Step 2: Making the Base
The Process and Materials: Simmer in pot and infusion base
● Place your butter / oil into a medium-walled pan or crockpot.
● Put your activated cannabis material into the butter.
● Use a spice bag or tea canister to cook LOW and SLOW and STIR often— the longer, the more powerful, but also the more“ weed / plant tasting” your infused butter will be.
● Sift / filter butter / oil through cheesecloth and let cool in a glass jar or silicone bread pan for butters / oils that will turn solid when it cools. Re-bottle the oil or cut the butter into even pieces and refrigerate for later use.
Step 3: Making the Goods
Now this is where your personal creativity begins. Consider what your end goal is. Would you like to make a simple batch of brownies or use an infused oil for spicing up your regular cooking?
Remember, your infused butter can be used as is, spread on a piece of toast in the morning if you wish. Many people like to make baked goods: cookies, brownies, or anything you can use butter or oil with. It’ s very simple now that you have infused butter to work with.
The Process
● Just take your favorite recipe or any box mix and follow the regular directions. Then, simply substitute your infused butter for some or all the butter the directions call for. Bake, and you’ re done.
Remember, you can use infused olive oil for all kinds of things— a salad dressing, a bread dip, a Pasta drizzle— the possibilities are endless, and you get to choose.
Step 4: Enjoy
As mentioned, be careful when making and eating edibles. Strength can vary. Always test a small sample to get a baseline idea of the potency of your homemade edibles.
Note on Strength: A traditional edible can vary from 5mg to 50mg in strength. Strength is hard to gauge at home, but here is a basic guide.
Assume an average of about 20 % total THC in your bud. If you have one-quarter( 7 grams total weight), that means there could be up to 1,400mg in the bud that you made into butter. Recovery will not be 100 %, so let’ s say you will get about 1,200mg infused into 1 pound of butter( 4 normal sticks will be infused at 300mg each). If you use one of those sticks to make a batch of 10 brownies, they should be around 30mg per piece. Every variety of cannabis produces different levels of THC, so this is only an approximate average.
Gerry’ s Preferred Infused Food and Infusion Method
I said I would divulge my favorite process and infused edible. I am a fan of the newer infusion machines. They allow you to combine Steps 1 and 2, the Activation and Infusion process, which can be time-consuming and repetitive, into one simple process using a kitchen countertop appliance no bigger than a small coffee machine. You add your flower and press a button. After decarbing, you return to the machine, add your butter or oil, and press a button. Later, when you come back to the machine, it’ s done. It’ s that simple.
Infusion machines make making edibles easy and nearly effortless, and yes, they are available for purchase at Emerald Garden Cannabis, The Vapor House, and Emerald Garden Grow Supply.
Now for my favorite base / edible to make and why. It’ s honey. Instead of infusing butter or oil, I like to infuse honey. It is very shelf-stable, and the cannabis stays mixed into it very well. The best part is that you can eat a spoonful raw as is, mix it with a cup of tea or coffee, or substitute it for the sugar in any of your favorite cooking or baking goodies.
Enjoy your homemade edibles. We’ ll see you next month with more great home-grow tips.
Scan the QR code to see Gerry’ s grow videos. Gerry is also available at Emerald Garden Grow Supply for Free personal grow consultations. He’ s happy to help walk you through your grow from seed to harvest!
Gerry Donovan, the owner of Emerald Garden Grow Supply, Raytown, MO, says,“ I am not a plant Biologist nor a Chemist. I do not have any formal cannabis plant education, as that was a non-existent thing before today’ s world. I do, however, have a passion for cannabis, which words fail to describe. I’ ve traveled throughout Europe, including Amsterdam, Spain, and Canada, where I not only ventured into the world of seeds and genetics but also continue my quest to learn as much as I can about Growing the Plant. Over the last 23 years, I’ ve developed my own Grow Methodology through trial and error with love and passion. I hope to guide you on the pathway to enjoying the best cannabis you have ever consumed— your own homegrown!” Cannabis – Education – Wellness.
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