If you really love cannabis cuisine, learning how to make cannabutter can really open up your cooking options. Cannabutter, also known as cannabis-infused butter, is an essential ingredient when it comes to cooking with cannabis. And it works great in absolutely all savory and sweet recipes that are designed to include butter. 

This versatility makes it highly popular among those looking to incorporate the effects of cannabis into their meals.

In this article, we'll explain how to make cannabis butter, give tips to help you get the perfect cannabutter recipe, and share some ideas for using it in your everyday cooking. This will help you enjoy and make the most of your cannabis-infused dishes.

What Is Cannabutter?

Cannabutter is essentially butter that’s been infused with cannabis, specifically THC - the compound that causes psychoactive effects. The creation process involves heating the cannabis to activate its cannabinoids—a step known as decarboxylation—followed by simmering it with butter to infuse it. 

This method allows cannabutter to be used just like regular butter in any recipe, making it a subtle and enjoyable way to enjoy cannabis. 

People who cook with cannabis regularly might also have heard of cannabis oils. Cannabis oils provide a similar function but come in a different form. These oils are produced using carriers like coconut or olive oil. 

They’re generally considered versatile and can be a good fit for recipes where a less pronounced flavor is desired, unlike the distinct buttery taste of cannabutter.

Choosing between cannabutter and cannabis oils really comes down to personal preference and the specific demands of your recipes. Both options offer robust ways to integrate cannabis into your culinary creations.

Importance Of Decarboxylation For Making Cannabutter

Decarboxylation is an important step in making cannabutter because it activates important components in cannabis, such as THC and CBD, which are necessary for the effects we expect from edibles.

In raw cannabis, the substances that affect us (THC and CBD) aren't actually active. They start off in a form that doesn't impact you much. We need to heat them to get them to a state where they can have an effect.

By baking the cannabis at a certain temperature, it goes through a chemical change where a part of its molecule is released as carbon dioxide. This change transforms the inactive substances into active ones that can really make a difference when consumed.

So how do you make cannabutter anyway? In the next section, we’ll show you exactly how to make cannabutter, including what you need to get started.

Step-By-Step Guide To Making Cannabutter

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make cannabutter:

What You’ll Need

Ingredients:

• Cannabis (7-10 grams per cup of butter)

• Unsalted butter (1 cup)

• Water

Equipment:

• Baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Oven

• Medium saucepan or slow cooker

• Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer

• Storage container

• Spatula or wooden spoon

1. Decarboxylation Of Cannabis

To activate the psychoactive components in cannabis, you need to decarboxylate it. Preheat your oven to 240°F. Break the cannabis buds into smaller pieces without grinding them. 

Spread them evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally for even heating. Once done, let it cool.

2. Breaking Down Cannabis Into Ground Form

Grind the decarboxylated cannabis properly, but don't overdo it. A rough grind is better than a fine powder. Avoid grinding it into a peanut butter-like consistency, as it will make the butter gritty.

3. Melting The Butter And Infusing It With Cannabis

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. The amount of butter determines the potency of your cannabutter. 

A common ratio is one cup of butter to one cup of ground cannabis. Add the ground cannabis once the butter is melted. 

Keep the heat between 160-180°F (70-82°C) and infuse the cannabis into the butter for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling to prevent burning.

4. Straining The Infused Butter

Straining is crucial for a smooth consistency and to remove plant material. After infusion, let the mixture cool slightly. Use cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer over a heatproof container. 

Carefully pour the melted butter through the strainer, pressing down on the cannabis to extract liquid. Discard the plant material once strained.

5. Cooling And Setting The Cannabutter

After straining, let the infused butter cool briefly at room temperature. Transfer it to a clean container or mold and refrigerate for several hours until solidified. This ensures consistency. 

Once solid, your cannabutter is ready for use in various recipes. Start with a low dose and increase gradually, as edibles can be potent. Enjoy responsibly!

Alternative Methods For Making Cannabutter

There are several methods for making cannabutter with common kitchen appliances. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, depending on the available equipment and cooking preferences. 

However, it's important to note that regardless of the method you choose, you may still need to utilize an oven for the decarboxylation process.

Cannabutter Machine

Using specialized machines for infusion simplifies the process of creating cannabis-infused products. These machines offer several benefits, including precise temperature control, hands-free operation, and efficient mixing.

To use a cannabutter machine, simply place the ingredients into the device and secure the head. Press the Temperature button and select 160°F/71°C, then press the 2 Hours/Butter button to start the infusion process. After the cycle is complete, unplug the unit, remove the head, and carefully pour the infused mixture through your filter into your desired storage container. 

This method ensures thorough mixing without activating the cannabis, preserving its potency for delicious homemade edibles.

Instant Pot Cannabutter

Making cannabutter in an Instant Pot starts by wrapping your cannabis in foil and heating it up on the 'Keep Warm' setting for about 40 minutes. After that, grind the heated cannabis and mix it with butter in the pot. 

Once done, close the lid tightly and cook it on a low-pressure setting for 20 minutes. The Instant Pot seals in the smell and uses pressure to infuse the butter effectively, making it a quick and safe option.

Crock Pot Cannabutter

If you are interested in learning how to make cannabutter in a crock pot, this section if for you! To make crockpot cannabutter, start by decarboxylating your weed. Preheat your oven to 250°F and spread your marijuana on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake it for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small crockpot, melt 3/4 cup of butter on the lowest heat setting. 

Once your weed is decarboxylated, place it in a reusable basket coffee filter and steep it in the melted butter for about three hours, stirring occasionally. Afterward, let the cannabutter cool for about an hour, then strain out the used marijuana using the filter basket. 

You'll end up with approximately 1/2 cup of strained cannabutter, ready to use in your favorite recipes. 

Stove Top Cannabutter

To make stove-top cannabutter, you'll need to decarboxylate your cannabis by baking it in the oven. Preheat to 220°F, break up the buds into large pieces, and spread them evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake for 20 minutes for lower-quality weed, 45 minutes for high-grade weed, or 1 hour or more for freshly harvested wet cannabis. Stir every 10 minutes to prevent burning until the color changes to a deep brownish-green, indicating decarboxylation. Once cooled, break up the weed to the desired consistency.

Next, for the stovetop infusion, gather 1½ cups of water, 8 oz. of clarified or unsalted butter, and ½ oz. of decarboxylated cannabis. In a medium saucepan over very low heat, combine the water and butter/oil until melted, then add the ground cannabis. 

Stir well, cover, and simmer gently for 4 hours, stirring every half hour to prevent burning. Ensure the temperature stays below 180°F. After 4 hours, strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a mesh strainer into a container, allowing it to cool to room temperature before use or storage.

Calculating Cannabutter Dosage

When it comes to making cannabutter, finding the right balance between cannabis and butter is crucial for achieving the desired potency. Several factors, such as the strength of your cannabis, the desired potency of the cannabutter, and the amount of butter used, need to be considered.

For instance, if you have 1 gram of weed containing 15 percent THCA, it will yield approximately 150 milligrams of THCA. As a starting dose, we recommend consuming 2.5 to 5 milligrams of THC.

Let's break down the dosage further. If you use 1 gram of weed to make cannabutter and then use that butter to bake 2 dozen cookies, each cookie will contain approximately 6.25 milligrams of THC. To start, try consuming half of a cookie, wait 1 to 2 hours to gauge the effects, and then decide if you want to consume more. I'd suggest adding no more than a quarter of the cookie at a time to avoid consuming too much THC too quickly.

Benefits Of Cannabutter

Certainly! Here are five benefits of using cannabutter:

1. Versatility: Cannabutter can be used in a wide variety of recipes, from sweet treats like cookies and brownies to savory dishes like pasta sauces and dressings. Its versatility allows for creative culinary experimentation and the incorporation of cannabis into different types of foods.

2. Customization: By making your own cannabutter at home, you have full control over the potency and dosage of your edibles. This allows you to tailor the strength of the infused butter to your individual preferences and tolerance levels, ensuring a personalized cannabis experience.

3. Longevity: Properly stored cannabutter can have a relatively long shelf life, especially when kept in the refrigerator or freezer. This makes it convenient to prepare a batch of cannabutter in advance and use it gradually over time, without worrying about it spoiling quickly.

4. Ease of Consumption: Consuming cannabis-infused edibles made with cannabutter offers a discreet and convenient way to experience the effects of cannabis without the need for smoking or vaping. This makes edibles an attractive option for individuals who prefer to avoid inhalation methods or who may have respiratory concerns.

5. Enhanced Flavor: Cannabutter not only carries the cannabinoids from cannabis but also contributes to the overall flavor profile of edibles. Its rich, creamy texture and buttery taste complement a wide range of ingredients, helping to create delicious and enjoyable culinary creations with a subtle hint of cannabis.

How Is Cannabutter Used to Make Edibles?

Cannabutter is really important for making cannabis-infused foods. It's like the main ingredient that carries the cannabis into the food. Here's how it works:

• Fat Solubility: Cannabis has stuff in it called THC and CBD that make you feel high or relaxed. These things mix really well with fats, like butter. So, when you cook cannabis with butter, those THC and CBD things get absorbed into the butter. This makes it easy for your body to absorb them when you eat the infused butter.

• Flavor: Cannabis has a strong, earthy taste that not everyone likes. But butter has a yummy taste that most people enjoy. So, when you mix cannabis with butter, the butter helps cover up that earthy taste, making the food taste better.

• Examples of Edibles: Cannabutter is used in many foods. Some popular edibles ones include cookies and brownies, which can be made by swapping regular butter with cannabutter in the recipe, infusing each bite with cannabis. Gummies and candies often use oils, but cannabutter adds a richer texture and flavor, giving candies a special twist. Cannabutter also enhances savory dishes like pasta sauces and salad dressings, adding a hint of cannabis flavor to everyday meals.

Getting Weed Legally For Cannabutter

In Washington, DC, you can legally get weed for free to make cannabutter, but there's a catch. It's all thanks to Initiative 71 (I-71). If you're 21 or older, you can have up to two ounces of weed and grow up to six plants at home. But you can't buy weed, so how do you get it?

That's where gifting shops come in. These places sell things like stickers or art, but they'll also give you some weed as a "gift" when you make a purchase. It's kind of a loophole in the law. Gifting shops in DC are usually called "i-71 compliant shops" because they follow the rules of Initiative 71.

So, if you want to make cannabutter, you can visit one of these gifting shops and get some weed for free with your purchase. Just remember to be careful and only go to shops that are following the law. It's a way to legally get weed and make your own edibles at home.

Conclusion

Making cannabutter is a straightforward and important step if you're interested in cooking with cannabis. It's the key to creating a variety of tasty and effective cannabis-infused foods. You can easily customize how strong your cannabutter is and what it tastes like, which makes it perfect for different recipes, from sweet cookies to savory sauces.

There’s also a lot of room for creativity in this process. Whether you’re new to cannabis cooking or have some experience, learning how to make butter from cannabis helps you to try out different ideas and flavors. Each time you make a batch, you can experiment with different amounts and types of cannabis to see what works best for you.

Also, remember that while it's legal to have and grow cannabis under Initiative 71, selling it isn't allowed. i-71 compliant shops in DC follow the law by offering cannabis as a "gift" with another purchase. Make sure you follow local laws when getting cannabis.

If you're looking to get weed in DC, check us out at No Kids Allowed. We offer the best marijuana/weed gifts in Washington DC. Kindly visit our online menu to see what gifts we have in stock. Call us at (202) 897-5993 or chat on WhatsApp to place your order or visit us today at 637 Pennsylvania Ave SE Suite B Washington DC 20003.

Frequently Asked Questions AQS

What Is The Best Ratio For Cannabutter?

The best ratio for making cannabutter typically depends on your desired potency and the strength of the cannabis used. A common guideline is to use 1 ounce of cannabis to 1 pound of butter. This ratio can be adjusted based on the potency of the cannabis.

Is It 2 Or 3 Hours For Cannabutter?

Cannabutter is usually infused for about 2 to 3 hours. Cooking it for 2 hours should be sufficient, but extending the infusion to 3 hours can potentially yield a stronger result as it allows more time for the THC to fully infuse into the butter.

How Much Water Do You Use In Cannabutter?

Adding water to your cannabutter is optional but recommended to help prevent the butter from burning and to ensure even distribution. A typical approach is to add just enough water to cover the butter and mixture in the pot. During the cooling process, the water will separate from the butter.

How Long Should I Infuse My Cannabutter For?

For the best results, infusing your cannabutter for at least 2 to 3 hours on low heat is advisable. This duration allows enough time for the THC to effectively bind with the fats in the butter, enhancing the potency of your cannabutter.

How Many Sticks Of Butter Is 1 Oz Of Cannabutter?

When following the typical ratio of 1 ounce of cannabis to 1 pound of butter, you would use four sticks of butter since one pound of butter equals four sticks. Therefore, 1 ounce of cannabis is used to infuse four sticks of butter.

Can You Make Cannabutter In 30 Mins?

It is generally not recommended to try making cannabutter in just 30 minutes as it does not provide enough time for the THC to adequately infuse into the butter. Proper infusion typically requires a longer cooking time, usually a minimum of 2 hours, to maximize the effectiveness of the cannabutter.