By Hannah Taylor
Have you ever wondered how to make your own cannabis oil? When done using smart and safe practices, you can become your own master chef… or at least give expanding and lengthening your life a shot with your flower’s power.
To get started, purchase a high quality, organic and unsalted butter, or as a healthier option, grab your favorite pressed oil. Consider the selection and quality of ingredients for not only the flavor of your prepared dish (or confection), but also for its own alternative healthy advantages and for how well ingredients interact with cannabinoids. You will also need cheesecloth, a fine metal strainer, and a thermometer. A slow cooker or double boiler is also necessary depending on which method works for you. TIP! I prefer unrefined organic coconut oil- it has the best, and most nutritious fatty combining agent for marijuana, and is loaded with amazing everyday health benefits. My second favorite is unsalted organic butter, for the deep and creamy flavor it lends to traditional pastry recipes, and for how a lite slice jazzes up my coffee in the morning! While the procedure is simple, easy and effective, the potency is ultimately indeterminate and should not be used for resale, or distribution of any sort; consumed only at your own risk, and for your own suitable medical conditions. The type of oil created by this process is only for consumption and is not compatible for or with vaping, dabbing, or other forms of inhaled smoking. An ounce of marijuana (or more!) per pound of coconut oil is a good starting point, and generally a 2:1 ratio per pound of butter. The process is done either at high intensity with a product available relatively quickly, or as something you can leave in the slow cooker and process when you get home from work, available the next day. Slow 16+ hour Coconut oil recipe: To take the low maintenance, generally easier route, start the day before you need your oil. The cooking process is smelly, so stage it somewhere well ventilated to prevent the scent from sticking to your furniture and house. You can also replace Coconut oil with butter, canola oil, or anything you prefer and still use this recipe. TIP! I prefer less smelly, cleaner tasting oil, and though it scares me, I do soak my already dried (unground) flowers in a jar of water overnight to remove the plant flavor, without affecting potency. To dry them, first I carefully remove them from the water, place them on a plastic spaghetti strainer, and let it sit for a minute. I then put it in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time, until dry, usually 30- 45 seconds. Less smell, and the flavor of your future meals are less affected with these CannaOils.
YOU WILL NEED:
• A slow cooker (with at least three settings)
• 1 pound or 16 ounces organic unrefined coconut oil
• 1 ounce, or more, finely ground (NOT powdery) dry cannabis Consider that a high-quality single strain batch will provide you with specific effects, whereas a mixed or lesser quality bag will provide ambiguous relief.
• Filtered Water, Metal Strainer, Glass Mixing Bowl, Thermometer, Cheesecloth
HOW TO:
1. Turn slow cooker on HIGH and begin to melt the coconut oil. Add enough water until the coconut oil is liquefied and floating atop the water.
2. Slowly start mixing in ground marijuana until submerged. Add enough water to cover (you will need to add more in the future). Place t hermometer in, and lid on crockpot
3. Check frequently. When temperature nears 250°F immediately turn heat to LOW. Stir. Set aside thermometer and recover.
4. Check every so often to stir, add more water, and to check that your temperature stays between 250°F to 275°F. My slow cooker sits around 220°F on LOW, so I need to turn it up to HIGH for a few minutes until it nears 250°F (Keep in mind temperatures near and over 320°F will ruin your oil as it burns away the active ingredient. Extra water helps prevent this as it evaporates first.)
5. After it cooks for 12 to 18 hours, turn off your crockpot and allow it to cool enough for safe handling. In the meantime prepare your metal strainer by double layering it with cheesecloth. Place clean glass bowl in bottom of sink and VERY CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY strain oil and marijuana mixture. It will drip out of the cheesecloth. When the flowers are cool enough to be pressed hand, fold excess edges of cheesecloth around flower and begin to compress until all oil and water is in the bowl. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge overnight. (Save remaining buds for a CBD topical spread.)
6. In the morning carefully remove and save the green, hardened coconut oil for refrigerated storage and consumption, and discard the carcinogenic water, and you are set!
Fast 3+ hour Organic Unsalted Butter Recipe: For a quicker, same day turnout, try making CannaButter. This method infuses THC by cooking with the grounds wrapped in cheesecloth, thereby allowing for less possibility of spillage and loss of potency during the intensive cooking process.
YOU WILL NEED: • Double-Boiler with a Lid
• Filtered Water
• 1 ounce ground marijuana
• 2 sticks of butter, sliced (8 ounces)
• Cheesecloth, Twine, Metal Strainer, Glass Mixing Bowl
HOW TO:
1. Pour grounds onto the cheesecloth and roll up fairly tight like a burrito. Tie twine tight at both ends, wrapping all around the center to prevent opening and spillage.
2. Boil water in pot, enough to touch bottom of upper chamber. Melt butter in top chamber; add marijuana sachet and one cup of filtered water. Stir and cover.
3. For the next two hours, frequently check to maintain water level and a consistent high-heat boil in lower chamber, while also checking and mixing the waterybutter and using tongs to gently rotate the marijuana sachet. Keep covered.
4. Remove from heat. VERY CAREFULLY remove marijuana pouch from butter, and use a pair of large slotted spoons squeeze as much liquid out as possible.
5. Filter mixture into glass bowl and refrigerate for one hour or more until solid. Discard or compost the cooked marijuana.
6. Carefully remove hardened butter from carcinogenic water and enjoy! Apply these ingredients to your own recipes to enjoy relief in a more discreet fashion! Or, try them with Julia Child’s Best-Ever Brownie, ingredients and directions listed for you below!
Julia Child’s Best-Ever Brownie from Cooking with Julia Child 45 Minutes; Makes 18 Servings Ingredients: 1 1⁄4 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 8 ounces CannaButter* 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 large eggs, room temperature
How To:
1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. I bake them at a lower oven temp of 330°.
2. Sift the flour and salt together; set aside.
3. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently and keeping a watchful eye on the pot to make certain the chocolate doesn’t scorch (Alternatively, you can melt the ingredients in the top of a double boiler over, not touching, simmering water.) Add 1 cup of the sugar to the mixture and stir for half a minute, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.
5. Put the remaining 1 cup sugar and the eggs into a bowl and mix or whisk by hand just to combine.
6. Little by little, pour half of the sugar and eggs into the chocolate mixture, stirring gently but constantly with a rubber spatula so that the eggs don’t set from the heat.
7. Fit the whisk attachment to the mixer and whip the remaining sugar and eggs until they are thick, pale, and doubled in volume, about 3 minutes.
8. Using the rubber spatula, delicately fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture.
9. When the eggs are almost completely incorporated, gently fold in the dry ingredients.
10. Pour and scrape the batter in to an unbuttered 9-inch square pan.
11. Bake the brownies for 22-26 minutes, during which time they will rise a little and the top will turn dark and dry.
12.Cut into the center at about the 22-minute mark to see how the brownies are progressing: they’ll be perfect if they’re just barely set and still pretty gooey. They’re still awfully good on the other side of set, so don’t worry if you miss the moment on your first try.
13. Cool the brownies in the pan on a rack.
