Cannabis-infused butter, more commonly known as cannabutter, is a staple in any stoner’s kitchen because it is one of the simplest and most common ways to make edibles. However, making cannabutter can be a little bit tricky because of the time and effort it requires. There are some machines out there that make the process easier, but it’s also possible to cook up some cannabutter using the kitchen items you already have.
The first step to creating cannabutter is to prepare your flower, because you cannot just use it raw in its natural form. In order to activate its psychoactive potential, the flower must be heated slowly at a low temperature. This process is called decarboxylation. This recipe requires two ingredients: one cup of butter, and one cup of ground cannabis, decarboxylated. Before we dive into how to make cannabutter, let’s first take a look at how to decarb the flower.
Preheat your oven to 245ºF.
Break your cannabis buds into small chunks, but do NOT grind it. Place these chunks on a non-stick, oven-safe tray. Make sure the buds are not overlapping, but do your best to keep empty space to a minimum. Cover the tray with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Insert the tray into the oven and set a timer for 30-40 minutes. (Tip: Older, drier marijuana may require less oven time)
Every 10 minutes, gently mix the buds with a light shake of the tray to expose the surface area of the buds equally. When you remove your cannabis from the evening, it should now be a light brown color. Let the buds cool before moving on to the next step.
Remember, you should not cook with raw cannabis, so do not skip the decarboxylation steps above! Not only does raw flower taste terrible, but it has no active THC. Cannabis buds produce a non-intoxicating acidic cannabinoid called THCA. When we smoke or vaporize cannabis, the heat converts THCA into THC, the molecule that delivers the high sensation. Without the heat, you’ll get an inactive or weak product.
Now that you’ve decarboxylated your flower, you’re ready to make cannabutter! If you’re overwhelmed in this process, and you’re looking for something to make the process easier, then check out the magical butter machine! You’ll still have to do the decarboxylation process, but you can skip all the steps below. In fact, the machine makes the overall process so easy that once you set it up, you can do whatever you want until the butter is ready. Another amazing thing about the machine is its ability to clean itself. You just put some water and liquid dish soap into the machine, hit the Clean button and that’s it. Of course, all of this convenience does come with a cost. The magical butter machine cost hovers right around $175.
If you want to stick with the tools and methods you already have in your kitchen, then read on!
Grind. Grind the decarboxylated cannabis with a hand grinder.
Melt the butter. Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of butter into a stock pot or saucepan. Simmer on low and let the butter melt.
Add the cannabis. As the butter begins to melt, add in your coarsely ground cannabis product.
Simmer. Maintain low heat (ideally above 160ºF but never exceeding 200ºF) and let the mixture simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The mixture should never come to a full boil.
Strain the cannabutter. Set a funnel on top of a jar and line it with cheesecloth. Once the butter has cooled off, pour it over the cheesecloth funnel and allow it to strain freely. (Tip: Squeezing the cheesecloth may push more bad-tasting plant material through).
Refrigerate the jar of butter. If excess water forms at the bottom of the jar, you can remove the solid butter with a knife and drain the water out. (The butter will need to refrigerate for about an hour before removing the water.)
Dose carefully. It is very difficult to accurately dose homemade edibles, so proceed with caution. Sometimes, less is more. To read more about how to dose your homemade delicacies, check out this Leafly article.
To learn more about getting your medical marijuana card, click here!