Making cannabis butter is a beloved cannabis infusion method, and everyone has their own recipe.
Anyone that has had the chance to check out our latest issue saw the review of Viceland’s latest show Bong Appetit. This amazing series follows three main characters through an array of cannabis-infused dinner parties. With the ability to sprinkle terpenes on a salad, or melt CO2 extractions into a caramel topping we can safely assert that culinary cannabis is officially reaching new heights.
Gone are the days of ill-tasting brownies from the guy on the other side of the tunnel at Golden Gate Park. Now we are smoking fish with cannabis smoke and making croutons from dried flower. The only way to express creativity in the kitchen is to first learn the basics. Since butter is used in most baked goods it is often infused with cannabis to make medicated treats. Read on to learn just how to make cannabis butter the old fashioned way.
Decarboxylating
heat will decarboxylate (aka decarb or activate) the flower. Essentially, decarbing will help activate all of the healing cannabinoids in the flower. Until heated, psychoactive delta9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the non-psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA). Specifically, decarboxylating cannabis removes a carboxyl group from the chemical compounds of cannabis. This allows the cannabinoids to bind to the CB1 and CB2 receptors.
Canna-Butter
This is one of the most common forms of cannabis cooking infusions. That’s probably why everyone has their own way to make canna-butter. A friend once told me that a Hell’s Angel taught her to put the cannabis into the foot of pantyhose while it steeps in the milk fats. Some people like to let the cannabis loose in the butter while it ruminates. Both options are viable, I prefer loose cannabis. This method just takes a bit extra cheese cloth.
The main thing to remember when making cannabis butter at home is “low and slow”. That’s why I always make mine in the slow cooker. Heat the butter on the highest setting, make sure to use unsalted. (This will come in handy later while baking with the finished product.) I use the ratio of one pound of butter to one ounce of cannabis. Once the butter is heated to a liquid form and quite hot add the ground dried flower to the slow cooker. Mix thoroughly and bring the heat back up to decarboxylate. Once the flowers have been at optimal heat for about five minutes, lower heat to warm. Add in a quarter cup of water and mix thoroughly. The water will help not to burn off the cannabinoids.
Let the butter infuse on low heat for several hours. It is important not to let it burn but to also cook the flower for a good long time. I like to let my butter sit for about six hours. Once the butter is infused set up cheesecloth over the inside of a wire mesh strainer. Pour the entire butter mixture (including water) through this strainer and cheesecloth into the desired container. Filter until the desired clarity is reached.
Put the butter into an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. Once the butter has hardened the water will separate, remember this the next time that you open the tupperware. This cannabis infusion method will keep for a couple of weeks.
