Cooking with Cannabis is a great way to enhance meals that you already love. It is also a great way to customize a unique infused product, or edible, for consumption! As true with all food, it takes a little effort, love and experimentation when it comes to cooking with cannabis at home.
Some people may be asking-”Why would someone want to create their own cannabis infused product at home when there are so many types of edibles available in stores?” For us, it’s the same as why you’d rather bake your own brownies rather than buy them at the store! You know exactly what’s going into them and can make adjustments for things you like and things you may want to avoid, like food allergies. It also allows room for creativity and adjusting the amount of cannabis that is consumed. Some people prefer edibles with lower amounts of THC while some prefer edibles with higher amounts. Making your own is a great way to get your perfect balance (and taste!) every time. Want some fun ideas and creative ways to use edibles as they are? Skip to the end of this post!
So, where does one start? It all starts with the selection of cannabis that you want to use to cook with and the decarbing process (we’ll get to that!). Select your cannabis based on the types of effects you want to feel in your end product. Want to make an edible for bedtime? Consider using an Indica strain. Looking for something that you can enjoy during the day? Maybe a Sativa strain is better. Next, consider the type of cannabis product that you want to decarb. The product you select is one of the ways to determine potency. It is important to know the THC percentage in your selected product so you know what your dosing will be after the decarbing process.If you’re looking to make an edible with high levels of THC, the psychoactive component to cannabis, try using a more potent product with a higher THCA percentage like a concentrate.
THCA refers to the THC content in a product that has yet to be activated by heat. Typically, heat is used in the consumption of products (think, lighting a joint). For products that don’t require heat, such as store bought edibles, THCA has already been converted into THC through the decarboxylation (“decarb”) process. Decarboxylation or decarbing, is the process of slowly heating cannabis or cannabis concentrate, in order to convert THCA into THC. This is a process you will need to conduct with your selected cannabis product if you want to make your own infused products. Decarbing can be conducted using common items at home (your oven, stove top) with careful monitoring, alongside your choice of fat or oil. It is incredibly important to note that decarbing cannabis is not always discreet as it can create an odor during the process. Another option for the wary, are the many decarbing machines available to the public that make the process easy; such as the Ardent or Magic Butter Machine. Decarbing machines like these typically allow you to decarb directly into a fat if desired (i.e. butter, oil, coconut oil, etc.). You should expect that 90% of your THCA will be successfully converted to THC in the decarbing process.
In terms of dosing, it requires a little math. Let’s say you used a concentrate that had 750mg of THC (75% THC). After decarbing the concentrate (750x.9) you will have 675 mg of THC. If the decarbed product is ready to use as is, you’d be able to create an edible that roughly has 135 5mg pieces. Be conservative with your math and try small doses of your final product to get a feel on accuracy. Another way is to take your 675mg of butter or oil, mix it into your cookie dough, form your cookies and divide the number of cookies by 675 and you will know how many mg’s each cookie is.
After Decarbing, it’s time to dive into a world of possibilities. Fats are a great carrier for your decarbed THC. Making infused butter or oil for your baked goods is a great option. A personal favorite of mine is infused olive oil or grapeseed oil. It can be used on savory dishes, like a drizzle over a hot margherita pizza, or an infused salad dressing.
For those who want to skip the mess and math, simply pick up your favorite edibles and try some of these fun ideas:
- Find your favorite infused chocolate and add a couple pieces to your
favorite hot chocolate mix or melt it and make chocolate
covered…anything! - Found an infused oil? Think about making a sauce, salad dressing or dip!
- Find your favorite infused sugar and make your favorite drink or top off
your favorite baked good.
The world of edibles is never bleak and leaves room for creativity and personalization. What kind of edibles will you try at home?
Looking for more information on this topic or a product in our store related to this post? Get in touch with us! info@tryredi.com
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