Cannabutter or cannabis-infused butter is one of the best ways to make cannabis edibles or treats. It is commonly used in cookies and other baked goods that can be consumed. Cannabutter is highly prescribed for those who do not want to smoke cannabis but would rather much enjoy the effects of it. Making such concoction can be quite tricky; hence you will need to know the essentials on how to make cannabutter.
Before you make your cannabutter, you will need to know the purpose of making one. It all boils down to the type of cannabis and the compounds you want to infuse it with. Cannabis has two main compounds called THC and CBD. THC is a psychoactive substance that gets you high while CBD does not have much effect but has a rather high medical value. Whether you want to make cannabutter for recreational or medical purposes, you can still enjoy infusing either one or even both.
Cannabis offers a lot of health benefits hence the reason why cannabutter is fast becoming one of the best ways to consume cannabis. Consuming cannabutter or using it with other food ingredients allows consumers to have an option. Apart from its recreational benefits, cannabis and cannabutter offer different benefits, including relief from cancer-related issues like nausea and vomiting. Cannabis is also a great sleeping aid. CBD helps improve sleep in many sleep-deprived individuals. And one of the best parts of consuming cannabis is its immense pain-relieving power.
Steps on How To Make Cannabutter
While you can always purchase cannabutter from your local dispensaries, it is always best to make your cannabutter so you get to choose the flavor and which compounds you want to infuse it with. The steps on how to make cannabutter starts with:
1. Decarboxylation
Before making cannabutter, cannabis needs to undergo a process called decarboxylation first. Decarboxylation is the process of activating the cannabinoids or the compounds found in cannabis so that they are readily absorbed by the body. This is usually done by simply baking the cannabis first. To activate the cannabinoids, preheat the oven at around 115C or 240F and place the cannabis into a pan or baking sheet. Bake it for at least 30 minutes. Make sure that the temperature in the oven does not go beyond the recommended temperature, or else you run the risk of losing the aroma, flavor, and effects from cannabis.
Those who use fresh cannabis will have to bake it for at least an hour. Those who use dried ones usually cook around 20 minutes or so. Make sure to rotate the cannabis or stir it around every 10 minutes to avoid getting burned. You would know that it is ready when the color has changed from green to brownish-green.
Take the cannabis out from the baking sheet and use a hand grinder to crush the decarboxylated cannabis into finer grains. This will allow faster absorption of the flavors and effects into the butter.
2. Preparation
Now that the compounds in your cannabis are activated, it is time to prepare the ingredients and the equipment needed to make cannabutter. Prepare the following:
a. around 14 grams of decarboxylated cannabis
b. 2 cups of water.
c. 225 grams of butter.
d. saucepan.
e. strainer or cheesecloth.
f. wooden spoon or spatula.
g. glass container.
3. Cooking
Put the water into the saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Make sure to use very low heat to control the temperature. Once the water starts boiling, add the butter first, and wait for it to melt. Once melted, slowly stir it well to mix it and add the cannabis. Close the saucepan using the lid and let it simmer for a good 3 to 4 hours. Remember to keep a very low heat when doing this.
While many would often choose butter without the use of water, incorporating water into the mixture will prevent the butter from burning quickly. This also helps avoid the mixture from getting too hot too quickly and run the risk of losing the precious flavor and aroma.
Do not leave the mixture without checking it every 20 to 30 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent it from burning. You will know that it is done when it has a thick consistency and a shiny top layer.
4. Draining
Once the mixture is done, place the cheesecloth or strain on top of the glass container and pour the mixture over. This should drain the liquid while straining the cannabis. Let it cool for several hours room temperature first and then move it to the refrigerator. You will know it is done when there is a significant buildup of a fatty layer at the top of the mixture.
Remove the topmost layer and put it in a different container. You can store it back in the refrigerator or use it immediately into your baking session.
5. Storing
If you plan on storing your cannabutter, make sure to use air-tight containers to extend its shelf life. It is also best to label the container as the cannabutter often looks the same as regular butter and other baking ingredients. This will help reduce the risk of people consuming cannabis and risk exposure to edible cannabis consumption.
6. Proper dosing
Correct dosing is key to fully enjoying the benefits and effects of cannabutter. Edibles usually take effect around an hour or so while smoking or vaping cannabis only takes around 20 to 30 minutes to notice the effects. Reactions peak at around 3 hours when consuming edibles while those who smoke weed drop off around the same time. For this reason, overconsumption is very likely to happen when using cannabutter as an ingredient for baking treats. This is the reason why proper dosing is needed.
To check for your butter’s potency, you can start by using 1/4 or half a teaspoon of your butter into a snack or bread and see how it affects you after an hour or so. You may then prefer to increase or lower the dosage of your butter.
And there you have it; you now have your cannabutter for your baking sessions. Learning how to make cannabutter is very easy and convenient, especially for those who want to have a good kick for their sweet treats.
