I see you are curious in learning some tips for cooking with cannabis. Maybe you’re looking for an alternative to smoking or maybe you just want to spice things up with how you consume cannabis, let us help you with some tips and tricks on how to cook with cannabis.
Cooking with cannabis can be a fun process since the world of edibles has evolved to so much more than what it used to be. For example, baked goods being the pinnacle of the edible world, our beloved brownies and cookies aren’t the only ways to make special treats anymore. In the modern age of cannabis edibles we now see THC infused with anything!
Pasta? Tried it, amazing.
Smoothies? You bet!
Mother f****** french toast?! Of course it’s possible! Literally any food you can imagine can now be infused with your favorite flower.
When taking a trip to the dispensary you can now find cannabis infused gummies, drinks, chocolates, and oils. The variety can be overwhelming but infused products are all different in terms of potency, taste, and convenience. If you want to make anything that you cook at home instantly be infused with THC there is something for that too! Tinctures are the easiest way to infuse something with THC, as just a few drops of the cannabis oil will turn your Sunday smoothie into a special one.
There are more in depth ways to cook with cannabis than just buying a tincture.
The most difficult part of any cooking with or without THC is actually getting the right ingredients. So make sure you know what you’re getting and what you’re making. After you get your ingredients, cooking with cannabis starts with choosing high-quality flower. After you pick your favorite strand you need to calculate the dosages precisely. If you’re infusing butter then always remember a standard ratio is about 3 grams of marijuana to one cup of butter. That’s just a happy medium in my opinion. Based on your tolerance you can always add more grams or less!
Express Tip 1: Cannabinoids bind to fat. Infuse into butter, oil, or cream, not water. Popular choices: coconut oil (high fat content), olive oil, and unsalted butter.
The next step is how to apply heat to your cannabis to convert the THC into a form effective for consumption. Always decarb your cannabis (heat it at ~240°F/115°C for ~30–40 minutes) to activate THC or CBD. Skipping this step means minimal potency. Heating your cannabis can be a bit tricky but here are two quick ways:
- Using the oven
Spread your flower on a baking sheet and put it into the oven at around 250 degrees. Then bake it while flipping the flower every 10-15 mins. This process shouldn’t take longer than 45 minutes. The flower should look light brown or golden. If it looks dry and crumbly then this is a good sign. Once taken out the oven you can begin chopping the weed into small but not tiny pieces. The pieces should be large enough to not fall through a strainer. Take your ingredient that you want infused with the cannabis and place both in a bowl. For best results use butter or oil. Stir the mixture the more the better. Then line the bowl with a strainer and pour the mixture somewhere safe like a jar making sure to catch all the flower. You can now take the butter or oil and mix it into your favorite snacks or food.
2. Using a pan, (probably the most effective way)
Add butter or oil directly to a saucepan over the stove. After applying low heat to avoid browning, you want to take a candy thermometer and try to get the temperature in the pan around 200 degrees. Then you want to add chopped cannabis, again not anything too thin.
- Do not let anything get too hot and burn.
- Do not let things get smokey
- Do not leave the kitchen, be sure to watch the pan at all times
You’ll want to simmer both ingredients for 45 minutes, up to an hour. Making sure to be stirring consistently. You will know it’s done when the butter starts turning a greenish color. If you infuse oil then it will be a dark brown that’s almost black in color. After you’re done, the oil will be ready to mix with whatever you’re making. If you’re making butter, strain the mixture with a cheesecloth into a bowl or jar. Leave it in the fridge overnight to harden the butter again.
Express Tip 2: Use bold or rich flavors (garlic, chocolate, spices) to balance or cover the earthy cannabis taste.
When making something infused with THC butter or oil be sure to mix it well and distribute the infused ingredient well. If you are making something that requires it to be baked, listen carefully. After you have mixed everything, one of the most important things is to never bake or cook the product over 350 degrees as this will make the infused ingredient a lot less potent. So make sure your marijuana, spinach & artichoke dip doesn’t bake at 350+ or you will ruin it.
Express Tip 3: Effects can take 30 minutes to 2 hours. This is me reminding you not to re-dose too soon!
Express Tip 4: Label your edibles! This will help you and others from having any accidents. Once labeled and put in the fridge, potency can last up to 3 months and in the freezer up to 8 months.
Whether you are new to cannabis or not, make sure you have fun in the process. Cooking should be fun not stressful.
Happy cooking!
