Methods for cannabis infusion in cooking can often leave people reaching for their vaporizer rather than putting together some baked goods. If you like edibles but have never made them before, you might be surprised to learn that it’s quite easy to introduce cannabis to almost any meal that you can make. Low-dose edibles in an oil can be an easy way to include cannabis in all of your cooking. A cannabis-infused oil is one of the most versatile ways that you can add it into baking, desserts, veggies, breakfast and more.
To get started you will need.
1 cup of ground cannabis flowers
And one cup of your preferred cooking oil
The right oil for infusion often comes down to the flavor preference for oil that you use in cooking. Coconut oil is an excellent option because it’s healthy for items like stir frys, pie crusts, baking and more. Canola oil and vegetable oil are perfect for their mild flavor and their versatility as well.
You will need a strainer or cheesecloth as well as a grinder and a double boiler.
Start by grinding up the cannabis. Many people use the entire plant as well as the flowers for this to produce a more flavorful but less intense product. Choosing only the flowers will often produce a more potent oil.
Combine the oil and ground cannabis into a double boiler, saucepan or slow cooker. Keep the items together for a few hours. This process will allow for the activation of the THC without destroying the active ingredients. A small amount of water can also be added into the mixture if you start to smell it burning. Make sure that the temperature of the oil never exceeds 245°. This can often be achieved with a crockpot heated on low for 4 to 6 hours with occasional stirring. Using a double boiler with a low setting on your oven can also produce the same effect.
After the oil has had an appropriate amount of time to heat for a few hours you can strain out the extra cannabis material and then store the oil. Straining the loose cannabis out through a stretch cheesecloth or strainer works best. There’s no need to squeeze out the cheesecloth as this will only add chlorophyll into your oil which can change the color but not the potency. The oil will last up to two months and you can double the shelf life with refrigeration.
Consider this simple recipe if you are interested in making cannabis oils for baking or edibles.
This post was written by Flo Sugyatno, operations manager of LOCAL’d and cannabis expert. LOCAL’d is a helping hand to the companies that strengthen your community in the Washington, DC area. Helping them to grow through financial and promotional support, LOCAL’d is a Washington, DC weed delivery service.
