For people who want to make medicated foods, cooking up a batch of cannabis-infused butter, or cannabutter, is one of the best and easiest ways to get started. Contrary to what most people believe, making your own cannabutter is quite easy as long as you follow the steps carefully and are cautious about heating the cannabis slowly. This allows the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the cannabis to properly decarboxylate, or shift from an acid to its psychoactive form.
2 Easy Methods for Making Cannabutter
Method 1: Stove Top
For this method, some people choose to use cannabis that has already been vaporized. Vaporization doesn't always decarboxylate the THC in marijuana completely, and using the leftovers to make cannabutter is a great way to get a little extra use from your cannabis.
Ingredients
- 1 lb unsalted, high-quality butter
- 1 oz ground cannabis or 1 1/2 oz high-quality cannabis trim (adjust as desired for potency)
- 1 cup water (plus more as needed)
How To
In a large stockpot, combine the water and butter over low heat. Allow the water to come to a simmer as the butter melts, adding water as needed and stirring frequently to prevent the butter from scorching.
Once the butter is completely melted and the mixture achieves a smooth texture, add the cannabis.
Continue to simmer the mixture on low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Don't allow the mixture to boil.
Method 2: Slow Cooker
If you're new to making cannabutter, you may prefer the slow cooker method. This decreases the risk of burning the butter and ensures the THC decarboxylates properly.
Ingredients
- 1 lb unsalted, high-quality butter
- 1 oz ground cannabis or 1 1/2 ounces high-quality cannabis trim (adjust as desired for potency)
- 1 cup water (with more as needed)
How To
Place the water, butter and cannabis in the bowl of the slow cooker.
Cover and allow the mixture to cook on low for 8 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer the butter infuses, the stronger the final product will be.
3 Tips for Better Cannabutter
It takes some practice to make the perfect cannabutter, so don't be discouraged if the first batch you cook up isn't what you had in mind. Follow these tips for a better product every time:
- Store in Glass: After you've simmered your butter for the desired amount of time, pour it into a clean, sterilized glass container. This prevents the transfer of harmful plastic chemicals into the hot butter. For finer, silkier butter, pour the mixture through cheesecloth or a fine strainer to separate the plant material from the butter. Squeeze the plant material to rid it of all excess moisture before discarding it.
- Allow to Separate: Cover and refrigerate your cannabutter overnight before using it. This will cause the cannabutter to harden and separate from the water. Once this happens, you can remove the hardened cannabis for use and discard the water.
- Soften at Room Temperature: Don't use a microwave to soften your butter, as this may damage the chemical compounds within it. Instead, allow the butter to sit at room temperature before using it in a recipe.
Photo Credit: Debra Solomon
