How to infuse butter and oil with cannabis

The first step in cooking with cannabis is decarboxylation or slow roasting. Decarboxylating your cannabis is not hard, but it is a key step in creating infused meals. This step activates the THC and/or CBD in your flower. Decarboxylation leads to maximum potency and helps you to better measure and dose correctly. So if you skip this step, you are wasting much of your product’s potency.

Decarboxylating can be done in a few ways but roasting it in the oven is the most common approach. First, choose a cannabis strain that has the attributes you desire, such as high CBD or low THC. The THC and/or CBD potency of your cannabis should be verified by a dispensary or a testing device. You can then use a dosing calculator, like this one, to calculate potency of your infusion.

One note about the decarboxylation process—you won’t be able to mask what you are cooking! Covering your roasting pan with a lid or foil will help some.

Ready to Start? Follow these simple steps for a successful infusion

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F.

2. To make 16 ounces of infused oil or butter, start with 1/4 ounce (7 grams) of cannabis. Crumble, cut or tear the cannabis.

3. Spread the cannabis on a cookie sheet/roasting pan in a single layer.

4. Roast for 60 to 90 minutes, checking every 15 minutes or so to make sure it is roasting evenly.

Cannabis should be dry, but not burnt. Let decarbed cannabis cool to room temperature and then wrap in cheesecloth.

6. Using a saucepan, bring 16 ounces of oil or butter to a slow simmer. If using butter, add a cup of water; it will steam out during the steeping process, but will keep your butter at the right consistency.

7. Place the wrapped cannabis in the saucepan and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes; press cheesecloth about every 15 minutes with a spoon.

8. Let cool to room temperature. Strain oil/butter through a strainer lined with cheesecloth into a mason jar.  Mark your infusion with potency. Note the strength of both a tablespoon and a teaspoon, since these are common cooking measurements

Store infused butter in the refrigerator or freezer, and your oil in a cool, dark place. If storing butter in the freezer, a silicone ice cube tray with 10 milligrams of infused butter in each cube works well.