Marijuana oil — AKA cannabis oil (or canna-oil or cannaoil or canna oil depending on who is spelling it), or weed oil to use a more slacker term, is a staple of many cannabis recipes. Likewise knowing how to make cannaoil is the first step to making great edibles in many cases.
Since THC, the psychoactive component in marijuana, is fat soluble, edible oils make ideal ways to bond it to food.
Before we go any further, I want to clarify that, for the purposes of this article, when I talk about cannabis oil or cannaoil, I am talking about cannabis cooking oil. I am NOT talking about concentrates like FECO or RSO. Those are something entirely different, despite being often also referred to as "cannabis oils."
To clear up confusion about what the broad term "cannabis oil" can mean, check out this article (don't worry if you find it confusing, the terms can be mighty confounding and you are not alone).
OK, let's talk about cannabis cooking oil for making edibles.
What Kind of Oil Is Best for Making Cannaoil?
I am always asked what kind of oil is best to infuse. It depends what you are going to use it for. A neutral oil like canola, grapeseed, or vegetable oil is most versatile as you can use it most any recipe calling for oil. For additional flavor elements, olive oil is a great choice. You can even infuse solid at room temperature fats like coconut oil or vegetable shortening. Use whatever works best for what you are planning to cook with it.
How to Save Money When Making Cannabis Oil
You can cook with any kind of marijuana from trimmings to flowers when making weed oil. There is no need to cook with top-shelf marijuana. Those top-shelf strains are used priced that way because of their terpenes. As many of these volatile compounds will be cooked off in the process of making edibles, it doesn't make sense to pay extra for them in this instance.
If your purveyor offers "shake" the marijuana world equivalent of the crumbs at the bottom of a bag of potato chips, check it out. Shake is sold for far less than pretty buds but it can still be mighty potent. Check out this link for more information about Shake.
If you grow your own, there are plenty of cannabinoid-rich trichomes left on your trimmings, especially the small "sugar leaves" that surround the flowers, and they make excellent cooking material. Of course the quality of the plant matters, but if you grow great cannabis, don't waste those trimmings!
You can even make cannaoil with old weed, although the effects of the edibles made from this may be a little different. Different is NOT necessarily bad, in many cases these effects are desirable, such as pain reduction and better sleep. Read more details about cooking with old cannabis here.
Dosing for THC Oil
You will need to adjust the amount of cannabis used to make oil depending on the potency of the plant and what parts of it you are using. Check out the Dosing Dilemmas page for additional information on how to determine dosing in your cannabis oil and edibles.
For this article and others on this website, I’ve listed the amounts I use to test the recipes for this website as well as those in The Easy Cannabis Cookbook. You can and should alter the suggested amounts to meet your needs, but these will give you a starting guideline.
For the base dose calculations for recipes on this site, I am assuming you are using 14 grams of 10% THC cannabis to make 1 cup of oil.
If that sounds confusing to you, no worries, I have a FREE online dosing class that explains all. Sign up here. And if you don't like doing math, my invaluable Edibes Dosing Calculators (the best $5.00 you'll ever spend) do all the math for you, calculate the per serving dose of your homemade edibles (even if you are not using lab-tested cannabis), and make it simple to adjust dosages to your needs before you make your edibles. No more dosing surprises. Check out the dosage calculators here.
Recipe for Weed Oil
To Make About 1 Cup Cannaoil at the dose tested on this site (see links above to adjust for YOUR NEEDS):
- 1 1/4 cups edible oil of your choice
- 1/2 ounce (14 grams) average quality decarboxylated dried bud
4 Foolproof Methods for Making Cannabis Oil
There are many roads that will bring you to the same cannaoil destination. Likewise, there are even more ways than what is listed below to make marijuana oil.
When it comes to gadgets, you don't need any. But if you want one, the only gadgets I personally recommend are the Ardent Nova or Ardent FX. These invaluable tools perfectly decarboxylate your cannabis and make infusions like marijuana butter, oil, honey, etc.
Yes, there are other marijuana butter making kitchen machines out there, but in my opinion they have design or functionality flaws that them undesirable. I do love my Ardent Nova and Ardent FX though and when cooking for myself they are always the method I use these days as it's just so easy.
BUT, you should never wait to start cooking with cannabis until you have a special gadget. If you have an ordinary kitchen with pot and pans or a slow cooker, you already have everything you need. Check out the first two tutorials below:
- How to Make Cannabis Oil in a Mason Jar (canna oil on the stovetop)
- How to Make Marijuana Oil With Water in a Slow Cooker or on the Stovetop
- How to Make Cannabis Oil in the Ardent Nova
- How to Make Cannabis Oil in the Ardent FX
More help with Cannabis Oil and other Marijuana Infusions
My comprehensive online course Easy Cannabis Cooking for Home Cooks has a large module that includes detailed lessons and demonstrations on marijuana butter, oil, honey, dairy products, sugar, and tinctures.
Odor Reducing Tips When Making Weed Oil
Depending on how you make it, creating marijuana oil can be quite fragrant. Stovetop and even some slow cooker methods are NOT DISCREET!
What can you do if you prefer NOT to broadcast your cannabis cooking activities to the entire neighborhood? Relax, here are a few suggestions.
One option that a lot of people already own is to use an Instant Pot or other multicooker set to the slow cooker setting. No odor until you open the lid. If you don't already own an Instant Pot, you'll want one even for noncannabis cooking as it can work as a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, and more. But they are also terrific for making odor-free marijuana butter and oil.
Another option is by Hamilton Beach, who makes a line of slow cookers (pictured above) that are great for reducing cooking odors when making marijuana butter or oil. I am sure the fine folks at Hamilton Beach did not design the Stay and Go Slow Cooker for this specific purpose, but nonetheless they work great. That's because it has a rubber gasket on the lid and a clamp you can use to keep the slow cooker tightly closed.
People going to pot luck suppers (no, not necessarily the kinds with cannabis) love this feature as you can transport food in the slow cooker without it sloshing over. But for cannabis cooks its beauty is in the fact that you will hardly smell the odor of simmering marijuana when infusing butter or oil. At least not until you open the lid. I discovered this quite by accident, but it works. The Stay and Go Slow Cooker is also a quality product to use when making non-cannabis infused meals.
If you like to make small batches of marijuana oil, consider investing in the Ardent Lift Decarboxylator picture below). Not only do these special cannabis cooking gadgets take all the guesswork out of decarboxylation, you can actually make small batches of infusions right in them. Learn more and watch the video demonstration at this link.
And as of 2020 Ardent came out with the Nova's big brother the FX, which is capable of infusing much larger batches than their original Nova, so if you like to make larger batches you will want the FX, if you make small amounts of butter at once, either one will do.
What To Do with the Leftover Plant Material After Infusing Cannabis Oil?
The short answer is, bless and let it go! If you did a good job at making oil, you have already extracted what you need. There is, however, definitely something you should NOT do with it. See the link below for one of my most embarrassing stories from when I first learned to cook with cannabis.
For more details about what (and what not) to do with leftover plant material, check out this link.
Draining and Straining Cannaoil and Other Marijuana Infusions
Draining and straining marijuana oil
The most traditional method of draining marijuana butter is to place a cheesecloth lined strainer over a large pot or bowl and strain the liquid through this.
A lot of folks find the colander and cheesecloth and messy and cumbersome endeavor. They are not entirely wrong. There is a better way. Check out this link for 3 easier and mess-free ways to strain cannabis oil.
Storing Cannaoil
Refrigerate infused oil until ready to use or freeze for even longer storage. Fats can still go rancid in the freezer so try to use within 3 months. Check out this link for more details about freezing cannabis butter, marijuana oil or even finished edibles.
Congratulations! Choose one of the methods above, make some oil and you’re now ready to start cooking with canna-oil!
What to Make With Cannabis Oil
All the recipes at this link have cannaoil in common. Refer back anytime you're at a loss for what to make with your cannabis cooking oil.
Pin This!
(This article was originally published Feb. 2020.)
Wondering how long the oil will store in the refrigerator without becoming rancid?
Hi Ronda, Storing an infused oil is really no different than storing the original oil. If it’s stored in a green or brown bottle with an airtight lid, it should last up to two years in the refrigerator.
Can i put this in oil cartridges for oil pens?
No, this is for cooking and edibles. That is a different type of oil. It gets confusing, here is an article that might help clarify.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/mary-jane/learning/clearing-the-confusion-over-cannabis-oil/
Can you do any thing with the weed after you infused the oil
I am asked this a lot. Toss it out. You already got out what you need to get out. Bless it and let it go. This is the equivalent of using what’s leftover in a used teabag.
Can use the water in a tea.
You can but why would you want to? Water is added to infusions to filer things out like yucky taste. The cannabinoids bind to the fat you are infusing, so I recommend using the water to water plants or just toss it. Make tea from leaves, stem, even stalks, but not the infusion water.
No! Not fir vaping. You never vape anything with cooking oil. If you want to vape straight rising…buy a vaporizer like a YOCAN EVOLVE PLUS. IF u want to make ejuice…without nicotine…you need to buy vg…..vegetable glycerine and small bottle if pg. Google it. Any vape supply sells it. U can get a liter of vg or pg for about 10.00. only safe way to vape. Vg and of vaporizes at high temps. If u Vaped oil…..cooking oil….you are basically putting hot oil in your lungs and it will stuck to hair follicals in lungs…would basically clog up your lungs and your lungs could not function or filter normally.
Cannabinoids are antimicrobial, so it’ll actually last longer than the oil would without them.
Are you decarbing your plant material at all before infusing in the oil? ty!
Hi, It depends on what I’m using the oil for. But, the short answer is yes. However, if the oil will be used as a topical or for someone who doesn’t want as much “high” as others, then the answer is no. I hope this helps.
Yes, decarbing first will give you more potency.
How would you recommend carboxylating/activating the cannabinoid that can’t be metabolized without such processes? I read somewhere that the temperature required for that is around 240 F, but I’m unsure about whether or not this would be critical for cooking. I normally make brownies and I suspect that baked goods probably don’t get anywhere near that temperature in the center. I like the idea of having water in with the oil, but I don’t want to limit the efficacy of my oil. Do you think that I could heat the oil to 240 F after I strain It?
Nevermind, I remembered reading here or another page to carb. in the oven beforehand.
Yes it is best to DECARBOXYLATE first for maximum potency.
You would want to decarboxylate your plant material before making butter or oil for maximum potency. For more details please see
https://www.cannabischeri.com/ask-cheri/is-decarbing-always-necessary/
Hi I’m new this and have a question.
Is the thc as well as cbd high in the oil when you are done following all the steps?
I’m trying to make it with a good dose of both and I don’t want to use the alcohol method.
I am not sure which alcohol method you are referring to, do you mean making a tincture?
There is no “high” from CBD, although both THC and CBD have many medicinal properties. When you make a butter or oil infusion you are infusing both these cannabinoids (along with many others) into the butter or oil, so yes you would get the benefits of both. How much of each will depend on the plant material you are cooking with and its individual cannabinoid profile. This varies widely from strain to strain. If you are using lab tested cannabis you will have a good idea of what to expect. While you can estimate a THC percentage (my free dosing course teaches you how), CBD is impossible to estimate without a lab test. Not only is the amount of CBD in each strain drastically different, you don’t physically feel the effects of CBD in the same way you do THC. Hope this all makes sense. Cheri
Thank you. That was helpful.
Dumb question I guess but would you be able to smoke it? Was wondering if i put a drop or two on my bowl if it would have any effect or just wasting my time.
I think it’s probably best to just use it in edibles. I don’t know of anyone who smokes infused vegetable or olive oil.
Can you make marijuana oil with kief only?
Absolutely! Yes. Or you can forego making th butter entirely an simply stir decarboxylated kief into your recipes. FOr more info see Cooking with Kief and Hash.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/cooking-with-cannabis-concentrates-kief-and-hash/
I always decarb in the oven 1st at 250 degrees for 25-27 minutes. I use flower broken up into a layer spread out on a plate or cookie sheet usually covered with tinfoil or an oven/Turkey bag if making a lot. I then do the stovetop method trying to keep it between 190-200deg for 2 hrs. I’ve tried for up to 5hrs and didn’t notice much difference.
I notice no potency difference when making in slow cooker for 4 hours. You are decarbonizing while slow cooking. I tested both methods and didn’t notice any difference.
It’s up to you, but lab tests of both methods DO show a difference.
Can I use the oil drained herb leftover in pesto? I would hate to waste the herb.
You technically can, but I wouldn’t. You aren’t really wasting it by tossing out the plant material after making butter because you have already extracted the good parts. Yes there might be a few trichomes left, but not much, so to my mind all this will really do is give you yucky tasting pesto. (I do make infused pesto, but I use cannabis infused oil). So feel free to give it a try if you like, but my recommendation is to toss the leftover plant material after extractions. WHatever you do, don’t put it down the garbage disposal (I learned that the hard way, seized up and had to call a plumber).
i soaked my muslin bag of green matter in a pan of full fat milk on a stove simmering for 30min then made a coffee for me and my pals…….WoW just WoW
Excellent!
Hi there wondering what is the amount of bath salts yield with this recipe.? Thank you so much
About 4 cups.
Hi, can i add a tablespoon of liquid lecithin to the crockpot before heating my bud and coconut oil? I usually add it to my cannabutter after i infuse and cool, and melt again. Tried adding before one time and came out like mud. Maybe just melt the coconut oil again after and add then?
I am not sure as I do not use lecithin and see no reason to use it when infusing oil as lecithin helps bind water and oil and when infusing coconut oil you are binding fat to fat. I am doing more research into lecithin now and there will be a feature on it soon. There are certain cooking application where I could see it being useful, but for infusing oil and butter, I do not see that it is necessary, unless I uncover something in further research that I haven’t already.
doesn’t lecithin make your body absorb the thc better and faster? I read that somewhere and don’t know what is true. Also for this recipe do you strain coconut oil 2 times, or is one time enough after you have pored boiling water over it, and let it cool down?
thank you
Some people say that, but I have yet to find scientific proof of that. I do the boiling water, strain, then strain again for fine particulates, but that is optional.
If you want better absorption just use olive oil. The long chain unsaturated fatty acid monoglycerides have shown to significantly enhance the bioavailability (BA) of cannabinoids by avoiding the liver.
Regarding lecithin – I also read a study that self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) can enhance BA, at least compared to MCT, but the study didn’t really specify what the SEDDS fatty acid composition was. So if you add a high HLB (hydrophilic lipophilic balance), or more hydrophilic lecithin, at the exact correct ratio, it can potentially emulsify the oil upon digestion, but i doubt it. You can try adding lecithin to oil in different ratios, then adding it to water, and checking to see if it disperses.
Thank you for this article. I just made oil using your crockpot method. Looks good, smells good. Is there any way to tell it’s potency? Thanks
Well you could have it lab tested, not practical or cost effective for most home cooks. Or take my free dosing class, which will give you a pretty close estimate. Find it at this link bit.ly/dosing-course
If using the crockpot method do you still decarb first or does it decarb when it’s cooking in the crockpot?
Lab tests show you can extract more potency by decarbing first, even with long slow cooking extractions.
might be a dumb question but is stirring required when cooking in crockpot
You can, but it is not required. If you do maybe once every hour or two but it’s really nothing you need to worry about.
Hi there! If I wanted to use trim instead of the buds, would you recommend an amount needed to copy this recipe?
Any amount you have will do, it just will be slightly less potent using trim than buds. You can use my dosage calculator at my FREE dosing course to figure out how strong your infusion will be with less potent leaves vs buds.
Hi There,
I’m wondering if I should measure my coconut oil in solid or liquid form for the recipe? Thanks!
For the best accuracy, liquid is best.
Dumb question but if I am using a non solid at room temperature oil such as olive oil how do I extract the water from the canna oil?
Not a dumb question other than the article covers this if you go back and read the section on draining and straining.
Hi Cheri, I am very new and had been given 1:1g in mct oil of thc / cbd 50/50 to try (each 200mg) to try to make foods with.
I assume, being a liquid, I do not need to decarb but am ready to make into chocolate and brownies (for instance). Can I use this straight into your recipes and if so how do I calculate the conversion if I dont want to use or make butter and only have this little bit on hand.
Thank you for all you do!!
We really have no way of knowing if it was decarbed and if so how well it was so it may or may not be. You could decarb but may end up over decarbing. In all liklihood it has already been decarbed, esp if you have a lab test that list amount of THC (as opposed to THC-A).
I am not clear on how much you have. Are you saying you have 1 gram of oil that contains 400 mgs cannabinoids (CBD and THC)?
But yes you can add this directly to recipes, there is nothing magical about butter as opposed to other types of fats.
Is there a use for the water after removing the oil?
Not really. It will taste pretty yucky. I guess you could water plants with it but that’s about it.
My dog with arthritis loves drinking the water and will eat the leftover material straight .
Be careful please when it comes to cannabis and pets, especially dogs!
All species above mollusks have an endocannabinoid system and are born with endocannabinoids in their systems. This means nature hardwired them to respond to cannabis, and in fact, cannabis can have many therapeutic benefits for pets, including, as you have referenced, relief from arthritis pain.
BUT…that said, you must be EXTREMELY cautious when it comes to THC and pets, especially dogs as dogs have more cannabinoid receptors in their brains than any other species! Likewise, it is very easy for them to get too much. In most cases they will sleep it off and be fine but it is scary for the owner to watch and uncomfortable for the pet if they get too much. Overdose is characterized by a condition known as Static Ataxia, which is characterized by a wide-legged stance, drooling, disorientation, and the animal being hypersensitive to touch (if you pet dog who has had too much, it will react almost like an electrical shock). They are likely to have quick shallow breathing too. It can take hours to wear off and it is scary to watch.
CBD-only medicine or high CBD strains are far safer for dogs.
I am not a doctor or a vet, but Colorado holistic veternarian Dr. Rober Silver has done a lot of work and research in this area and has written a book on the subject. Find his website at http://www.potforpets.info/.
Am harvesting my Sour Tsunami today and planning on making cream or lotion. My question is, can I dry and decarb in one step or should I use my normal drying procedure before decarbing?
You can skip the cure if you are going to just infuse the plant material. You can decarb, I might add a half hour or so at a low temp (under 200) to dry it a bit, then decarb, but if you don’t have this option it should still work. Decarbing is about a temperature difference, not the level of dryness, so it should work fine.
I am getting ready to make topical oil to be used in lotion and salves. Do I use the same process as making edible oil only using almond or jojoba (or whatever topical oil I want)?
Yep, you got it! The only difference for me when making topicals is I decarb some of it and leave some undecarbed so I get full spectrum (both THC-A and CBD-A along with THC and CBD). This is optional, but I find it makes the most effective topicals. I am currently at work on a new online course about making cannabis topicals, but you are definitely on the right track.
I followed your directions with the crockpot method and placed the oil/water solution in the refrigerator. It has been in there overnight and is still not separating. Ideas or thoughts?
Wow, I am not sure what to say to this Oil and water separate, that is just science, so I am not sure how this could possibly be. I am assuming you strained out the plant material? I am not understanding, the fridge is not even necessary just makes it easier, even on the counter it should separate. I am at a loss.
I know!! This is the first time I have ever added water to this process. I thought about adding more olive oil to the mix. I just put it in the freezer to see what they would do. I am so bummed. I dont know if I should throw it out and start over. Just typing that last sentence hurt my heart ha!!
Don’t throw it out yet! I would finely filter it, but it in the fridge or freezer and see what happens. It just makes no sense. Oil and water separate. You didn’t add lecithin did you? That might make oil and water bind. But that was not in my instructions.
My water ends up on the bottom once the canna infused oil/water are strained then refrigerated. I poke a drain hole in one edge, them tip the bowl and drain the water.
Good deal, that works too!
Not at all. It was in the refrigerator all day and did not separate. Let’s see what happens in the freezer. I just need it to separate:(
Wow, I have no answer. It’s just physics. Oil and water separate. Feel free to slap me, but…are you sure you remembered to add the oil?
Yes, lol!!
Have used your recipe many times and it always separates. Sometimes if the water and oil are dark it is a little hard to see the separation, but if you hold your container up to the light it becomes obvious.
Thank you Paige. Maybe that is the issue cause otherwise I can’t understand how it would be possible for them not to separate.
It is a question after straining are you pouring the boiling water on final step over the strained oil adding more water that way. Trying to decide how big a pot or bowl to strain over
Yes, the boiling water is to help “rinse” off butter or oil clinging to the plant material. I have experimented with more than one wash and found it was not worth it, but one rinse from say a teakettle full of boiling water helps get more finished product. Then let the whole thing cool and separate.
When doing your oil in a crock pot, do you leave the lid on or of.
Definitely on, although I take it off to stir every now and again, and also if you find it simmering too hard you can remove and stir to lower the temperature or leave it on a little off kilter, Otherwise, on.
Thank you for this. I’ve made happy coconut oil for years. I use it for frying, and baking so didn’t decarb 1st. I’ve heard of using water and your article came up on Google. I like your clear instructions and appreciate that you didn’t include your life story (not to be rude but….) ☺
So you’ve make it so simple. I think I’ll strain what’s cooking now then I’ll try putting it back in the slow cooker with oil and boiling water (help the decarb) then I get a bit of practice with the water separation part.
I want to make happy gummy bears and I won’t have to put so much sugar in the hide the green taste.
Thank you for sharing your work ☺
Thank you for the kind words.
how many edibles would this recipe make? about what potency of thc would it be for average bud
There is absolutely no single way to answer that question. Not even close. What kind of edibles? Plus at what dosage? Everyone is drastically different. Check out the articles on dosing on this website and also my free edibles dosing class at http://www.Cannademy.com. The beauty of making your own is you get to make the exact edibles you like at the dosage YOU individually need.
I know it is not the quick easy answer you want to hear, but I tell the truth. And the truth is, it depends on what you are making and at what strength you want the finished edibles to be.
If you forget to decarboxylate in the oven first, can you heat the oil up to a higher temperature after you separate it from the water to finish the process?
I don’t see why that would not work.
Hello….. I made canna oil with coconut oil but did not use water in the mix. Did I ruin it?
No, not at all. Adding water is strictly optional. Some people like to do it (in most instances I do), some people do not like it. Entirely up to you.
So i did the slow cooker method. The problem is does scooping the oil away from the water with a spoon an effective method? It’s a little too late to buy that gravy separator right now?
However you can strain is fine, the gravy separator is optional. Other methods include a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a mesh nut bag (like used for making vegan nut milks) or a French Press coffee maker. Even a strainer with a coffee filter in a pinch (it might take a while).
Can I use the oil in the same ratio as on the boxed brownie mix or should it be diluted down?
You will still need the overall amount of oil on the brownie box, but it does not all have to be cannabis oil. How much cannabis oil will depend on your individual dosage needs and the strength of the cannabis you are cooking with. Please take my free dosing class for more details.
https://cannabischeri.teachable.com/p/precise-marijuana-edibles-dosing/
So I’m making about 4 ounces of flower but only put 8 cups of water did I ruin it? And after it slowcooks I just stain it right?
Not at all, the amount of water is not important. Strain in the separate the fat from the water and you should be good to go!
Are you sure I only need 1/2 oz for one cup of oil? That’s seems awfully small. Your pictures looks like more than 1/2 oz.
Nope I am not sure at all. I have no idea what you need. As I say, over and over again on this website, in my books, and in my classes, EVERYONE’s needs are different. But the beaty of making your own is you can adjust to get what you need.
The recipes on this site are calculated on using a 1/2 ounce to 1 cup butter, which in most cases will be pretty strong (depending on the strength of the cannabis of course). When cooking for myself, I will often double that. Also making stronger infusions let’s you use less of them to get the same dose, which can improve flavor. So amounts are a suggestion and cannabis cooks should always take the amounts given in ANY recipe with a grain of salt and adjust upwards or downwards according to their own needs. My free dosing class can help you do that.
https://www.cannademy.com/p/precise-marijuana-edibles-dosing
Hello! Would you be able to decarb it in the crockpot before adding the liquids? Or should I just stick with the oven method
It will decarb somewhat during cooking in the slow cooker but for best results decarb in the oven or the Ardent Nova first then make your butter in the crockpot. On its own the slow cooker does not do as good a job and does not get hot enough to decarb it all.
Do I need to refrigerate it if I just add oil & no water ?
No, the purpose of the water is for the oil to harden to make it easier to separate, so it is not necessary to refrigerate.
That said, refrigerating or even freezing the finished oil will give you a much longer shelf life. For more information, see this article.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/ask-cheri/ask-cheri-freezing-marijuana-oil-butter/
I didn’t strain my olive oil after cooking the stove top method now it smells funny. It been about a week. Should I throw it out or can I still strain it and use it?
Funny is relative. Funny rotten, throw it out. Funny like weed strain and use. Did you use water, if so this would increase chances of something growing that you don’t want in there. If it is just oil and cannabis and the cannabis in submerged, you might be OK. If you stored it in the fridge, you should be fine either way. I could not tell for sure unless I saw and smelled it. But when in doubt, my motto is always to toss it out. Sorry.
Hey I tried the water method and put it in the freezer. After a day only
Partially frozen and oil did not separate from the water?
Separate in the fridge not freezer. Store oil long term in the freezer. I suspect it froze before it separated? Physics say oil and water separate.
Hey i just tried the oil in the crockpot method, turned out to what seems like good oil ( have done stove top in past) i tried two teaspoons in a small amount of water for a potency test but havent had any real results ( used about 2 1/2 cups of trimmings and small buds to 1 cup oil) im just curious is that possible to the way ive ingested it? Would baking into something and trying that be a better “strength” test? Thanks!
It might be better but you should feel just the oil as well. Did you decarb first? It seems like you have plenty of plant material SOmetimes it can take a while and I have noticed that different strains come on faster (or slower) than others.
I have a meat thermometer in the crockpot with my oil. At what temperature would you recommend I stay around? I read some people say 170 some say don’t go over 212. I want to extract as much THC as possible. Thank you
I always fully decarboxylate before cooking in the slow cooker as the slow cooker does not get hot enough (https://www.cannabischeri.com/featured/marijuana-decarboxylation/ ). Lower and slower will preserve more cannabinoids and terpenes in theory, so I usually opt for that, but it depends, if I am in a hurry, I will infuse on a higher setting. Both have gotten great results in the finished edibles, but I do not have lab tests to compare, unfortunately.
I’ve never used a slow cooker to decarb before how have you it before ?
Not a great idea for decarbing as the slow cooker does not get hot enough. For maximum potency you will want to decarb first in the oven or the Ardent Nova or FX. You are aiming for 240degrees F for 1 hour.
And after the decarb you put it in the slow cooker with the oil and water to infuse ?
Correct. Water is optional, you don’t have to use it. In the slow cooker with big batches I usually do. In the Mason jar I usually don’t.
Hi Cheri, I made what I thought was a double-infused oil with 4 oz of decarbed trim and 3c of coconut oil. I made it in two batches because the volume of trim was much higher than the oil. For the second batch of new trim I used the same infused 3c of oil. I thought I would have rocket launchers for my final product but I don’t. Is it true that oil has a saturation point? Perhaps I over infused and ended up sadly wasting a lot of my product? And, if I simply reheated the infused oil for another hour without the trim would it extract more? Thanks in advance for your response.
Yes you can oversaturate but I am not sure of the exact amounts (this gets into some mighty geeky science and calculations). I usually don’t use any more than an ounce per cup, and that is probably pushing it.
As to reheating I am not sure. Did you debarb your cannabis first? If so I am not sure reheating would do anything. If you didn’t decarb first, then yes, give it a try and see if it helps as you could potentially get more potency by activating more of the cannabis (slow cookers don’t usually get hot enough to fully decarb on their own).
I hope this helps,
I have only a little flower for now and not good access to it. What is the smallest batch I can practically make with this method?
Usually this is for a cup or more (it will depend on the size of the slow cooker). For a smaller batch of infusion, use the Mason Jar method (which I need to do an article on). Put your cannabis and whatever you are infusing in a small Mason jar. Put a folded kitchen towel in the bottom of a pot of simmering water and put the Mason jar in this. Simmer, replacing water as needed, for about 2 hours. Drain using a small strainer.
Also, if you own the Ardent Lift decarboxylator, it is terrific for making small batches of infusions. I show in the video on this page.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/how-to-make-marijuana-infusions-in-the-ardent-lift-decarboxylator/
Tried your coconut cannabis oil recipe in a slow cooker, it looks real good. Going to try making chocolate brownies.
Thank You
Richard Hotton
You are welcome. Enjoy, Richard!
It worked great, now I will try vegetable oil. That’s where I think I will need to use a gravy separator.
Thanks again
Richard Hotton
A gravy separator is handy. But you can also use a large spoon to separate. And of course, adding water is optional, but I personally do when making large infusion batches as it helps flavor and color.
I have done the slow cooker method several times for whatever reason this time while on low with water added it started to boil .It probably only boiled for a few minutes before i caught it ,did i ruin it?
No, not at all, it should be fine. Water boils at 212 F which is well below the danger zone.
Hi, I’m using AVB (Already Vaped Bud) to make cannabis infused oil and I’m water curing the AVB before I use it to make the oil. Just wanted to know if I should dry the decarbed bud before using it to make the oil or can i just add it to the oil already wet?
It’s not something I would do, but you can. If you are adding water to the infusion mix, it can be wet. If not I would dry it first (but personally I never water cure).
I am planning on using 1/2 ounce of bud to infuse into pure MCT oil. As it is a liquid, do I need to use water in the crockpot ?
Adding water is always optional.
Hello,
I had previously been using cooking hash and just tried it infused from decarbed flower. I stumbled across things while looking for ways to make it taste better, I wasn’t expecting that much of a taste difference from medicinal cooking hash to home decarbed bud! If I already infused some butter and oil and strained it, would I be able to reheat with some water to get some of the taste out? Thank you!
Sorry no, once it is infused, I don’t think it will help much. However there are things you can do to improve the flavor of your edibles. See this article.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/ask-cheri-how-to-improve-the-flavor-of-marijuana-edibles/
Hello and thank you for a very informative site.
Can the resulting oil be used in a dropper for sublingual use?
Are there any recipes for something that can be used sublingually without needing to store in a fridge?
Thank you!
Yes you can definitely do that with your infused oil. For an oil tincture I like to use MCT coconut oil best and I would make it extra strong so you only need a tiny amount (depending on your personal tolerance that might not even be necessary).
You don’t HAVE to store infused oils in the fridge, that is optional but it does give them longer shelf lives. But you don’t have to refrigerate. Make smaller amounts that you will use in a month or less and you should be fine.
Can you freeze your infused coconut oil?
Absolutely! You can find more information on freezing in this article.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/ask-cheri/ask-cheri-freezing-marijuana-oil-butter/
Hi, I loved your article. Not many people are making canna oil with water. I’ve noticed that when I make it with water I can extract almost 30% more product which is great. But I find every time I mix it with water in the slow cooker the resulting oil is a thick green sludge with a white cream as opposed to oil that I make without water is clear ish – like the original MCT oil. Is this normal? Is there a way to make it clear when using water to extract?
I have not had this issue, however, sometimes you still have a bit of water left. I put the strained oil in a saucepan over very low heat and stir constantly for about five minutes or so to evaporate off any lingering droplets. Hopefully this will help the problem you are having and clear it up.
Hi, can i consume the oil orally as drops, without using it for dishes, and what’s the difference between cannabis oil that got extract with alcohol, which is better?
Thanks
Yes you can consume the oil without making it into a dish. use sublingually (under the tongue) like a tincture for faster absorption and onset.
Cannabis oils made with alcohol are a COMPLETELY different animal and are cannabis concentrates. As the term “cannabis oil” is sometimes used interchangeably, it can get confusing for consumers. This article can help clarify.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/mary-jane/learning/clearing-the-confusion-over-cannabis-oil/
Hi Cheri, can you use an electric candle wax warmer to infuse the oil with cannabis? Planning on using either vegetable oil or coconut oil. If so, how long would you suggest I let it simmer for? Do you suggest using water with this method?
I am not sure as I have never used one and am not sure exactly that it is. My guess would be that it is not hot enough, but I am not sure. Sorry.
I’ve made oil several times in different ways and I always hate to toss the herb away at the end. I’m gonna try something here soon and would like your thoughts. I saw people putting cannabis in peanut butter and then putting it on crackers. I’m going to take my waste and not sqeeze it and try this. Have you ever heard of anything like this before? I just hate to throw it away and I don’t use water.
You can do this if you choose, but I sure wouldn’t. I am asked this a lot. It is not a waste. You already got out what you need to get out. Bless it and let it go. This is the equivalent of using what’s leftover in a used teabag. You have already extracted the good stuff. In my mind that would make something that tastes really yucky and does not have much potency.
Hi Cheri-
I cant wait to try this- as this is going to be my base for your DIY bath salts recipe. I definitely want to decarb. first and utilize the instapot slow cooker method to cook. Is there any way to reduce the smell while it is decarbing- just like it is mentioned for actually cooking- sorry if i missed the answer to this question.
During decarbing the smell is what it is unless you use a gadget like the Ardent Nova Lift Decarboxylator or the sous vide method.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/lifestyle/reviews/cannabis-product-reviews-ardent-decarboxylator-nova/
If you are using the Instant Pot for infusing there won’t be much smell at all, at least not until you open it, so you are on the right track!
It might be better to wash it with water first, then do the extraction in pure oil. I believe to extraction efficiency would be higher as the flower would have more intimate contact with the oil. But at the end of the day, the cannabinoids are so incredibly soluble in oil that it probably doesn’t matter so it may just be up to preference. I’ve heard that the saturation solubility of CBD is at a minimum 400 mg/g in most oils, if THC is the same that means you would need 2000g of flower to saturate 1/3 cup of olive oil (assuming 15% THC flower).
I would also recommend non-medium chain oils, such as coconut oil. It’s extremely well known that long chain unsaturated fatty acids can significantly enhance the bioavailability of highly lipophilic drugs, with cannabinoids being no exception. Olive oil is the best considering it has the highest content of unsaturated monoglycerides. Check out some studies that pharma companies regarding this – recent study from AAPS that assess’s the effect of different lipids on bioavailability of CBD.
When it comes to heating, olive oil won’t smoke until over 300F, which is similar to cannabinoids vaporization point. Honestly anything less than 250 F should be fine, hence you don’t really need the water IMO.
In your article you say that the water helps extract the terpenes and chlorophyll, but both of those compounds are non-polar and would not be soluble in water. There’s no issue with mixing water in with the oil, but if you want to make the straining/draining step a lot quicker and easier, you can just as easily forgo the water and infuse neat oil.
I did not say it EXTRACTS terpenes and chlorophyll, and yes adding water is entirely optional. But doing so will give you less “green” flavor and color for sure.
So I made slow cooker coconut weed oil a while back. I read somewhere that you can decarb in the slow cooker as after 2 hours the wee starts to bubble and once it’s done bubbling that’s it decarbed? Is that correct because I defo got baked from it but wondered if it could have been more potent if I decarbed in oven first?
Making another batch soon and want to put them in size 00 caps for daily taking. Anyone tried this?
Thanks
Obviously a lot got decarbed but slow cookers don’t usually get hot enough for a full decarb (I recommend 240 F for one hour), so I usually decarb first. That said, if you are happy to with the results you got, allright. But you might be able to use less cannabis with better decarbing.
Is 14 g the weight of the flower before or after it has been decarbed?
Before.
Hi Cheri, apologies in advance for lengthy comment but, as someone pretty new to making edibles with a decarboxylator, I would be incredibly grateful to draw on your experience.
I bought my own decarboxylator a few months back for thc-infused oil (not an Ardent brand one though as I couldn’t find one available in my country at the time). One key difference with mine is that it leaves it up to me to determine and set the times and temperatures I use. So far I am happy with it and have been getting much more consistent – not to mention potent – results than my previous experiments with the oven. I have still been going through a process of trial and error though (switching to coconut oil for saturated fat content, using less oil for more concentrated infusions, incorporating lecithin as well as being mindful of what I mix the oil with and my eating beforehand) but I’m still left with certain doubts as to whether I am getting all the potency I can from my product and, if not, whether this is mostly due to my decarb/infusion process or just my metabolism.
I make my oil once per week and use between 3-6g (typically 4g) with my most recent strains being those with an average of between 15-20% thc content. Going on the recommendation given by my decarboxylator manual, I have so far decarbed at 230f for 1hr 30mins before infusing at the same temp for 50mins. I have definitely been feeling the effects but, given the amount of thc that I would expect to be in the final product based on dosage calculators, I don’t feel I’ve been getting anywhere near as high as I should be (especially given many other people’s reports of experiences on much much lower doses). Typically, after about 1hr 30mins-2hrs after ingesting, I will be feeling incredibly uplifted, euphoric, happy, with music as well as general sounds and sights being incredibly fascinating and immersive. I will usually reach a point where I have that ‘rollercoaster edge before the drop feeling’ like I’m really going somewhere but the effects plateau and I never really get there (hope that makes sense). The effects will eventually start to dissipate over the next day or two but eating certain things will make me feel moderately high again for a small while which makes me suspect metabolism.
I’ve had suggestions to decarb at 240f for 1hr15mins instead and have read other sources stating that the infusion temperature I have been using is too high (suggesting I use anywhere from 160-200f) but this will usually be for things like slow cookers and other methods so I’m not sure how this should differ using a decarboxylator. Do you have any thoughts on what where I might be going wrong and where I could improve in my method? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I decarb at 240F for 1 hour, when I am not using the Ardent FX or NOVA (which is my preferred method). From the effects you are describing it sounds like you are doing it right. I don’t think you are doing anything wrong.
Thanks for the response! I’ve just had the concern that I could be wasting resources if I’m only getting the effects I should be from a smaller amount. But with this week’s oil I used the 240f for 1hour 15mins (I might try shortening to 1 hour next week). I used a much lower temperature at a longer time for infusion, based on the advice and the infusion time/temp calculator page on the Levo website. Also tried to take some precautions with metabolism: only ate a small breakfast before eating the edibles and did an exercise session an hour beforehand. There was a massively significant difference. The experience was near-psychedelic but still allowing me to go out for a walk and enjoy being in nature and it was much much more consistent in terms of its onset. Overall incredible experience. Thanks again for getting back to me 🙂
Anytime. I am happy to hear you had a good experience.
Hi this cannabis oil,if you take enough it will get you high,I want it to combat severe back pain,but I’m not adverse to getting high now and then,many thanks
So I have some REALLY old dime bag of sensimilla that my mother found and (I thought) confiscated FORTY years ago, but believe it or not, my sister found it in her dresser after she died, in the same makeup bag I kept it in along with my old pipe and some EZ-widers. It has been in the dark, in a baggie inside a film canister for the entire 40-years since I last saw it. I would say it’s barely a couple of tablespoons. I wouldn’t dare smoke it but do you think I could make some infused oil for using to help sleep or something? Just to give it a try? Or should I put it in the Smithsonian, lol?
I would absolutely give it a try. You have nothing to lose. At that age, there is no need to decarboxylate, as age also causes decarbing, but it should still have potency. Give it a try and let me know what happens. Although depending on the strength of the cannabis, the amount you’re describing may not be enough to make much.
Honestly, you could smoke it if you choose. It is not like it has been where it would get dusty and dirty.
I had a friend in a similar situation to you a few years back. We were cleaning out her house as she was downsizing for a big move out of the country, and found a long forgotten stash that was 25 plus years old.
Well it was there, so what were we to do? We rolled a big fatty and sparked it up. I can’t say it was the smoothest or most flavorful smoke, but it did get us high.
Why does every site have 30 pages of irrelevant stuff and possibly a recipe omg id do anything to just click a link and know how much oil to how much pot and for how long. Here’s a link to my successful recipe now. ….
If the site is not for you, then feel free to move on, but it is hardly irrelevant. Your very question graphically illustrates how little you actually understand about cannabis, as there is no one single answer to that question. I explain why how to figure out what will work for you in this article and video. IF that is not too irrelevant for you. Or you can go get the answers you seek from someone who has no idea what they are talking about. Because NOBODY can tell you how much weed to use. It depends on the weed and it depends on your needs and tolerance. The people who come to this site are trying to actually learn how to best use this plant for their needs. If that is not you, then this is not the right site for you.
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/how-much-marijuana-for-a-stick-of-butter/
Can top strong of cannibis make you sick?
I assume you mean too strong a cannabis? If you get too a high a dose it can make you uncomfortable, but the strength of the individual strain has nothing to do with it, it is more your personal tolerance. For more information see
https://www.cannabischeri.com/food/cooking-basics/marijuana-overdose-too-much-marijuana/
Hi I have made oil a few times and the last batch didn’t seem to work at all. Any idea why that may have happened? I followed your instructions and then slow cooked it in a multi cooker.
I wasn’t there so I can’t tell. When you say it did not work, what did not work, how can you tell it didn’t work? The instructions work, so without seeing what’s wrong and what you did, I can’t diagnose this. Sorry.