- Fact-checked by Dr. Desiree Granados
Whether you’re a cannabis connoisseur or a curious newcomer, learning how to make cannabis butter can elevate your favorite recipes. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of creating your own cannabutter at home. Get ready to unlock the secrets of cannabutter and discover how easy it is to incorporate it into your meals!
What Is Cannabis Butter?
Cannabis butter, often referred to as “cannabutter,” is a type of cooking fat infused with cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis. It’s a versatile ingredient, and it can be used as part of an array of recipes.
Some of the best uses of cannabutter include:
- Baking it into cookies, brownies, or cakes for an infused treat
- Spreading it on toast or bagels for a unique breakfast option
- Adding it to sauces or soups for enhanced flavor
- Cooking and sautéing vegetables or proteins in it
- Creating cannabutter-infused beverages such as coffee or hot chocolate
What Are the Benefits of Making Cannabis Butter at Home?
There are many benefits to making cannabis butter at home. The foremost ones include:
- Control Over Ingredients: By making cannabis butter at home, you can select high-quality ingredients that suit your taste buds and dietary preferences, ensuring a more personalized product.
- Saving Money: Creating your own cannabis butter can be more economical than purchasing commercially prepared products, especially if you use cannabis in your cooking often.
- Control Over Potency: When you make cannabutter at home, you have the ability to control the potency of it by adjusting the amount of cannabis used.
- Knowledge of Dosage: Making your own cannabis butter will help you understand the dosage per serving, making it easier to manage your intake and avoid overconsumption.
- Culinary Exploration: Experimenting with cannabis butter can open up opportunities to explore new recipes and cooking techniques.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Making Cannabis Butter
To make your own cannabis butter at home, follow these steps:
Gather Your Ingredients and Supplies
First, gather the following:
- 1 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 cup of water
- 1 ounce of decarboxylated cannabis (ground)
- A saucepan
- A fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- A storage container
Decarboxylate the Cannabis
Preheat your oven to 220°F. Then spread the ground cannabis evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. This process activates the THC.
Combine Ingredients in the Saucepan
In a saucepan, add the butter and water. The water will help regulate the mixture’s temperature and prevent the butter from burning.
Melt the Butter
Heat the mixture over low to medium heat until the butter is completely melted. Then stir gently.
Add the Decarboxylated Cannabis
Once the butter is melted, add the decarboxylated cannabis to the saucepan. Stir well to ensure an even distribution.
Simmer the Mixture
Allow the mixture to simmer on low heat for two to three hours, stirring occasionally. Make sure not to boil it, as that may affect the potency.
Strain the Butter
After two to three hours, remove the saucepan from the stove. Using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the mixture into a clean storage container to separate the solid plant material from the liquid butter.
Cool and Store
Let the cannabis butter cool at room temperature before sealing the container. To ensure a long shelf life, be sure to refrigerate it.
Conclusion
Making cannabis butter at home is a simple process that can open up a world of culinary possibilities. Not only can you dictate your ingredients and the potency of the end product, but you can also customize the cannabutter to suit your personal preferences and dietary needs. Whether you’re using it to improve specific dishes or experiment with new recipes, cannabutter will be a versatile addition to your kitchen.
If you’re interested in using cannabutter or other cannabis products to treat a medical condition, The Sanctuary Wellness Institute can help. Book an appointment with one of our medical marijuana doctors today to discover whether you’re eligible for an MMJ card.
What is the Process of Making Cannabis Butter?
Processing marijuana into cannabis butter is simple; First, decarboxylate the marijuana (heat it for about 30 minutes at 240F-250F). Grind up your material until it is very fine (a food processor works great for this). Then boil some water in a pot on the stove, and place another pot or bucket of water on top of that.
This acts as a makeshift double boiler to prevent scorching/destroying the cannabinoids in your flowers. Add your ground marijuana to the boiling water and stir frequently for about 2 hours. Strain out all plant matter through a cheesecloth, and let the water in your secondary pot cool down to a lukewarm/comfortable temperature.
Add butter (preferably salted) to that water in a one-to-one ratio (butter=water). Stir frequently over low heat for an hour or two. Filter out any sediment by letting it settle and pouring off all of the clear liquid.
If necessary, add more butter to the mix at this point, but make sure you add enough water as well! After filtering is completed, place pot in fridge until fully cooled, then place in freezer until solid.
Once frozen, remove from container and shred or grate using a cheese grater or food processor. Place butter back in filtered water and re-freeze.
Once again remove from container and shred or grate using a cheese grater or food processor. Place butter back in filtered water and re-freeze once more (this is the decarboxylation process).
Trash can be used as storage during this time, but only if there is no chance of it getting into any way with people/animals; you can also freeze sections of it for later use as well. Once the final product has been made, store as you would regular butter (in fridge if not cooking within 24 hours of made, freezer if not using in a day).
Using about 1 tsp of water for every gram of marijuana that you use would be a good ratio to start with. The more finely the butter is ground up, the faster and better it will absorb the THC from the marijuana. That means that when you grind your pot or weed it releases THC which can be absorbed into the fatty acids within butter.
Conclusion
Making cannabis butter is easy, but takes some time and effort to get it right, but yields an excellent source of THC to be used for medical or personal use. Always keep in mind what your local laws are concerning this substance, and weigh the risks with the benefits before doing anything! Extreme caution must be taken when cooking with this potent substance! There are many different recipes and methods out there, so do some research before attempting this!
States Where We Offer Medical Marijuana Card Services
Frequently Asked Questions
How much butter will 1 oz of cannabis make?
Generally, one ounce (28 grams) of cannabis can produce two to four cups (or one to two pounds) of cannabutter, depending on your desired potency. For a butter with milder effects, using more butter per ounce of cannabis is advisable, while less butter will result in a stronger concentration.
Can you use fresh cannabis to make butter?
Yes, you can use fresh cannabis to make cannabutter, although it may not be as effective as using dried cannabis. Fresh cannabis typically contains a higher moisture content, which can affect the infusion process.
To make cannabutter with fresh cannabis, you should first decarboxylate the plant material by heating it to activate the THC. After decarbing, you can combine the fresh cannabis with butter and keep it on a low heat for a longer period to ensure the cannabinoids properly infuse into the butter. Keep in mind that the final product may have a different taste and potency than butter created with dried cannabis.
How much cannabis do you use for 1 lb of butter?
When it comes to making cannabutter, the exact amount of cannabis you’ll need to create a pound can vary depending on your desired potency and the potency of the cannabis strain you use. If you’re looking for cannabutter with a more subdued effect, you could use a half-ounce (14 grams), while those seeking stronger results may opt for up to 1.5 ounces (42 grams). For a balanced high, use an ounce (28 grams).
How we reviewed this article:
- Making canna-butter for cooking with marijuana (Cannabis recipe) https://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/2015/12/making_canna-butter_for_cookin.html
- National Library of Medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5260817/
Current Version
August 26, 2024
Written By
Jake Peter
Fact-checked By
Dr. Desiree Granados
Editorial Process
Our Editorial Process
First Published
November 26, 2021
Written By
Jake Peter
Fact-checked By
Dr. Desiree Granados
Editorial Process
Our Editorial Process
Jake Peter received his journalism degree from Emerson College and has been writing content for the Sanctuary Wellness Institute since 2021. He is passionate about all things cannabis.
