One of the most common and simple ways to create cannabis-infused edibles is in the form of cannabutter: cannabis-infused butter. Although the process of infusing the butter with cannabis can be a little tricky at first, it is effortless once you master it.
It requires you to activate the psychoactive potential of the cannabis. This can be done by heating the flower slowly at a very low temperature. This process is known as decarboxylation, which is necessary to perform before infusing the butter.
How to Make Cannabis-Infused Butter
Who doesn’t love using butter in their cooking? It’s even better as a delicious carrier for THC and cannabinoids. Butter is a versatile ingredient to create delicious edibles, but you could also use olive oil, coconut oil or any fatty oil to create a cannabis infusion.
It’s important to remember that butter burns easily, so you need you to watch it carefully when using it for cooking.
Ingredients for Cannabutter
To make your cannabutter, you will need 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of decarboxylated ground cannabis (which is equal to around 7-10 grams).
Decarboxylating the Cannabis: The Essential Step Most People Miss
When most people try making edibles, they often forget this essential step of the process: decarboxylating the cannabis. Before making cannabutter, the cannabis flower needs to be decarboxylated for it to become activated.
If you skip this step, your finished product will be either very weak or inactive. The buds of a cannabis plant produces THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) a non-intoxicating acidic cannabinoid (basically, an inactive compound).
When cannabis is smoked or vaporized, the heat converts this THCA into THC which is the active compound that gives a euphoric effect. Thus, when preparing edibles, THCA needs to be activated by heating the cannabis.
Some recipes might suggest to decarb your cannabis directly in hot butter. However, we recommend placing the cannabis in the oven to decarb it before infusing the butter. You will get a better tasting cannabutter by soaking the buds for a shorter period.
Simple Cannabutter Recipe
Step 1: Decarb the Cannabis
Start by preheating the oven to 245°F. Cover a non-stick baking tray with parchment paper; this will prevent sticking. Place your cannabis buds onto the paper. Place the tray in the oven and let the cannabis bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
You could bake it for 10 to 18 minutes at 300°F, but the low and slow method is much more preferred when it comes to decarbing your cannabis, as it better preserves the cannabinoids. If your cannabis is a little older and maybe a bit more dried out, it will need a little less time in the oven.
Be sure to give the buds a mix by slightly shaking the tray every 10 minutes. This is to ensure the buds get equally exposed to the heat.
Step 2: Grind the Cannabis
Using a hand grinder, grind your decarboxylated cannabis so that it is coarse.
Step 3: Melt the Butter
In a saucepan or stockpot, add 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of water and simmer it on a low heat to allow the butter to melt slowly. You can regulate the temperature to prevent the butter from scorching by adding a little water as the butter melts.
Step 4: Add your Decarboxylated Cannabis
Just as the butter begins to melt, add the coarsely ground cannabis to the pot.
Step 5: Let Simmer
Maintain a low heat between 160°F and 200°F, and ensure that it never exceeds 200°F. Allow the butter and cannabis mixture to simmer for around 2 to 3 hours and stir it occasionally. Make sure that the mixture never entirely boils, as it should remain at a low simmer to produce the best cannabutter.
Step 6: Strain out the Cannabutter
Line a funnel with cheesecloth and place it over a jar. When the butter has cooled off completely, pour it through the cheesecloth-lined funnel and let it strain into the jar freely. Avoid squeezing the mixture through the cheesecloth and it will produce a less-than-pleasant taste as it will push plant material through that does not taste pleasant at all.
Once the butter has strained through, store it in the refrigerator. Before adding your cannabutter to other dishes, desserts or snacks, be sure to refer to the dosing information below to best create delicious edibles.
Slow Cooker Directions
Step 1: Grind the Cannabis
Start by coarsely grinding your cannabis. Avoid using a coffee grinder to grind the cannabis as it will grind it up too finely, which means the bad-tasting part of the plant will easily strain through and result in a less than pleasant cannabutter.
Step 2: Set the Slow Cooker
Your slow cooker should be set around 160°F and add little water to prevent butter from scorching on the bottom. Be sure not to let the slow cooker exceed 200°F in temperature. You don’t want the cannabinoids to burn as you won’t be able to use them.
Step 3: Add the Ingredients
Add both butter and ground up cannabis to the slow cooker. Remember to stir the mixture occasionally.
Step 4: Turn off the Slow Cooker
After the slow cooker has been on for about 3 hours, turn it off and allow the butter to cool down.
Step 5: Strain the Cannabutter
Using the same method as above, strain the butter using a funnel lined with cheesecloth into a jar. Remember to let it strain freely and don’t squeeze the cheesecloth.
Tips for Dosing Your Cannabutter
The potency of your cannabutter will depend on a variety of factors. These include the potency of the plant you start with, as well as how long you cooked it and the temperature at which it was cooked. To work out a baseline or standardized dosage for your butter, start by taking a ¼ teaspoon or even a ½ teaspoon spread on a snack. After one hour, see what kind of effect it has had on you and use that as your guideline.
You can then increase or decrease the strength to suit your preference. It is difficult to accurately measure the potency of homemade butter and edibles because there are so many different factors that affects the finished product.
