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Creating cannabutter at home is a straightforward way to enjoy cannabis-infused treats without needing any specialized tools or expertise. From brownies to sauces, learning how to make cannabutter allows you to easily elevate your recipes.
In this guide, weโll walk you through every step of making cannabutter, from preparing the cannabis for infusion to tips on incorporating it into your favorite dishes.
Key Takeaways for Making Cannabutter
- Proper decarboxylation is essential for a potent infusion.
- The infusion process is slow but worth it for high-quality cannabutter.
- For an enjoyable experience, always dose carefully when using edibles.
What Is Cannabutter?
Cannabutter is simply butter infused with cannabis, which allows the THC (or CBD, if preferred) to dissolve into the fat. The resulting butter can be used as a base for countless edibles and recipes. With just a few steps, youโll have homemade weed butter that you can store and enjoy over time.
Selecting a quality cannabis is necessary for the cannabutter. You can contact Budora for a fast and same day cannabis dilivery in Vancouver and surronding areas.
Decarboxylation, The Key to Activating Cannabinoids
The first step in making cannabutter is decarboxylating, or โdecarbing,โ your cannabis. This process involves gently heating the cannabis to activate its psychoactive compounds, THC and CBD. When these compounds are exposed to heat, they convert from inactive forms (THCA and CBDA) into their active counterparts, which then blend effectively with butter or oil. Ready to Activating Cannabinoids.
How to Decarboxylate Cannabis
What Youโll Need
- ยฝ oz cannabis flower (broken into small pieces)
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Oven preheated to 220ยฐF
Instructions
- Spread your cannabis evenly on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-45 minutes, depending on the freshness of the cannabis. If it's recently harvested, go for closer to 45 minutes; if it's older, 25-30 minutes should suffice. Stir every 10 minutes for even heating.
- The cannabis is ready when it has a brownish-green hue. Allow it to cool, then break it into small pieces to prepare for the infusion.
Cannabutter Infusion Process
Now that your cannabis is decarbed, itโs time to infuse it with butter. This process requires patience and low heat, allowing the cannabinoids to bond with the fat molecules in the butter.
Ingredients
- 1ยฝ cups water
- 8 oz unsalted butter (or ghee)
- ยฝ oz decarboxylated cannabis
Instructions
- Melt the Butter: In a medium saucepan, add the water and butter on low heat. Allow the butter to fully melt before adding the cannabis.
- Simmer: Add the decarboxylated cannabis and gently stir. Keep the heat low, ideally under 180ยฐF, and let the mixture simmer for about 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. A kitchen thermometer can help keep the temperature steady.
- Strain: After 3-4 hours, strain the mixture through cheesecloth into a glass jar or container. Press lightly on the cheesecloth to extract as much butter as possible, but avoid squeezing too hard to keep the cannabutter smooth.
- Store: Let the cannabutter cool to room temperature, then refrigerate or freeze it. Properly stored, it can last up to six months.
Tips for Dosing Cannabutter
For first-timers, dosing can be tricky. Start with a small amountโabout ยผ teaspoonโand wait at least an hour to feel the effects before considering more. A standard dose for homemade cannabutter is about 10 mg THC per serving, but you can adjust based on your tolerance and desired effect.
How to Use Cannabutter in Recipes
Once your cannabutter is ready, it can be used in almost any recipe where youโd normally use butter. Here are some ideas:
Brownies
Swap a portion of the regular butter for cannabutter to make classic pot brownies.
Cookies
Add a subtle herbal flavor to cookies by replacing about ยผ of the butter with cannabutter.
Savory Dishes
Cannabutter can also be used in sauces, soups, or spread on toast. Try it in a garlic herb butter for a unique twist.
