Extraction: How To Make Cannabutter At Home

The methods are what differed. Many called for one heating pass. The one on which I settled called for three. I decided if I was going to do it, I'm going all in. The resulting cannabutter can be used for a number of things. It is potent and tasty. I mixed up a batch for the Danksgiving feast. Then I made another batch. I tried it with everything.

Toast and bagels are especially good with this recipe. It tastes good on everything I put it on.

If you decide to try this recipe, please know that it takes time. This is not an easy 20 minute process. Proper decarboxylation takes time, as well.

Handmade Cannabis Butter

1. An oven set to 220 F/105 C
2. A baking sheet
3. Parchment paper
4. ~14g Cannabis and 250g butter

Decarb Your Weed: Leave The Cannabis In The Oven For At Least 15-20 Minutes

Do not use wax paper. Spread the cannabis in a thin layer on the parchment. Minimum time is one hour. Leave it in long for higher moisture content in the bud. Keep a close eye on the cannabis. Stir it every 10 minutes or so.

The temperature should not reach above 240° Try between 190° and 200°. Heating the cannabis too hot will decrease potency. It is easy to let it get away from you. Be diligent and watch closely. You won't know the results until the finished product. It is never fun to waste bud.

The Cannabutter Recipe

Ingredients

1. Fill a large pot about 1/3 with water (using about 5 or 6 cups of water). Add cannabis.
2. Over low-med heat, simmer gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Add butter and stir gently. Reduce heat to lowest setting.
4. Allow mixture to return to simmer, stirring occasionally.
5. Simmer for at least 2 hour, preferably 3-4.
6. Remove from heat and cool completely (takes a good 8-9 hours to cool).

Repeat the heating and cooling process up to two more times for a more potent butter. Allow mixture to completely cool before 2nd and 3rd heating. After third heating, you will strain while mixture is still hot (if you allow it to cool again, you may not recover as much butter as it starts to solidify around the plant material). To strain/separate the herb from the butter/water mixture, you’ll need another pot just as large as the first, a strainer and some cheesecloth. If you have a fine mesh chinois, you can eliminate the strainer and cheesecloth.

The Last Steps For Your Own Cannabis Butter

1. Place the strainer over the empty second pot and a piece of cheesecloth over the strainer.
2. While the herb/water/butter mixture is still hot from the 3rd heating, carefully pour it through the strainer and into the second pot.
3. When cool enough to handle, lift and gather the edges of the cheesecloth up around the herb, twisting tightly to squeeze out butter/water. Pour a cup of boiling water over the herb bag to recover as much butter as possible. A large spoon also works great for pressing every last drop out of the herb bundle.
4. Cover the butter/water mixture and let cool. Then refrigerate at least 24 hours. The butter will separate from the water and harden, creating a beautiful disc of green cannabis butter.
5. Cut out large chunks of the butter and remove from water. Use a strainer to capture small bits of butter remaining in the water. Dry the butter on towels.
6. The bottom surface of the butter (that was in contact with the water) may appear darker and squishy in texture. Scrape this off if desired.
7. Place the chunks of butter in a pan and slowly melt at low heat, stirring occasionally. I usually let about 60% of it melt, then remove from heat and stir until all the butter is melted. Careful not to overheat as you can cause the butter to separate or burn.
8. Pour the liquid butter into containers to store. I use 16 ounce glass containers with tight-sealing lids.
9. Enjoy your Cannabutter / Make Marijuana Cookies or Brownies

Dosage Of Marijuana Butter

For the neighborhood scientists among us: The substance that is mainly effective in eating cannabis is called 11-hydroxy-THC. It is absorbed by the liver instead of the lungs. The whole thing is much stronger more difficult to dose than smoking due to the delayed effect! So be careful with consumption! It is always much more advisable to feel your way forward with small amounts and rather spend an “occasion” with a relatively light effect than to exaggerate. Cannabis is considered to be one of the least dangerous psychoactive substances, but it can also be exaggerated with food!

Paranoia, panic, anxiety, or sensory overload are anything but beautiful and simply don’t have to be. Since the strength of your cannabis butter depends on different things, you cannot give a “correct” dosage. Each body also reacts differently. Experience has shown that it is best to slowly find out over several days what is the right amount for a person. You simply start with a little and take a little more each day until you find the right amount. So please don’t be hectic or impatient. The effect can also be delayed for 90 minutes – so don’t take more if it takes a while! As a rough guideline, half a teaspoon should already be a solid “travel dose”. Since 11-hydroxy-THC is even said to have a slightly hallucinogenic effect, the usual warnings about operating machines etc. apply all the more clearly!