How to Make the Perfect Cannabis Edibles

Making edibles is easy once you know how to do it. In this post, you’ll learn the best way to make edibles so that they are both potent and delicious.

Whether you’re a first-timer or an experienced edible maker, this guide will teach you everything you need to know.

Start by Choosing the Right Cannabis Strain

Before you can make edibles, it’s essential to look at the cannabis you plan on using.

Strains made from Sativa plants tend to provide more of an uplifting, cerebral effect, while strains made from Indica plants are more sedating.

Strains high in myrcene will create more potent edibles and provide a stronger, longer-lasting effect than other strains. You can also read about terpenes’ impact to better understand which strains will produce particular kinds of highs.

If you’re unsure what kind of cannabis to purchase, you can ask your local dispensary. However, online resources are available to help you compare different weed varieties and their corresponding effects.

If you happen to reside in LA and don’t want any hassle, you can even have your weed come to your doorstep by contacting a business that offers weed delivery in Los Angeles. 

After getting your weed, it’s time to grind it up.

What Consistency Should the Ground Cannabis Be?

It’s better to use a coarse grind for best results. This will ensure that you can adequately mix your cooking fats and liquids without getting stuck in the grinder or clogging the filter. Too fine of a grind may also make it difficult for your body to absorb the THC.

For new edible makers, start with an eighth of an ounce (3.5 grams) per every six servings. More experienced users will likely be fine using as little as 3 or 4 grams before ingesting edibles. 

After the cannabis has been ground, it’s time to decarboxylate it.

How to Decarboxylate Weed

The process of decarboxylation activates THC by releasing its counterpart, THCA, which does not produce a high. It’s essential to activate your cannabis before making edibles because THCA will not bind with the cooking fats.

Preheat your oven to 245°F or 121°C, rub the cannabis between your fingers to break it up into smaller pieces, and bake for 30 minutes. Afterward, let the cannabis cool for a few minutes before proceeding to the next step.

You can also decarboxylate cannabis on the stovetop by heating it over low heat for about an hour, but be very careful not to burn your ground cannabis.

The oven method is the most foolproof way of activating THC because you can set a timer and keep the temperature consistent.

Alternatively, you can use a dehydrator to activate your cannabis at 115°F or 46°C for one hour.  Find coupons for decarboxylator devices here.

What’s the Amount of Decarboxylated Weed You Should Use?

For new edible makers, it’s best if you start with 7 grams of decarboxylated cannabis per every six servings. As always, it’s a good idea to make more than you need and adjust the dose as required for your tolerance.

Now that all of the ingredients are ready to go, it’s time to start cooking!

What Should You Cook Your Edibles In?

Use a water-based medium like soy lecithin, coconut oil, or clarified butter. You can even use regular butter if you don’t mind the milk solids in the final product!

Be careful when choosing your cooking fats, though. Any dairy products will create “cannabis-infused milk” that may not fully bind with the THC—meaning that it can be wasted when the THC is washed away when you strain your cooking fat.

When infusing dairy-based fats, it’s best to heat them just before their smoke point — around 250°F — to minimize any potential carcinogens that may be released during the process. You can also use a double boiler or combine your ingredients in a large, heat-safe container submerged in water.

How Long Should You Cook Your Edibles?

For new edible makers, we recommend cooking for 45 to 60 minutes. Based on how much cannabis you add and its potency, this will result in a THC dosage that ranges from 20 to 35 milligrams per serving. This estimate excludes the decarboxylated cannabis, so if you’re using already-decarboxylated weed, the THC will be lower by comparison.

You can always add more cannabis, but it’s much harder to extract THC from overcooked ingredients! Cooking times are just a general guideline—be sure to stir often and keep an eye on your cooking fats at all times.

How to Strain Your Cooking Fats

Strain while your cannabis mixture is still warm but not hot enough to burn you.

To do this, line a fine-mesh strainer with several layers of cheesecloth and pour your cooking fat mixture through it directly into a glass jar or mixing bowl.

After your cooking fat and cannabis pieces have passed through the strainer, pick up the edges of the cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible into your bowl or glass jar.

Straining separates the cannabis pieces from the infused cooking fats. This allows you to use those cooking fats as needed, such as baking, frying, or sautéing.

Ways to Use Cannabis Infused Cooking Fats in Recipes

Using your infused cooking fat is as easy as swapping it for regular, non-infused varieties and following any standard recipe. Just keep in mind that many edible recipes require baking at 350°F — so err on the side of caution and only heat your infused cooking fats to 250°F.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and play around with different ingredients! You can use your infused butter or oil in just about any recipe that calls for those ingredients. Remember to adjust the amount depending on how much THC is being delivered with each serving.

Here are two recipes just for you!

Cannabis Saffron Couscous

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients :

-1 tbsp cannabis-infused butter (or regular, non-infused butter)

-2 tsp saffron or turmeric powder

-zest of one organic lemon

Directions:

1. Melt the infused butter in a saucepan.
2. Add saffron and lemon zest and stir until combined.
3. Add couscous and stir until combined.
4. Pour in 1 ¾ cup of boiling water, reduce heat to low-medium, cover saucepan with a lid, and simmer for around 10 minutes (don’t lift the lid while cooking).
5. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, covered—fluff couscous with a fork before serving.

Lemon Pepper Chicken

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients :

-1 tbsp cannabis-infused butter (or regular, non-infused butter)

-2 tsp fresh lemon zest

-1 ½ tsp sea salt or pink Himalayan salt plus more for sprinkling over chicken breast halves. 

-1 ½ tsp black pepper plus more for sprinkling over chicken breast halves. 

-½ tsp ground ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Melt the infused butter in a small saucepan or pot over medium heat.
3. Add lemon zest and spices and stir until combined.
4. Using a basting brush, coat each side of the chicken breasts evenly with the butter-spice mixture. 
5. Lay chicken breast halves flat in a casserole dish or baking sheet and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. 
6. Bake for up to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Serve with sautéed zucchini noodles for a healthy, energizing meal!

As you experiment with different ratios of infusion, cooking times, and liquids, remember that potency is always subjective based on the consumer. Bon Appetit!

This is a sponsored post and Save On Cannabis has been paid for the placement of the content and did not author the content of the piece as well as does not necessarily share the opinion of the author. 

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