Ever find yourself craving to try something creative with weed at home? If yes, it is time to put on those aprons, grab weed, and get along. This blog post will give you the details and techniques needed to create treats that cater to your taste buds. From brownies to savory snacks, we will explore all the methods and considerations essential for a successful infusion. Get ready to elevate your culinary skills as we delve into making weed edibles.
Necessary Equipment & Ingredients For Making Edibles
Equipments:
- Slow cooker or double boiler
- Strainer/cheesecloth
- Glass storage container (for finished product)
- Airtight container (for storage of decarboxylated cannabis flower)
Ingredients:
- Cannabis flower decarboxylated and ground
- Butter or oil of your choice
How To Make Weed Edibles At Home?
Step-1 Choose your weed strain
Preparing your weed is a crucial step as it sets the stage for making potent weed edibles. Choose your favorite strain so that you are familiar with the effects. Grind your desired cannabis flower and spread it evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. You will want a quarter-ounce to a half-ounce of dried cannabis flower, depending on your desired potency. This weed measurements ensure the right strength for your edibles.
Step-2 Decarboxylating Weed
Decarboxylation is a process of transforming THCA to THC by removing a carbon molecule through heat evaporation. When you first receive your cannabis flower, it contains THCA, which lacks the effects that THC can offer. To unlock the desired effects, you must convert THCA to THC by applying heat.
Typically, THCA converts to THC at temperatures between 200-240℉, requiring 30-40 minutes to ensure a slow roast without reducing essential terpenes. It is recommended to pre-heat your oven to 230℉ and bake your flower for 40 minutes.
Once your flower is decarboxylated, it becomes activated and ready to be added to any culinary recipe.
Step-3 Making Cannabutter Or Oil
Once your cannabis is decarboxylated, the next step is to infuse it in butter or oil. This will ensure that THC is evenly distributed in the fat, allowing you to include it in your favorite recipe.
Infusing cannabis into butter or oil requires a few steps. First, depending on the recipe and your preference, select your choice of fat—butter, coconut, or olive oil. Next, calculate the appropriate ratio to achieve the desired potency.
Cannabutter Ratio Calculator
To find the ideal ratio for infusion, follow the 1:1 ratio of cannabis to fat. It will ensure that your cannabutter or oil will have sufficient THC without reducing the flavor.
Here are some guidelines that you should follow:
- 1 cup of cannabutter for 7 – 10 grams of cannabis
- ½ a cup of butter to infuse 3.5 – 5 grams
- ¼ cup of cannabutter for 1.75 – 2.5 grams
Step-4 Infusion
Now infuse the cannabis in the chosen fat in a double boiler or a slow cooker. Keep the heat low and stir occasionally if using a double boiler, or set the slow cooker to low and stir every 3- minutes. Once melted, add the cannabis and stir for a few minutes before covering and cooking it for 3-4 hours (or 6-8 hours if using a double boiler), stirring regularly.
Step-5 Strain The Mixture
After cooking, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into a glass container for storage. This will help you separate the flower particles from the butter. After that, refrigerate it for a few hours to let it settle.
Step-6 Infuse It In Your Favorite Recipes
You can use cannabutter or oil to add a creative twist to your favorite dishes. For instance, you can add it to your brownies instead of regular butter. Moreover, you can also smear it over an already prepared meal.
Note:
It will be hard to know the exact dosage, therefore, it is advised to start slow and monitor the effects.
How To Make Edibles Without Cannabutter?
Making edibles does not mean sticking around with butter or oil as your fat option; you can always get creative and make delicious treats. Here are some of the ways to make edibles without cannabutter:
Tinctures
Tinctures allow a convenient option to consume cannabis with minimal additional ingredients. With just cannabis and high-proof alcohol, you can create a potent infusion with ease. Combine the two in a jar and let it steep for 2-3 weeks. Remember to shake the mixture periodically. After steeping, strain out the cannabis, resulting in a potent liquid. This liquid can be suitable for any recipe that you want to try.
Sublingual Oils
Sublingual oils, which are often confused with tinctures, are made with coconut or MCT oil. They are popular among cannabis users for their immediate onset of effects. You can use these sublingual oils as much as the same manner as tinctures. Simply add a few drops to your favorite recipe and enjoy your weed edibles without much preparation.
Dosing Your Homemade Edibles
Estimating your infusions and extractions is very important to ensure that you and your loved ones have a smooth experience with homemade edibles. Follow these steps:
- Figure out how many milligrams (mg) you have in your stash.
- Then, figure out how much THC would be present in your given stash.
- Consider how much is lost during the decarboxylation phase.
For example, you take 1 gram of cannabis flower, which has about 20% THC. How do you know how much THC goes into your edibles?
Step 1: 1 gram x 1,000 = 1,000 mg
Step 2: 1,000 mg x 0.20 = 200 mg of THC
Step 3: Account for losses with the decarboxylation process. Let's choose 90% in this case. The equation is 200 mg of THC x 0.90 = 180 mg of THC.
So, 1 gram of cannabis bud containing 20% THC will have a total of 180 mg of THC post-decarboxylation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze Edibles?
Yes, you can freeze your edibles to prolong their shelf life. Before doing so, ensure they are properly wrapped or kept in a sealed container to avoid moisture.
How to make Edibles with Wax?
To make edibles with wax, decarboxylate it and mix it with the fat source. Then, incorporate the wax with cannabutter as usual.
How to make Weed Brownies without Decarboxylated Weed?
Decarboxylation is essential for activating THC in cannabis and achieving the desired potency. However, you can use tinctures and sublingual oils, as discussed above.
How long do Edibles take to kick in?
Edibles take around 30 minutes to 2 hours to kick in, but onset time may vary based on factors like metabolism and tolerance.
Can you make Edibles with a Quarter?
Yes, we can make edibles with a quarter of weed. Adjust the cannabis accordingly to achieve your desired potency.
Is it cheaper to make your Edibles?
Making your homemade edibles is a more cost-effective way than purchasing pre-made ones.
Why won’t my homemade Edibles work?
There are three major reasons as to why your edibles are not working. Firstly, you miscalculated the dosage. Secondly, you have not allowed your weed nugs to decarboxylate properly. Thirdly, you may have completely removed all the THC present in the cannabis flower.
