while some decarb happens when you cook, you will get INCREASED potency and maximum extraction if you take the extra step and cook with decarbed material. So no it is not necessary, but my edibles will be stronger than yours for taking the extra step. I have seen the lab tests that prove it. Sorry.
After making several batches of cookies over the past year, in my opinion decarbing your weed before making butter might not be necessary. I noticed a weaker high when eating a decarbed cookie vs and undecarbed cookie. This is all anecdotal but that’s how I feel. The cooking process while making the butter which is a 3 hour long boil and while the cookies are being baked, should be enough. But those cookies jack me up more than any other edible I have ever purchased. I will always make my own.
I am happy you are having good experiences. There are a lot of variables involved and yes a lot decarbs in the process. However, anecdotal evidence aside, lab tests show you will get somewhat more potency if you decarb first.
I am new at cooking what is decarbing
I think there is a link in this article to info, but here it is again!
https://www.cannabischeri.com/featured/marijuana-decarboxylation/
If your using kief and used the oven method i read you do not need to bother with the hours lomg process into butter it said just long enough for it to disolve? So if your skipping decarb process of stove top for hours. Decarbing first is best. But is leaving out the hours long process with kief the right thing or not?
Correct, if you have decarbed your kief, you can dissolve it in the butter and you will be good to go, no need for hours of infusing. You can even forego infusing with kief if you like and just stir it into your recipe. But dissolving in butter or oil first is a convenient way and helps to blend it into the overall recipe easier.
Having read that one can decarb in boiling water by putting the material in a sealed bag. Boil at least 90 mins, as the temp is lower than oven decarbing. Supposedly works great.
Taking this further, I boil coco nut oil a water/oil mix using a screen/steaming pot to hold the material at the bottom of the cookware. Boil it for 2+ hrs (to be sure), cool, refrigerate, separate when very cold.
Works great; boiling process decarbs at a nice low temp, so minimal THC degradation.
You CAN somewhat decarb in boiling water, but it not optimal as it does not get hot enough. The best research on this I have found is 240F for 1 hour.
I decarbed a half ounce of weed at 215° for an hour. Made butter at the lowest setting with 2.5 cups of water, 2 sticks of butter and the half ounce, stirring frequently on the lowest setting. Butter set, i made cookies, and no potency at all were in them. I ate all 12 (being a new user with low tolerance) and i didnt feel a thing from them. Any ideas of what happened?
A few things might be at play here:
1. Your decarb temp is low, try 240 for an hour. More info here
https://www.cannabischeri.com/mary-jane/learning/marijuana-decarboxylation/
2. Your oven temps may be off, many are. That would also effect decarbing and dosing.
3. I don’t know the strength of the cannabis you cooked with or the amount of butter you used in your recipe, but it might be to low a dose for you. Everyone is extremely different when it comes to dosing. And being new does not necessarily have a lot to do with it.
Why does my butter smell like burnt popcorn almost :/
There could be two possible reasons that I would know of. Sometimes decarbed cannabis can take on a bit an of a toasty aroma, this is normal and should not affect the potency. Or your butter might be getting too hot and browning, this might or might not affect potency, depending on how hot it gets.
Cheri,
Ok we are a new company delving into the whole making edibles.
We decarb at 240f then we put the 2oz of decarbed flower in the mighty fast for the 90 min cycle
Then we make cookies and brownies and the lab reaults just arent there?
We are cokking at about 340f
Any help? Ideas?
Sorry, I have no idea what the Mighty Fast is, I assume some sort of gadget? Try infusing longer and slower in a slow cooker and see if that helps (https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/making-and-using-cannabis-infused-butter-and-oil/). This article also goes over issues that affect potency and what you can do about it.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/ask-cheri/increase-potency-of-marijuana-edibles/
What happens if cook the weed in alcohol for 8 hours 230 f in a magic butter maker. I press the wrong temperature
I do not use the MBM, I am not a fan, so not sure about their temps. That sounds like too long at too high a temp, so you might have burned off some of what you want, but I suspect it still has some potency, so I would try it and see how you feel.
Cheri,
I noticed that when I bake the cookies they are more potent if hot. Right out of the oven is the best high. When they are cooled, they are not as potent. I heat them in the microwave for 10 sec before I eat them for the best results.
Is there a reason for this or is this typical?
I do decard when making my cannabutter too.
There should be no reason that would be. Perhaps it has to do with when you were eating them or how much (or little) you ate before them, but hot out of the oven should have no effect.
Definitely helps no doubt have done both ways myself and way more potent if decarb first
You do not need water when cooking with oil in slowcooker, I would recommend only using it if you have to cook on stove top.
You do not NEED to have water, but I recommend you DO use water for the reasons I state, temperature regulation and to help leach out some of the green flavor and color. You have your methods and while you are entitled to your opinion, these are the tried and true methods that I recommend, you can take them or leave them.
Hi, I used 15g of quality stuff here in Hawaii, 2 cups coconut organic oil and 2 tablespoons of litchen granules. Spelled in wrong. Anyways I decarb in the oven for 30 min at 240, put everything in crock pot on a low for most the day and keep warm for some sitting occasionally. I cooked for 10 hours strained and chilled. Used it later that the next day in brownies and cookies adding 1/2 cup to a gluten free brownie mix, and and 3/4 cup to chocolate cookies. I ate two cookies. It only felt a little bit but I was high all day. Should this be enough for decent edibles or will I have to eat a lot?
There is no one answer to what constitutes a “decent edible.” If it made you feel good and you were happy with the amount you felt, then it was a decent edible. Doing a calculation based upon marijuana containing 20% THC, your half cup of oil likely contains about 750mg THC. Divide that by the number of cookies to get an approximate per cookie dose. (The government says average weed is 10%, since you have what I assume is good Hawaiian, I figured it at 20%).
Coming soon we will have a free online class on figuring dosage along with a free calculator tool. Stay tuned!
FREE Online Dosing class is here. Sign up at http://cannabischeri.teachable.com
Stirring not sitting
Thank you for the article. I have been infusing my coconut oil without adding water in it. I am frightened on adding water as I’m not sure how to effectively separate the two. I understand it will separate, but what is the best way for separating? I am using a crock pot. Thanks again.
Adding water is entirely optional. But separating coconut oil is easy as, like butter, it solidifies when cold, so you can just lift off the layer of oil.
But what if you are using mct coconut oil that is always in liquid form and is not to be refrigerated?
You can use MCT Oil and skim off water from the top. However, using water is optional, so you can also infuse without it.
My next batch today will be 23g for 1 1/2 cups oil and same granules
Thanks
I’ve made a few batches of butter with great results. This time tho it doesn’t seem to be separating. Two of the jars separated bit the other 4 are still liquid. Is there a way to save it?
When you say separate, do you mean from water you added while infusing? If so there had to be something different. Give me a little more detail please.
Well since my last comment I am on my Third batch. And yes. Adding water is great advice. So I take back what I said. I have question tho. When making brownies the oven is set at 350C and takes about 25 min. Am i losing any THC? That heat is not high enough right?
You should be fine with a 350 degree oven temp as the inside of the brownies themselves do not get that hot.
I have been a few batches of High THC cookies when I started making “vegan” cookies for a few friends.Simply put.I used clarified unsalted butter.Well with little extra moisture,I burnt the bottoms of the 1st batch.So I figured.I would try 1,It fucked me up,But tated burnt.The next batch.I said fuck it & cooked them for less time.BIG DIFFERENCE..In cookies,hey will reach the 350 F temp & you will start burning off your THC.BUT in Brownies,which are thicker & moister,the inside doesn’t reach 350 F,so you don’t burn any THC off…When I’m ready to make cookie ONLY ,I decarb my bud at 240 for 20-30 minutes in a Pyrex (name brand- I use a glass pie pan).COVER with foil.Check at 25mins.Then ever 5 minutes.Do not go over 45 mins.Leave to cool COVERED in the glass pan.THUS when cooking,the bud will finish decarbing.FOR ANYTHING ELSE THRN COOKIES….ITS 240 FOR 30-40 MINS,,CHECKING AT 30 MINUTES,45 TOPS .after 45 minutes,you’re burning it off.Beening doing this this was for over 30yrs.
Thank you so very much Roger…Great information. I am sending you a Big Kiss…. Best of health for all of us.
dang man. I have been using a half ounce of high quality buds to only 1 cup of oil (olive). Maybe I should be putting more oil?
That is an individual call. That will make some potent oil or butter. That, in my opinion, is good as you only need a little bit to get the proper dose.
How do you know when your batch is done?
sorry for spamming the comment section here but it’s 2:30am and i am SOOOO tired. I have had a batch on now for 8 hours. No idea when it’s done so that brings me to my question. And i been licking the spoon and i am high asf
Not spam if you are asking questions, so no problem. Some people simmer for hours and hours and you can, but it is not necessary. A hour or two on the stovetop is good, 4 or so in the slow cooker. You can let it go longer but you will have extracted what you need by that point.
Awesome man. thanks for replying. I’m taking in as much as i can. I was thinking tho. And tell me if this is a good idea or not. When it comes time to strain your batch threw cheese cloth, why not have some hot water handy (boiled but cooled slightly) and poor it over your weed that’s in the cheese cloth to wash it out good. would that work out?
Yes, I talk about doing this in the instructions for making butter and oil on this page.
Is there any “easy” way to find out how much THC is in a batch. Like right down to a piece of brownie? We did have the weed tested that i have been using and it is at 21%.
Coming soon, stay tuned.
please help me with this confusion. Ideally, decarboxylation takes place at a temperature just over 200 for about just under an hour. This is accomplished in boiling water, which reaches and maintains about 212 degrees. So if I boil the herb at that temp for an hour, isn’t that decarboxylating it? Why do it in the oven first and then do it again in the saucepan? What am I missing?
Thanks
For making butter or oil, this is true, you will have completely decarbed. But when cooking with hash and kief, taking the extra step to decarb will yield a better potency.
oh I just reread the post and I see where you say just what I said above. The decarboxylation is achieved during the infusion process of making cannabutter on the stovetop. Thanks for a great post.
I took some dried bubble hash and baked it. Now that it has cooled, how long will the hash stay good if I put it in a plastic bag and suck the air out and
seal it? Thanks
It should last more or less indefinitely. Esp when stored in a cool dark place.
I made butter that is weak can i do anything at this point. Also the water i added turned to mud, whats up with that. The butter looked great just weak and i worry about the mud issue
In answer to the first question, yes. You can add some concentrates like decarboxylated kief or hash to augment it, or you can make an extra strong batch of butter then add this to it.
As to “mud” I would have had to see it to be sure what the cause is. Was there dirt or roots in the mix? Actual dirt should be gently washed off – gently you don’t want to remove trichomes. If not, it sounds like maybe the plant material was too finely ground. I know a lot cooks recommend grinding the plants finely (and the Magic Butter Machine does it automatically). But I have found it is better to just rough grind as if you were rolling a joint, or even just crumble the plant material with your fingers. What you are trying to extract is ON the plant, not within it, and I find that over grinding just adds extra plant material and green taste to the final product.
Hope this helps.
Great Thread Cannabis Cheri. I have a question. My lady didn’t agree with me cook a batch of butter and oil. So I had to shut down after cook 3 to for hours. I put the oil and butter in mAson jars. They have been out going on 24Hrs and stil haven’t been strained. Can the butter and oil still be used if reheated and strained? Thank you for your help and response.
Sure, no problem!
I take huge offense with your assumption that people don’t like the taste of weed
, if you don’t like the taste of weed you should stay the fuck away from it!
It tastes glorious its a creation that was made by mother Gaia the mother of our planet
and it is a gift to us to be savored and enjoyed ! When I make a butter I want people to know there’s weed in it I want it to be green I wanted to be smelly and I wanted to taste like something , I think personally you’re confusing the details of *smoking weed with the details of *eating weed yes chloroform and all that other stuff you mentioned is very bad when it comes to smoking like if you were making a hash or an extract you would definitely want to use a method that results in fewer of these but when it comes to cooking those things are good for you they have tremendous health value and you’re only screwing Yourself by cutting out the flavor and the health benefits. you’re coming across like some kind of a Stoner burn out the way your talking about this stuff .
I am not confusing anything and you can choose to “take offense” all you like, but the FACT is MOST people do not like the taste of weed in their food. I get emails from people every day and talk to the public about this day in and day out at my classes, and most people cite flavor as one of the big reasons they do not like edibles. If you like the taste, have a party, nobody is stopping you, it is very easy to make medibles that taste like weed. But this is NOT the effect most people are going for. You can get plenty of medicinal effects without tasting a prominent flavor of cannabis, and your personal preferences aside, this is what the majority of cannabis cooks are looking for.
Well said, and I think we can chalk the name calling up to a classic case of projection who’s really the stoner here hmmm
All right perhaps stoner burnouts a bit harsh of a term but it’s a good vintage term ! ????at any rate I would like to know if decarbing is necessary if you have a finished product like bag weed, that you plan to turn into butter?
Not a bit harsh. Ridiculous. I take offense to that. That said, I will still answer your question. Is it absolutely necessary to decarb first before making butter or oil or other long slow cooking infusions? No. But is it desirable? Yes. Lab tests show you will extract a bit more potency by doing so.
My understanding and my experience with decarbing and infusing in butter and oil is this. The minimum temp for decarb s/b 220 and most crockpots don’t reach that temp nor does boiling water. It is true that you will get some decarb going with just infusing the plant material but not as efficiently as if you decarb first. I’ve made butters without decarbing because I really wanted the outcome that you get from that process but the butter is never as potent without decarbing first. Also bought a home testing kit and tested the butters without decarb and with decarb and the without decarb was only about 15% of the potency.
As I state in the article, I recommend 240 F degrees for 1 hour.
Hi my question is different but j hope you can answer it. I have a slow cooker that I let someone borrow to make butter in. It has been washed. Is it ok to use to cook my regular family meals and potluck foods without worry of left over residue interfering. I would hate to bring something to a potluck or my young children and they have marijuana in it.
As long as you washed it well, you have nothing to worry about you. You do not need a special separate slow cooker. I love kitchen items that multi task and the slow cooker is a great one for cannabis cooks. It’s handy for everyday meals but also great for making cannabis infusions. No need for special gadgets or machines.
Alright I worded that poorly really I just take offense to people not liking the taste of cannabis , the way I see it if you don’t like the taste of Mary Jane get the fudge out! ” it’s funny because I often make fudge…:) so you’re saying I should decarb a finished product like it’s already been dried and cured and all that good stuff it would benefit me to de-carb that? And thanks for fast reply!
I love the taste of smoked or vaped cannabis. I do not like the taste of it in my food. Most people do not, but I know a handful of folks who do. But from a culinary/flavor profile/foodie perspective, most often the flavor of cannabis does not enhance most recipes. Your taking offense to this is the equivalent of getting mad at someone because they don’t like the flavor of broccoli, or beer, or whatever. It’s just silly. If you like it, more power to you, cannabis cooking is a whole lot easier for you. But most of my readers do not like a strong cannabis flavor in their food and neither do I.
As to decarbing, I am not sure I am understanding you correctly. I am saying you will benefit by decarbing your plant material (or kief or hash) before making marijuana butter or oil with it. Yes you can make it without decarbing first, but you will extract a bit more more potency by taking the extra step to decarb first. Hope this helps.
Hi i have a pre made cookie mix at home and some bud usually i mix my weed in a pot with butter on the hob for 10-15 mins then add the mixture straight into cookie mix, mix up and stick in oven is this method ok? Just for one batch of cookies i dont really have time for the lengthy process of making cannabutter etc
Anything that works for you is OK. If you get good results and are happy, then it is OK. That said, is it the best and most effective method? Probably not.
Are you straining the plant material out of your butter at least? That step alone will improve flavor. What is the HOB sorry not sure what that means? You can cook on the stovetop, but direct heat can present challenges as it is possible to get too hot so make sure the setting is low and you stir often. I would infuse longer than 10 to 15 minutes too for maximum potency and be sure to decarb your plant material first as well. The process of making cannabutter can be lengthy but not difficult. If you use a slow cooker you can set it and forget it. Making a larger batch of butter or oil is also handy as you can keep extra in the freezer to use anytime you want it.
Hi Cheri, first of all great post really informative!
About two weeks ago I made a batch of cannabutter and the day after that I cooked some chocolate brownies, I ate 2 of them and the effects were really strong, it took me the whole next day to fully recover myself. Two days after that I ate half a brownie and this time the experience was more mellow and enjoyable.
I stored the remaining brownies in a ziploc bag at room temperature, as they were very dry they were not spoiled. I took them out yesterday and gave all of them to my friend, he ate 2, but the thing is he didn´t experienced almost nothing, only mild hunger, that´s it.
Is it possible that after 10 days the THC loses effect? I don’t know, perhaps the well-stored butter keeps the active ingredient (THC) in perfect condition but the cooked product does not. Is this possible?
Does THC loses its strength after beeing cooked and prepared for a few days? I consult you because I havent found any information about this anywhere online.
Or maybe my friend has a much higher tolerance than me?
There could be any number of reasons for this, but your edibles losing potency is not one of them. Here are some possible reasons:
1. If the batter did not get evenly mixed, some pieces might be more potent than others. I have even found this to be the case with some commercially made edibles.
2. The edges and corners of the pan tend to decarboxylate more, which can make these pieces more potent.
3. How much you had to eat before eating brownie can affect how profoundly you feel its effects. So can the time of day you ate it, how much, if any, marijuana you smoked or vaped prior, and other factors that might influence your metabolism that day.
4. Your friend’s ideal dosage could be drastically different than yours.
However, THC should not lose potency with time. Hope this helps.
I recently got into making brownies, I’ve made about three batches in total, the most recent of which was the most potent with a 2″ by 2″ square giving me a nice strong (borderline paranoid) high, but it’s still a lot of guess work on how I can maximize potency.?
: I used a canibus grinder before using a mortar and pestle to finely grind the canibus.
Q: should I even bother with the mortar and pestle???
: I simmered the butter & canibus for 30 pluse 10 min.
Q: should I cook for longer? Shorter?
: I’ve used only disposable aluminum pans.
Q: should I use glass???
Thoughts?
Hello Dee,
While your methods are not the ones I use or teach, there are many methods and if what you are doing works for you, who am I to argue? For me, I do not infuse over direct heat (preferring to use a slow cooker or double boiler) as it is easy for things to get too hot and I have heard from many readers who ruined a good batch of weed. Of course, if you are careful it can be done.
I am the only person I know of who does not recommend you finely grind your weed. I do not understand whay so many people are obsessed with finely grinding the plant material. What you are trying to extract is ON the plant, not in it. The more grinding, the more plant particulate in your food and the yuckier the flavor, IMO. I use a coarse hand grinder or my fingers to break up the plant material, no more.
The disposable pans get hotter on the bottom and sides, which can be a good thing in that these pieces may decarboxylate more, on the reverse, it is easy for them to get too hot if you are not careful. Obviously it can be done, I like glass as it conducts the heat more evenly, but I do not believe the type of pan to be crucial for the results.
Hope this helps,
Cheri
Hello, Cheri!!
I, like you, do not crumble or grind my plant material, same reason; what I want to capture is on it, not in it. I make only butter, currently, but over the years have made lots of things.
As far as straining, I use a spatter screen (normally used over frying pans to stop spatter, they have a much finer weave than a strainer or screen colander). Just put it over the top of a pan and pour. Easiest way I’ve found and I lose way less oil than using any kind of fabric. After it stops dribbling, I press it, then pour boiling water through it and let drain then press again. Of course, anyone can rinse it as many times as they want, but one additional drain this way usually ends up with very little oil in the drained liquid, so I only do the one. I heat the water and oil again on a low heat, only up to a low boil, which mixes the oils, then shut it off and let it cool, gently transfer to fridge. When it is solid, lift it off the water and I have a translucent butter, very little color, almost no plant material because it settles, along with any other solids, on the bottom of the pan. If, by some chance, it comes out dark with material, it can be put in a half-gallon or so of water and heated again to a low boil, then shut off and left to settle and cool once more. Fridge it, when it’s solid, even cleaner butter.
My brother always used cheesecloth and complained about the material in his butter (still ate it, though) Squeezing the wad in the cheesecloth, he was pushing material through it. While staying with me, he watched me process mine, saw how clean it came out and tried the spatter screen method when he got home. Success!
I only reheat once for my own use. But, as you say, many people won’t like the color, or the taste. They can refine like this ’til they’re happy with it.
Thanks for your site. You write well and are so patient with your respondents, I’d feel like blowing off the argumentative ones. They don’t seem to get that you are sharing information you have found to be accurate, not looking for a debate.
Thanks for the kind words and the brilliant straining idea. Very clever and resourceful.
Hi Cheri
I’m planing my first attempt at making edibles, I’ll be using coconut oil.
Firstly, I’m wondering, do I really need to use a double boiler to avoid burning, or could I use a candy thermometer and a heat mat if necessary. I’m using a gas stove top BTW.
Secondly, what would be the ideal temperature have the to have the oil simmer at?
Thirdly, will one cup of oil be sufficient to absorb a 1/2 ounce of 15-20% THC bud?
Cheers
Tim
Hi, Congratulations on making your first batch! The short answer is yes, you need a double boiler. I will tell you that coconut oil on the double boiler is not the simplest method. It does require you to watch the infusion that it does not get too hot or too thick, as moisture will escape during the process, thickening your infusion. Also be certain to not let the water boil off in the bottom vessel. A candy thermometer will definitely come in handy to ensure your infusion temps stay below 180 degrees (I like 140 or so). Personally, I recommend using a crock pot or slow cooker. You don’t have to watch it all the time like you do with a double boiler and you can be sure your temps will not get too high. I go over both these methods in detail in my Cannabis Cooking For Home Cooks course. You should check it out.
Yes 1 cup of oil is fine for 1/2 ounce of starting material.
Thanks Cheri for the reply,
I’ll give the course a look in the near future. In the mean time is that 140 Celsius or Fahrenheit?
Cheers
Tim
140 F more or less in the top boiler.
Hey Cheri.
Love your stuff. Very helpful.
My question to you is this….
I am slow cooking da herb in a crockpot.
Is 209° for 2 hours suffectante?
Using butter w a cup of h20.
I appreciate the imput.
Devon
While I usually let it go longer, that should be sufficient, esp if you decarbed your cannabis first.
I have an ardent lift (for decarboxalation) I feel as if it over does it? It runs for about 2 hours, and claims that it’s a perfect decarb everytime. 2 hours seems a bit long. Also when I have used trim, I notice the thc % is a little bit too low. Or has at times tested at 0% (using the tcheck device) I am aware that flower bears much stronger results. .should I stick to flower for streng?
the base oil I use is fractioned coconut oil. Also I use the Levo oil infuser. I’ve tried the stove top double boiler, aso well as, the crock pot methods
Any thoughts or advice..?
SInce I have no t lab tested after using the Ardent Lyft, I can’t say for sure how well it works, but mine seems to work fine. It does take longer than what I typically do in the oven, but it seems to work. I have no idea what the tcheck device is, but I do know that home testing is wildly inaccurate (so much so as to be useless), so don’t know as you should much stock in the 0% cause that does not seem right. I use trim all the time, it’s great economical cooking material. Using trim should not be an issue at all. The slow cooker, with water added, is my personal favorite way of infusing oil or butter. Hope this helps.
Hi Cheri!
Amazed and thankful you’ve been answering this thread for over a year. I’ve made a few batches of butter in my day and have never decarbed in the oven. Super potent butter achieved but always in the slowcooker or double boiler for around 12 hours stirring every 30 min or so. Clearly this is a time consuming process leading me to making batches only once or 12 a year if that. A friend of mine brought over a batch of cookies she said took her about 1:45 total with the decarb process that were damn good and almost as potent as mine using same quality/amounts of green. I’m baking cookies this week and I want to try decarbing but I’m worried about letting go of my tried and true method. Would decarbing at 215 and infusing in the slow cooker for 8 hours be ok or overkill? I’d love to get better results or the same with less prep time.
Yes, I cook for even less time (usually about 4 hours) in the slow cooker after decarbing and get great results. It does not need to take that long. That used to be the conventional wisdom, but we have since learned it is just not necessary. Best of luck!
Hello from the Yukon Territory. I’m a senior citizen and relatively new to this edibles game. I’ve started growing my own, outdoors, without too much fanfare. My plants (about 1/2 doz) make a few buds, that are far from high quality. All I do is dry my plants, grind them up in a food processor till close to the consistency of flour, and make small cookies. I use a half teaspoon for measuring the batter–cute little green ovals. My niece and I call them “beetles”. I’m happy with the buzz I get, and it helps with a few aches and pains I get from my senior age, but reading here and elsewhere, I see there is a lot more to the science behind it all. I’m also realizing that a lot of you may find it perhaps crude that I just cook with the pot the way I do, but I’m happy with the simplicity, and will probably continue with this method. However, do I deduce correctly, that my finished product will be better if I heat my dried and ground pot first in the oven, for 20 minutes at 250 degrees, before I make my beetles?
Hi Jimmy, I first want to tell you that you are doing nothing wrong. If what you are doing works for you then that’s great. After telling me where you live and how you make your medicine proves to me that all the gadgets and gizmos out there to “properly” infuse your edibles are really unnecessary. The short answer to your question is, yes you can gain a bit of THC by decarboxylating your cannabis first. However, because you bake your cookies, there is some decarbing going on during that process too. But decarbing, before you cook with it, won’t hurt. My method is to place the cannabis in an oven safe baking dish, cover and put in the oven for 20 minutes at 240 degrees. That’s it. To answer your 2nd question, Yes, using your niece’s oven where you have control over your temps will help ensure proper decarboxylation and cooking of your “beetles.”
One more point I should make. I live in the bush, and only have a wood cookstove to do my baking in. The oven temperature is hard to control, and I realize now that that is an important consideration. So in future, I’ll do my baking in town at my niece’s place, in an electric oven where I can control the temperature better. So if you suggest that I should heat my pot first for 20 min (decarbing, I guess), then can you suggest what temp, and for how long I should bake the little critters? Thanks in advance for your help. A very informative site!
I have a medical cannabis syringe 1 ml of pure concentrated Indicol B Pure Oil that I want to infuse into no cook fudge. CANNABINOID POTENCY: THC-A: 7.90mg (0.79%), THC: 811.90mg (81.19%), About 82% THC. Have been searching internet and there are no recipes using this type of oil. (initial use was to vape in concentrated cartridge) I am new to this and have a few questions that I can not find answers to. 1) This oil does not have to be heated to “decarb” because the oil has all the THC has all been delivered? 2) For dosing I would like to have the average 10-15 mg thc dose per piece. I have no idea how to divide 1 ml into 15 mg doses or how much to use of this syringe. The online calculators all use cannabutter and leaf ratios. Figured the pure oil would be easier. The more I look the more links I go to and the more confused I get. 3) Stirring this oil in thoroughly will incorporate it evenly and on average each piece will have the same amount of THC?
While I am here I would also like to ask about making tinctures and butter. The prescriptions I have for medical marijuana all have exact potency ratios. They have been tested and calculated. Once I decarb the leaf, and add it to the 190 proof Everclear, shake and sit for 5-10 days, strain and bottle. How do I dose it using eye dropper method? Ex: If I use leaf that is 30% THC and decarb it to extract all the THC? Is this potion 30% THC tincture or roughly close if I do it correctly? According to what ratio? For example, there are 50 drops in the bottle. How much THC is in one drop? ( 30% divided by 50? ) Or is each drop 30% ? I am so confused!! I know you have to test it on yourself a drop at a time and just see how it makes you feel.
Anyway, if you could answer these I will feel much safer knowing I am not dosing too much. Smoking /vaping is so much easier !! Lung issues has forced me into turning it all into edibles.. Thank you for considering my questions.
You don’t find recipes for this kind of oil because when we talk about oil for cooking, this is NOT what is being referred to. FECO oil is sticky and messy and while you can cook with it, I usually don’t as there are better and more economical ways. For future reference please see Clearing Up the COnfusion Over Cannabis Oil at
https://www.cannabischeri.com/mary-jane/learning/clearing-the-confusion-over-cannabis-oil/
1. From what you said of the contents on the label it would appear this has already been decarbed.
2. 1 ml and 1 gram are the same (liquid vs volume) so as it is 82% you have 820 mg THC, so the whole amount would be 820 then divide by your number of servings.
3. This kind of oil is not the easiest to cook with (nor the most affordable). It will be impossible to evenly distribute it as is. I would gently heat it to dissolve it in another cooking oil or butter, stir to evenly combine, then put that in your recipe.
Tinctures: The method for figuring the dosing is the same for tinctures as it would be when calculating for making butter or oil. Take my free dosing class and if you still have questions get back to me. Find it at http://www.Cannademy.com.
Next time consider making a cannabis infused cooking oil and I think you will be happier and it will be easier. Find directions here
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/how-to-make-marijuana-oil-stovetop-and-slow-cooker-methods/
Find infused butter making instructions here
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/making-and-using-cannabis-infused-butter-and-oil/
Wow! Thank you for answering so fast Cheri! Appreciate it! You mentioned distributing the thick FECO into a medium to distribute it more evenly. Instead of a sauce pan should I use a pyrex measuring cup above a small pot of boiling water ( a makeshift double boiler) so the oil never gets above boiling temp 212 , so there wont be any chance of destroying potency?
820 mg per syringe.. at 15 mg per dose/piece of edible (can always eat more after an hour instead of being miserable and taking too much from start). Yikes that’s 55 doses.. Woah thanks for clearing this up for me and saving me or someone else from feeling very miserable.
Will use 1/4 of syringe and cut recipe into 14 pieces the first time..
Can’t thank you enough Cheri!
You are most welcome. The double boiler should work well. Best of luck!
I’ve used distillate for cooking and had amazing results. Seeing as how the distillate is already decarbed, I used a double boiler. I used 2 cups of unrefined coconut oil. I dissolved the oil in the double boiler then added the distillate. Simply let it melt in to the oil for about 10 minutes on a low temp. Some of the strongest edibles I have ever made.
That is an option and if you like it go for it. I personally do not like distillates or isolates and always prefer whole plant medicine.
Hello, I’m making butter for the 1st time. So far I’ve followed several people’s advice to get me this far. You stated to death the product at 250° for 20 min. I was told to do it at 240 for 90min. Did i kill my product and had zero potency butter?
And I’m noticing that the butter produces moisture in the container it sits on. Is this normal? How do I remove moisture or prevent or dro m happening?
Thank you for any advice.
You probably did not kill your potency, although I don’t believe that long is necessary for decarbing. But as you have said, different people have different methods.
Did you cook the butter with water? If so sometimes you will have residual water left after straining. I strain and then heat gently to remove any residual water as it can cause mold if left for long periods, then do a secondary straining to get rid of any other sediment. If you did not add water to the mix, I am not sure where it would be coming from.
Hope this helps.
hello!
I have made cannabis-infused butter many times with inconsistent results. I always start with a ration of 454g of unsalted butter and 28 grams of cannabis. I boil 6 cups of water or so then add the butter and the ground cannabis (i grind it by hand using a manual grinder) and reduce heat, letting it simmer for 3-5 hours. Strain through a cheese cloth and let cool over night.
I bake ina garten’s outrageous brownies using the entire pound of butter, 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The recipe yields 20 hefty space cakes!
My issue is how INCONSISTENT my brownies have been. In the last 4-5 years I’ve made 8-10 batches of brownies, mostly done the same way (except once with a slow cooker and once i included a 40 minute oven decarb step vis a vis laurie wolf/the cannabist recipe) that have ranged from completely catatonic and narcotic, like debilitating. People with little to no tolerance have vomited from eating half of one. I smoke every day, including extracts and flower, for about 12 years and even i’ve been completely Fuzzed out to the point where i sleep and then wake up and i’m still FUZZED OUT! However, I’ve also made brownies that were totally delicious but completely sucked.
I’m wondering where I’m going wrong… could it be that the quality of my cannabis is inconsistent? maybe 28g flower/454g butter is only ideal for 26%-33% strains while if my strain is only 17%, should i double the recipe?
I’m just curious about the inconsistencies in my brownies! When done correctly, they TRULY are outrageous…
thank you very much!
Yes, your inconsistency likely has to do with different types of cannabis. If you take my free dosing class, use the formula there to estimate the THC of each batch, that way you can adjust your recipe to get consistent dosing result. Give the class a watch and let me know if you still have questions. http://www.Cannademy.com
Hi, I already made oil and every time I use it, it tastes so weedy it’s almost unbearable (very potent however). Could I put that oil back in a pot with some water and mix it around for a while to take out some of the taste? Also, will this take out some of the thc into the water?
I use water when I make the butter to help with this (no water does not take out any THC). With oil that is already made, I don’t think heating again with water will help. Try to use it for extremely strongly flavored foods (like lots o garlic, etc.) in order to mask the flavor.
I hope this hasn’t already been asked, but what are your thoughts on using lecithin to make a stronger more potent butter. True or hogwash?
I don’t know if it is hogwash or not but I have never found it necessary and I personally don’t use it
I have a question!!!!
I made canna oil with 1 oz of flower and 32 oz jar of unrefined coconut oil. I forgot to put water in the mix and now it looks super green. Should I reheat and add water? Or leave it as is?
If I leave it as is will the weed/ plant taste be too much? I don’t want to experiment without knowing this as all these ingredients were expensive.
Adding water is optional not mandatory. I would not reheat with water at this point. Stain the plant material off, if you haven’t already. If there is a lot of sediment in the bottom you can optionally reheat gently over low heat and further strain through a mesh yogurt strainer to further clarify it, but again it is optional. Will it taste too weedy? That is a personal preference but it should likely be OK, especially if you use it in highly seasoned foods that have lots of other flavors going on (a coconut curry perhaps?). Good luck.
Can you activate thc AFTER you have cooked with it?
I guess you technically could, but depending on what the food is you may burn or ruin the food. Deacarboxylating involves adding heat and the best heat is a low temperature over a longer period of time. So some already prepared foods will work better than others for this. But it is best to decarb first. Now even if you missed this step, depending on how the food was prepared it likely will have decarbed some in the process of cooking. And the non-converted THC-A, the non-psychoactive form of THC present in the raw plant, has important medicinal benefits in its own right. So even though you might not have the potency you hoped for, you will still be getting medicinal benefits.
Can you use hash or Kief for flour? Like use less or half flour,half hash or Kief and still get a good looking cookie? Or will it melt and act weird? Sorry I don’t really know can’t find anything on flour/keif discussion and pretty new to baking in general! Lolol! But thank you to anyone in advanced for helping!!
No! That would be disastrous. Hash and kief are NOTHING like flour. You can make your regular cookie recipe with the regular amount of flour and simply stir in an appropriate amount of finely ground decarboxylated kief or hash that will give you the dose you are seeking into your batter and bake as usual. But hash and kief are by no means a substitute for flour.
Any recipes using kief to make canna oil?
I have a lot of recipes that use kief, but I don’t bother making butter or oil as you can simply stir the decarbed kief directly into the recipe (saves time, same effects).
Hi This is one of my fave articles so far on cooking. I am just about to try all this the first time. I have a very pretty plant I grew and she is ready to start drying. Can I take a small amount of the bud after a couple of days of drying and decarb it before its all the way dried and cured and use it? Thanks again for answering the questions. I was able to read through and other people asked the same things I would.
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, as long as you decarboxylate first, you can cook with your fresh/uncured plant and you should have success. Good luck onyour first try.
Just last night, I undertook the entire process on my own for the first time! Decarbing went very well but I forgot to use a double boiler to infuse with coconut oil. When I got up this morning, the mixture was sitting at 310 degrees and had been at that temp for about 6 hours.
Do you think this batch will be of any value? It’s currently draining through cheesecloth and I’ll be trying it tonight.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts you might be able to offer me!
Cheers!
Chris
Sitting on the stovetop? If the infusion itself is that hot, you probably have comprised some of the cannabinoids and terpenoids, but there could be some left, so I would not toss it (at least not without trying it first). If you find it has some potency, you can always augment this with decarbed kief, hash or hash oil.
There are so many thoughts on how to decarb weed, just trying to figure out the best, most efficient method. Right now I’d like to try baking with the leafy material, no buds. What are your thoughts on the ratio of product to butter, how long to decarb and cook. Keep in mind I have a Magical Butter machine whose basic instructions, for butter, is 160 degrees for 2 hours after decarbing at 250 degrees for 30 minutes. It also specifically recommends not to use water during the butter making process. Generally, I’ve used 1 oz of bud to 2 lbs. of unsalted butter using this process but now I’d like to try leaf. Any suggestions before I get started? Woofy
Find my thought s on decarbing at this link
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/marijuana-decarboxylation/
Ratios and amounts are a personal thing. The recipes on this site use 1/2 ounce per cup of butter, for myself i usually use double that amount. Take my free dosing class to learn more at http://www.Cannademy.com. I am not a fan of the Magical Butter Machine and do not recommend it as I do not recommend finely grinding your plant material and machine forces you to do that.
I did forget to add that when straining the end product, I find the best and neatest method is to use a French Press. Works much better than cheese cloth or other recommended methods. When done just discard the “hockey puck!”
Hi Cheri, what a lovely human you are, still replying to people 2 years on!
So I’m going to *try* making some oil, I have cancer, and I also desperately need to get sleep to feel better in general so THC is the way to go.
In the U.K. I can get 30ml thc oil (unnamed Indica) with 125mg (20%) THC in for £85, or buy 3.5 ounces of 9lb Hammer for around £50. I don’t know if you could hazard a guess as to whether making my own would be more cost effective, but I’m guessing it would be. Chemo fog has rendered me incapable of basic logic skills, but saying that, you’re not my math teacher so don’t worry if you’ve no idea!
I’m also a bit worried about the decarb process. I have an oldish gas oven that is very inconsistent in temperature, it’s impossible to bake a cake in it due to temp fluctuations and areas that get hotter than others. This doesn’t seem like a wise move for decarboxylation as I’ve read that temperature fluctuations can lead to an inconsistent/low THC content?
I’ll have to buy a slow cooker, should I get one with variable temperature? Is there any way I could bake/dry decarb in a small glass dish inside the slow cooker, if I buy a decent one I feel confident will remain at a constant temperature?
I’ve got some MCT coconut oil for terpene dilution, would I be able to use this? Or is butter better because it solidifies and I can remove the water.
So many variables, I just want to get this right as I don’t have money to waste by poor technique. Hopefully I’ll feel confident enough to go through with it…
Thank you so much, I know I’ve asked a lot of questions but you are awesome! I couldn’t help myself 🙂 🙂
Hi Joanna, No problem asking questions, that’s what I am here for. Without running the numbers, I would venture to say making your own is less expensive. I ran the numbers on US flowers versus edibles in the US and the results are in this article
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/the-economics-of-marijuana-edibles-to-buy-or-make-it-yourself/
A slow cooker is my favorite way, but you could also infuse on the stovetop in a double boiler (it just takes more babysitting). If you are going to buy a slow cooker temp variables are good to have for sure. I like the Hamilton Beach Stay and Go slow cooker because it clamps closed so you don’t get any kitchen odor while cooking. An Instant Pot on the slow cooker setting is also great and is versatile for other things (does the work of 8 or 9 different appliances) and also no odor while cooking.
MCT oil is fine, you can infuse any kind of edible fat (also other foods too like milk, cream, honey etc. I go into all of these in my online cooking course).
Decarbing…. it sounds like your oven is not going to cut it for that. The slow cooker, unfortunately, does not get hot enough to properly do the job. I even tried under pressure in my Instant Pot and it only worked so-so. I don’t imagine you have a sous vide machine, most people don’t, but if you did this would work. It is basically a boil in bag but very temperature controlled. The other solution is a bit pricey, but I do like the Ardent decarboxylator as it takes away all the guesswork and gives perfect results every time (enter the coupon code CANNACHERI and $30 bucks off, thanks to the reader who asked for a discount code cause the company gave me one http://bit.ly/cheri-ardent). You can read my review of this gadget at https://www.cannabischeri.com/lifestyle/reviews/cannabis-product-reviews-ardent-decarboxylator-nova/ .
I hope this covered all the questions, if not ask again!
Thank you Cheri, you’re so helpful!
To buy the Ardent will cost about 130 dollars to ship it to the U.K. and added import tax, so out of my price range unfortunately, but I’d LOVE to have one!
So I’ve found this on Amazon UK, it goes up to 240 degrees and The temp might be pretty even as it’s small, I’m presuming anyway…
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-James-Multi-Camping-Cooker/dp/B004MZ7IPE
Could this work do you think? If I used a small glass dish inside it…I have an oven thermometer so could leave that in there to view.
That’s great to know about the MCT oil, how much would you recommend per gram of bud? I’ll Have a look at your calculator when my brain is feeling a little less fuzzy.
Again, thank you! I hope and wish for medical (any use, in fact) marijuana to be legalised in the U.K., that would be a wonderful day…
For decarbing I would not recommend a large skillet like that as I doubt the temperature is consistent throughout and it is not meant for baking – you would have a hot spot under the dish, it might work, but I can’t see it’s your best option. I think a small well made toaster oven, with oven thermometer would be a better choice for someone on a budget.
As to how much bud to use, that depends on how strong you want the oil. The recipes on this site use 1/2 ounce (14 grams) per one cup of oil or butter. That said, when cooking for myself, I use double that amount. I have a high tolerance, but even for those who are “lightweights” making stronger infusions allows you to use less of them in order to get the same dose. Less infusion in the finished recipe means better flavor. If you haven’t already, my free online Dosing class at http://www.Cannademy.com can help you fine tune and adjust your recipes for what you need. If you are unsure of how much you need, please see this article to determine your ideal dose, because everyone is different and not just a little different.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/how-much-marijuana-how-to-determine-your-ideal-cannabis-dosage/
Hi Cheri, thank you for replying and answering more of my questions! (Sorry about the double post, I had a bit of a muddle…)
Hmm, I’ll steer clear of the pan idea, good advice…
I’ve looked at sous vide, it looks awesome – so far the top temperature I’m finding is 210…is this high enough? So, if I got a full machine I’d use a sous vide bag and let it do it’s thing, or if I got one of the clip on circulation units I’d attach it to my own pot and put the bud into a sealed bag? I need to make an investment for a life long oil making regime, plus I’ll have a great way to lazy cook, especially as I’m so exhausted all the time! Sounds good to me 🙂
I really need to brave your calculator, I’m going through your articles slowly trying to absorb it all… As long as I get the calculations right I’ll figure out my dosage, which I’m thinking will be pretty low for sleep purposes.
In your opinion, which will procure the highest potency, MCT, coconut oil or butter? I’ve read conflicting advice on this…conflicting advice is a running theme when it comes to marijuana edibles!
Thank you SO much Cheri, you’re a True Gem!xx
Different people’s temp recommendations for decarbing are, well, different. I did a lot of research lately and adjusted my original recommendations based on that research. I now recommend an hour at 240 degrees F. Find more information at this link
https://www.cannabischeri.com/mary-jane/learning/marijuana-decarboxylation/
I don’t think the type of oil or fat has a major effect on the potency. Use whatever works best for your dietary needs or what works best in the recipe you plan to make.
Hi Cheri, what a lovely human you are, still replying to people 2 years on!
So I’m going to *try* making some oil, I have cancer, and I also desperately need to get sleep to feel better in general so THC is the way to go.
In the U.K. I can get 30ml thc oil (unnamed Indica) with 125mg (20%) THC in for £85, or buy 3.5 ounces of 9lb Hammer for around £50. I don’t know if you could hazard a guess as to whether making my own would be more cost effective, but I’m guessing it would be. Chemo fog has rendered me incapable of basic logic skills, but saying that, you’re not my math teacher so don’t worry if you’ve no idea!
I’m also a bit worried about the decarb process. I have an oldish gas oven that is very inconsistent in temperature, it’s impossible to bake a cake in it due to temp fluctuations and areas that get hotter than others. This doesn’t seem like a wise move for decarboxylation as I’ve read that temperature fluctuations can lead to an inconsistent/low THC content?
I’ll have to buy a slow cooker, should I get one with variable temperature? Is there any way I could bake/dry decarb in a small glass dish inside the slow cooker, if I buy a decent one I feel confident will remain at a constant temperature?
I’ve got some MCT coconut oil for terpene dilution, would I be able to use this? Or is butter better because it solidifies and I can remove the water.
So many variables, I just want to get this right as I don’t have money to waste by poor technique. Hopefully I’ll feel confident enough to go through with it…
Thank you so much, I know I’ve asked a lot of questions but you are awesome! I couldn’t help myself 🙂 🙂
Great post,exactly the info I sought,Thanks alot!!!!
I have a question regarding the slow cooker temperature for infusing. I’ve decarbed the cannabis and wondering if a rice cooker’s temperature is sufficient. I have a little tart warmer-type pot and wonder if that is hot enough. After an hour of heating water (for temp-testing purposes) it has reached 160 degrees F and remained at that temperature still at 90 minutes.
That temp is lower than a slow cooker, even on the low setting, so I would recommend a slow cooker or a double boiler on the stovetop (be sure to keep the top pot covered as well).
Thank you, Cheri! So what temperature am I aiming for? I’m planning to use vegetable glycerin and no water. If I purchase a small crock pot or rice cooker, I want to be sure the temperature produced is what I need.
I looked at the MB site and their recommended setting is 130F, 160F if a different model. I’m not in a position to purchase one of those
You absolutely do not need a MBM or any other special gadgets. Personally, I don’t recommend the machine because it finely grinds your plant material, something I recommend people NOT DO as it just puts more plant material into your infusion and gives your edibles a yucky flavor. Slow cooker on low is about 180-190 which works very well.
Thank you so much. I’m pretty creative and enjoy making my own lotions, soaps, etc., so this is really a super fun thing for me to do. I’ve been making vape liquid with PG & VG, but it hasn’t been super strong. I’m having surgery next week and will not be able to vape at all so I’m trying to produce a more concentrated and THC-packed oil I can use sublingually. And I prefer not to use alcohol. The dispensary nearest me does not have oils available as of yet.
Again, thank you for this information and thank you for making it available to us that need it, and especially thank you for following up to answer our questions. Your kindness and generosity in offering this to us is truly appreciated.
Anytime. Glycerin is tougher than alcohol to get a strong tincture as it is just not as efficient as extracting. I am going to be working on glycerin tincture instructions to update my cooking course after we launch the new topicals course. Depending on your needs and tolerance level, you may do fine, just be aware it likely won’t be as strong as the same tincture made with alcohol.
If you can stomach it, you can also make a really strong coconut oil that you can use in the same manner. Or make some edibles you can keep in the freezer (if you will be able to eat after your surgery). Best of luck.
I messed up a batch. I’m hoping I can save it. I have a MB2 machine, but I didn’t have enough “stuff” (butter and buds) to get the the minimum fill line on there. So I added water to the minimum fill line. I also added some lecithin. Now I have a watery, sludgey mess. Can I put it in the oven at like 220 and evaporate the water, or is the whole batch jacked?
Ugggh, ok, sorry to hear that. I am not a fan of the Magical Butter Machine (because they force you to finely grind the plant material, which as I talk about in this post, is NOT a good idea). It’s been a while since I have looked at one so I don’t remember if you are able to put water in.
Here’s what I would do to try to salvage it. Filter the sludge out as much as possible, use a cheesecloth-lined strainer or even better a fine mesh bag like used for making nut milks. Then put the remaining butter and water in a container and put it in the fridge or even freezer. The butter should separate and harden on top. Hopefully, you will still have something you can use. It’s probably not going to taste very good, but you should be able to salvage something.
I say hopefully because lecithin will makes fats bind to the water, which is not what you want in this instance. I never use lecithin when making ordinary infused butter, I don’t see a reason. (more on lecithin here — https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/lecithin-in-cannabis-cooking/ ) So this is my best guess of how to save it. Without the lecithin in the mix it would be no problem, but not sure how this will affect it. Please let us know!
My best advice for home cooks making butter, use a slow cooker or Instant Pot on the slow cooker setting, you do not need a special gadget. Do not finely grind the plant material. And unless you are trying to bind fats to water, skip the lecithin.
I also recommend by comprehensive online course Easy Cannabis Cooking for Home Cooks (www.Cannademy.com).
Hi! New to this. After the Decarb process, I can use my instapot for the butter? What would be your instructions for that? Thank you!
I love using my Instant Pot to make marijuana butter, as there is almost no smell while it is cooking. Follow the directions on this page, using the Instant Pot’s slow cooker setting (I usually use the high setting, you could also use the medium setting, personal preference). I guess you could pressure cook it, but temps are hotter and the bits of plant material are the types of things that love to clog pressure cooker valves, so I prefer to use the slow cooker setting instead of the Pressure cooking setting. So follow the slow cooker instructions at the link below and you are good to go.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/making-and-using-cannabis-infused-butter-and-oil/
This is truly a helpful guide, especially for those who are new in the world of incorporating cannabis into cooking and eating.
Water at sea level boils at 212 degrees F. At higher altitudes it takes more heat due to less atmospheric pressure.
When cooking Cannabis, does it leave any residue on cookware (non-stick specifically), plastic or glass? I am very concerned of it getting into my system and losing my job, when I only cooked out of the same pan as it was made.
There should not be any danger, assuming you wash your pans well.
Enjoy ur site. I like the mason jar technique. I bought a cold brew coffee filter that inserts into the larger mason jar. Put ur weed into the inside of the strainer filter. Holds a oz or more. Put whatever oil or butter into mason jar with water. For the lid of mason jar I took a skinny nail and made 2 very small holes into the top. Now no need to burp the jar. The build up has a place to escape. Next I put the mason jar into my pot fill it with water enough to come up past my material level …then put my sous vide into the pot. I set my temp at 190 and set my timer for 3 to 6 hours. Does pretty damn good. I do restrain what’s in the filter and run hot water over it. The crock is also a preferred choice. I own a magical butter, a levo…save ur money folks they are glorified crock pots with a hefty price tag.!! Save ur $$ and get yourself some flower or other herb source. The ardent is good, just a little on the small side and the tcheck is also good to have. It takes the guess work out. Also if possible I would like to see a good easy way to infuse chocolate, milk and white and a easy potent hard candy. You do a great job on bringing Info, good solid info to the masses. Today here in Philly I saw on the news they are finally going to put recreational on the table for discussion we do have medical. They are also supposed to discuss reducing sentences for those who have been convicted. Hope to see this soon. Anywho yada…have a great day and keep it coming…
Hi! I’m in the process of making some cannaoil. I decarbed about a quarter of broken up (not ground) flower at 240° For about 30 mins. I portioned out 2 cups of EVOO and put on low heat. I planned to let sit on low for about 2-3 hrs, stirring every 30 mins or so. After about an hour, it started to burn! Noooo! I’m planning on making some chimichurri with the cannaoil. Is the taste in the chimichurri going to be ruined with this burnt flavor, or can this cannaoil be salvaged?
That’s why I NEVER infuse over direct heat on the stove unless there is water in the mix. I am not sure how badly it is burned to tell if you can use it or not. Chimichurri has strong flavors and likewise it can hide a multitude of sins, so that is in your favor. Try it and see.
Next time either use add water while you are infusing, or use a slow cooker, or put your weed and oil in a Mason jar and put that in a pot of simmering water. But avoid direct heat. Also you might want to up your decarb time by another 30 minutes.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/featured/marijuana-decarboxylation/
I made coconut oil infueed cannabis oil with lecithin. Was very happy with it. It was dark green ,once it cooled it looks like a thick paste and the color changed to light green. Now it feels like butter. How can I fix this.
I am not sure what the problem is? Coconut oil is a solid at room temperature fat, so it will harden like butter. This is normal, unless I am missing something. Color has nothing to do with potency, the color lightening in coconut oil is also normal. As to lecithin, that was totally unnecessary but I don’t think it should hurt anything. More on lecithin here.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/lecithin-in-cannabis-cooking/
Everyone I make edibles for like the herbal flavor and would be pissed if I tried to eliminate it. I don’t know who you polled about flavor but you shouldn’t say MOST prefer less herbal flavor because it isn’t true!
The thing I’d like to ask is if there is a trick to eliminating the oily aftertaste of FECO (full Extract cannabis oil) from hard candies?
My polling is my experience over the last 10 years or so teaching thousands of students, both online and in person, about cannabis cooking, along with the questions and emails I get via this website, on my social media channels, at live event appearances and panels, from interviewers and the press, and in my online courses and classes. Some people like the flavor in edibles sure, but they are in the minority overall. It’s nothing to take personally.
As to the oily after effects of FECO in hard candy, in my experience, it is somewhat the nature of the beast as most hard candies are incorporating an oil and water, which can be tricky. Like the herbal flavor many don’t like, it is hopefully not too distasteful. That said, I have not personally done extensive experiments on this, so if any other readers have had better luck or ideas, please feel free to chime in.
I want to do experiments with a Werther’s type hard candy, as that uses butter and might likewise be a better vehicle and also help with the problem you are talking about. But there are never enough hours in the day. It’s on the “to-do” list though.
FYI: Also filtering your butter or oils with a cheese cloth eliminates any plant material getting in your product and the green look is from the plant’s chlorophyll and it enhances the medicinal properties of the infused product. It helps with many important properties of cannabis meds such as inflammation and many more. You can google it if you’re curious. So trying to keep it out is YES a matter of preference but also increases it medicinal value when left alone.
I am well aware of the plant’s medicinal properties (and the properties of fractionated coconut oil). If you want a lot of chlorophyll, by all means, leave the water out. Personally I do not for reasons I have stated. If you do great, one less step for you. This is not a challenge.
Fractionated coconut oil is never solid by the way!
Yes, I am well aware of that. Thank you.
Hi, I followed a different recipe to make weed honey and it did not call for additional water or oil to be added in the mason jar. After cooking in a slow cooker for 8 hours, my honey looks burnt and it smells burnt. Is it still safe to use or should I just throw it?
Thanks!
It should be safe, but will it be good, hard for me to tell from here. I would not add anything additional to the Mason jar when making honey, so that is not an issue, and things don’t usually burn with this method so I am not sure what happened. I usually do it on the stovetop with a towel folded in the bottom of the pot to keep things from getting too hot, but a slow cooker is usually not a problem with getting too hot, so I am not sure. Give it a try and see it if it works is all I can advise, and next time give it less time infusing?
I know I need to decarb first, but do I really need to infuse in oil or butter? I don’t want to make a big batch of anything. If 1 gram = 100mg of THC, can’t I just swallow my dose whole or in a capsule? Its such a tiny bit I don’t mind swallowing straight. Do I really need to infuse and bake?
Thanks
No you do not need to infuse and yes you can just swallow it or put in a capsule. I would take it with something that has fat in it, say coffee with cream, as cannabis metabolizes better with fat. You might also want to consider tinctures, as you can just put a few drops under your tongue
I recently tried making coconut canna oil for the first time. I used one ounce of Ingrid to two cups coconut oil. The ounce was a year and a half old. So I only put it into the oven for 2O minutes and it was the same green color when I took it out as when I put it in. When I added the ounce to the melted oil it initially came to a simmer. But because the recipe said to use the lowest temperture possible… when I turned it down low it stopped simmering and because of a problem with my burners I could not get it to come back to a simmer. I could only scald it. Since the recipe called for one hour on the stove or two hours in a crock-pot on low… I thought since I couldn’t get it to simmer I should leave it on scald for two hours. Which I did. When I strained it through cheese cloth over a strainer the liquid was so dark it was almost black. I poured it into a small bowl and put it into the refrigerator over night. It is now dry and the color of dark chocolate and it tastes like wet cigars. I have tried melting a tablespoon or so in a glass of coffee or hot chocolate and besides tasting horrible I don’t end up feeling very medicated. I plan to buy some brownie mix and try addding a significant amount to the mix and see how that works out.
Based on the information which I have provided you… would you have any idea as to what I did wrong? I was told that making your own edibles is much less expensive and much more potent. I just don’t feel that I accomplished this result on my first attempt so any advice you might offer would be very appreciated.
Wow lots to unpack here and I am not sure where you got those directions about using oil in the oven and in the slow cooker? So there are a whole lot of variables here where things could have gone wrong.
Age really has little to do with it, yes age will decarb somewhat, but still IMO your decarb time IMO was far too little.
I am not sure how or where you were simmering? Simmering is not necessarily bad.
Infusion times can vary but you should in theory get everything you need in a couple of hours.
As I said I am really unclear on the steps and methods you used and they don’t sound like methods I recommend. The cooking tutorial section of this site has several infusion methods along with decarb info and more. Scroll through the links here
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/
Also if you are new to cannabis cooking, you might want to check out my online course Easy Cannabis Cooking for Home Cooks.
https://cannabischeri.teachable.com/p/cannabis-cooking-for-home-cooks/
Dark color can happen with some strains, that is the nature of the beast sometimes, but sounds like maybe something might have burnt a little? Were you over direct heat at any time? I don’t usually recommend this.
Hey, so when making my butter today, i realised about an hour in that I completely forgot to put the water in for stove cooking, the butter itself is still quite pale as I set the pot above the fire, not in direct contact with the flame but the weed inside it was nearly black and sticking in clumps a little because it had settled in the bottom of the pan. I added water as soon as i realised my mistake, but was it too late to do anything about it? Have I burned off the THC and basically ruined my butter?
Hard to say for sure as I was not there, but my guess if you have something salvageable. It may not be as potent as it could have been, or it may taste burnt, but as there was butter in it it should not have burnt all off. (If I am understanding you, you had a double boiler setup without water in the bottom pot? I am not sure how or why the weed in the top pot would turn black and leave the butter pale. But I think you should be able to use it. At this point there no harm in trying.)
I have been make very potent butter for years now. I recently tried a recipe to make blueberry muffins, the recipe called for 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup water and 1 egg. Usually my cookies or other recipes call for the same amount of butter and are always strong so I assumed the same for the muffins, but they weren’t. The only difference between all the recipes ( these being box recipes ) is the muffin recipe asked for 1/3 cup water. My question is did the 1/3 cup of water weaken the butter thus making the muffins weaker, and if yes, what should I substitute the water with or what should I do to fix this?
No, that should not have been a problem at all. Are you sure you decarbed the butter? Other things it might be: If you cooked with different cannabis than usual that could mean different potency. Sometimes we change too, your medical conditions and/or tolerance level might be changing. Especially with edibles I know mine does frequently, especially if I have been eating more than usual, I find I can build up a tolerance pretty quickly, but water in the muffins should not be a problem.
Hi there, thank you for the article. Is putting the already decarbed bud on a saucepan with a coconut oil and heating them on a very low heat for 3 hours going to give a good result?
It could but I avoid direct heat for infusing as it can potentially get too hot, I prefer a slow cooker or the Mason Jar method or a double boiler.
Hi sorry for asking the question again but isn’t infusing a coconut oil and decarbed bud using a saucepan on a low heat for 3-4hours going to “over” decarb the bud as the bud has already been decarbed?
As I said, I avoid direct heat for infusing as it can potentially get too hot, I prefer a slow cooker or the Mason Jar method or a double boiler. Yes, a lot will decarb during infusing, but lab tests show you get more by decarbing first. And the double boiler or slow cooker does not get to a high enough temp to decarb effectively.
What should i do if i started out cooking my cannabutter on the 130degree instead of 160degrees which is the required temp in my Magic butter machine.