Butter is a lovely accompaniment to bread and tea. It is a staple breakfast item that food lovers can never get enough of. However, have you ever wondered about the different ways in which you can use butter? For instance, cannabis-infused butter. Yes, you heard it right you can use cannabis to obtain a new version of butter. Most of you might be familiar with the recipe and procedure of butter making. But processing cannabis butter can be a little bit tricky. I am not saying that you have to be a connoisseur or a master chef to make cannabis butter. You just need a little information, the correct guidance, and most vitally patience. I feel that patience is the key to making delicious canna-butter.
While cannabis is also known for its therapeutic properties. Various studies and research have emerged in the past stating the potential benefits of this herb. Edibles like cannabis butter mean even more to people when it can provide relief from chronic pain and other medical conditions. Several patients use a medical marijuana card to avail of high-quality cannabis edibles or products from licensed dispensaries. But as we all are stuck inside our houses until the pandemic subsides, you should make your cannabis butter. Here’s a full-fledged process of making home-made cannabis butter. Let’s begin!
How to Make Cannabis Butter at Home
Before we begin, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. Say you have a particular cannabis strain at home and you want to activate its psychoactive elements to full potential. For the same, you need to heat the flowers or buds at a certain temperature. This process is called decarboxylation. Decarboxylation is required to get the full potency of cannabis, and the process is straightforward if you apply the technique accurately. All you have to do is heat your flowers, and when you do so, the temperature will cause the plant to react chemically. As a result of this chemical reaction, the compounds will bind together and produce the desired effects.
In addition, you also have to remember that besides decarboxylation, the drying process is also equally important. Because when the plant is in its raw form, it only contains THCA – the non-psychoactive compound. For its activation to THC (psychoactive form), both drying and heating are mandatory. If you think that soaking the bud in hot butter will do the needful, you are highly mistaken because the less time you spend soaking, the better your cannabis butter will be. And for this very reason, we suggest that you should first begin with the process of decarboxylation. Here are the steps that will help you decarboxylate cannabis properly.
How to Decarboxylate Cannabis
For decarboxylation using an oven you will need the following equipment:
- A baking tray
- High-quality cannabis
- Aluminum foil
Gather all these equipment and begin by preheating the oven at 245 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, take note that while preheating the oven maximum heat will shift to the top and the oven will be cooler at the bottom. This is to say that you have to place the tray containing dry buds in the middle to heat them at an optimum temperature.
For the next step, cut a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil to the size of your baking tray and then lay it on top of the baking sheet. A double layer will ensure that your buds are heated at an ideal temperature. Don’t forget to break the cannabis into fine but nor very small pieces. Small pieces of cannabis are at high risk of burning. Spread the cannabis onto the foil paper and then carefully place another foil paper on the top. Place the baking tray into the preheated oven and bake for at least 45 minutes.
Soon after completion of the heating period, remove the tray and the baking sheet from the oven. Let it cool down for the next 30 minutes and when it is cool enough, carefully place the decarboxylated cannabis in a separate container. Please take note that the buds should look golden brown and slightly roasted. Golden-brown color is an indication that your cannabis has been successfully decarboxylated. That said, now let us make some cannabis-infused butter.
Steps to Make Cannabis-Infused Butter
Not all food items go along with cannabis, but butter is an adept THC and CBD carrier that enhances the flavor of the end product. You can use other cannabis compound carriers like olive and coconut oil to create a well-balanced infusion. And while making an infusion with butter ensure that you cook the butter in mild heat because butter can burn easily and cause the flavor to alter. We advise that you keep stirring the butter as it cooks, and stay close to the butter-cooking pan until it is completely ready.
Things you will need
- 5-10 grams of decarboxylated cannabis
- One cup of butter
- Half a cup of water
- Saucepan
- Wooden cooking spoon and;
- Thermometer
Directions For Cooking
Take the finest butter into a container or a bowl. Make sure the quantity of butter corresponds with the amount of cannabis you are using. For instance, for one cup of butter, you can use 6 grams of cannabis buds. Another point that you need to keep in mind is the effect of cannabis on your body. If a small dose works for you then don’t go overboard with cannabis mixing. Stick the to the dosing guide and empty the butter into a medium saucepan.
Next, add one or half a cup of water to the butter in the saucepan. Adding water will maintain the consistency of butter and also prevent the bottom layer of the butter from burning. Turn on the heat and let the butter melt at a low temperature. While the butter is melting, add the dried and decarboxylated bud to the grinder. You can also use your hands to crush the dried cannabis into grind-like pieces. Although, make sure you don’t grind them perfectly. An unfinished grind will work wonders for you.
After the butter has melted, add dried and crushed cannabis to it. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the coarsely grind cannabis gets completely soaked in the butter. Do not turn up the heat while you add cannabis to the butter. Ideally, a temperature between 160-200 degrees Fahrenheit should do the job. But in case the temperature exceeds, simmer the heat immediately and cook the mixture for up to four hours.
Take note of the following
- Do not bring the mixture to a boil.
- The process will require a lot of patience so grab a book or turn the music up while the butter cooks at its own speed.
- Never turn the heat up to accelerate the cooking process. This way you will only end up with poor quality cannabis-butter.
- Stir every half an hour to see how well the mixture is doing. You can use a wooden or steel for stirring. Preferably a wooden spoon is a better choice.
- Cook for at least 4 hours and then strain the butter.
How to Strain Canna-Butter
Once the butter had cooled down. Take e stored in. Set the funnel properly over the jar and then place a cheesecloth on top of the funnel. Adjust the cloth properly, pour the mixture on top of the cloth, and let it strain for five minutes. You can also add pressure on the cheesecloth with the help funnel on top of a jar or any other container you would like the butter to b of a wooden spoon to allow free passage for the mixture. However, do not squeeze the cloth because you may allow the bad particles to enter the final product.
Soon after filtering the mixture, take the jar and keep it inside a refrigerator. Allow the butter to settle down. Also, don’t panic if you see a layer of water at the bottom of the jar. You can remove the butter from the top and store it in a different container. Refrigerate for almost an hour and dose on cannabis butter mindfully.
How to Dose on Cannabis Butter
The potency of cannabis butter depends on how you cook the butter. If you follow all the steps mentioned in this post, the end product will be highly potent. This means that even a single spread of the butter will provide you with the desired effect.
To test the potency of your home-made butter, take half a spoon of canna-butter, eat it along with your favorite snack, and experience the effect of the dose after an hour or two. If the effect is optimum then stick to the same dose, but if in case you feel a little out of place, decrease the dose accordingly. You can also use the same dose of canna-butter to cook other food items. Also, make sure that you keep the butter away from the sight of children.
Final Thoughts
In the wake of the current pandemic, it is vital to maintain social distance and stay under lockdown until the situation gets under control. Although marijuana businesses have been deemed essential, you can still maintain social distancing while purchasing cannabis through curbside pickups and online deliveries. Use the purchased cannabis to make various types of edibles at home. You can consume them easily and most vitally decrease the risk of respiratory illness through vaping and smoking. After all, healthy lungs are the first line of defense against the novel coronavirus. So, make edibles like canna-butter at home and consume them intuitively.