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Let’s take a look at how to cook with marijuana and what it involves, including the equipment and ingredients needed to create a delicious food or drink.

Cannabis can be infused into various cookings oils that can be used in your favorite recipes.

Make cannabis-infused brownies, chili, gummies, smoothies, cake, salad dressings, and so much more. The possibilities are endless. In this cannabis cooking guide, we'll teach you the basics about working with cannabis in the kitchen and how to make cannabutter and canna oils at home.

What are Edibles?

Cannabis edibles are infused with cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Edibles are a great option for those who do not want to smoke cannabis.

Edibles can be made using dried flowers or cannabis concentrate. Decarboxylating cannabis flower and some concentrates is necessary to activate the plant’s THC and CBD. Heating the plant material at a low temperature and infusing it into butter or oil can create a great ingredient for cooking or baking.

When cannabis is smoked, the effects begin within minutes. With edibles, the onset of effects can take 60 to 90 minutes. The plant compounds pass through your digestive system slowly and are metabolized in the liver first before taking effect.

The Effects of Cannabis Edibles

When you cook with high-THC marijuana and the finished cannabis product is eaten, it gives the person a buzz, but it might take up to an hour or two to feel a noticeable effect. However, that same effect will last much longer than the effect of smoking. The high from edibles lasts six to eight hours. The high from inhalation lasts two to three hours.

For medical users who need strong and long-lasting relief, cannabis edibles can be the perfect option. A high concentration of cannabinoids can be infused into a food or drink, making it easier to consume large doses of THC or CBD.

Be careful how much you consume, though. Some people can experience hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, dizziness, confusion, and nausea from over consuming THC in edibles.

cannabis leaf next to cookies, how to cook with marijuana

Using Dried Cannabis and Cannabis Concentrate for Cooking

If you want to make the most potent edibles when you cook with marijuana, the cannabis strain’s THC or CBD percentage is also important.

Choosing the right cannabis strain is one of the most important steps when cooking with cannabis. Research the differences between indica, sativa, and hybrid strains, as well as your desired strain’s cannabinoid and terpene concentration.

Dried marijuana and some concentrates require decarboxylation to activate the chemical components (THC and CBD from THCA and CBDA) and be readily absorbed by the digestive tract and bloodstream.

Cannabis concentrates can also be cooked into edibles. Cannabis concentrates vary in form, potency, aroma, and flavor.

Choose the type of concentrate that works best for your cooking and medicinal needs. Some concentrates like RSO and rosin are made using heat and may not require decarboxylation.

Using Low Heat

When you cook with marijuana to create edibles, you have to use low heat to avoid destroying the plant’s compounds. Using a teaspoon of wood ashes will facilitate the quick breakdown of complex proteins into amino acids so that the body can easily metabolize it upon consumption.

Although the wood ash is known for its bitter taste when used by itself, it is tasteless when you cook it with marijuana.

Dosing Cannabis for Edibles

Having a great experience with cannabis edibles starts with figuring out the perfect dose for you. The potency of edibles depends on the potency of the flower or concentrate used, the amount of material used, and the cooking time and temperature.

Determining the potency of homemade cannabis edibles is difficult to do due to the many variables at play.

First-time cannabis users are recommended to consume 1-5 milligrams of THC to start. Users can gradually increase their dosage over time to reach their desired effects.

When cooking with cannabis, ensure that you are thoroughly mixing the ingredients and evenly distributing them across the butter or oil. Take every step to creating a standard dose across edible servings for a consistent experience.

Learn more with our edibles milligram potency and dosage guide chart for beginners.

What You Need to Cook with Cannabis

Cooking with cannabis is easy. You can use a stove, oven, or slow cooker to create delicious cannabis edibles. You will also need cooking and baking utensils such as measuring cups, a whisk, a mixing bowl, a spoon, a baking dish, an oven mitt, a saucepan, a cheesecloth, and cannabis.

Baking Cookies and Muffins with Cannabutter

To bake your cookies or muffins with marijuana, you first have to make cannabis butter or cannabutter.

For this recipe, we will use cannabutter. Cannabinoids like THC and CBD are fat-soluble and can dissolve in butter or cooking oil. Cannabutter is commonly used for baking.

You have to sauté the marijuana with the regular butter. Many people say that this enhances the THC, making it easier to absorb from the cannabis during cooking.

Some users use ghee (clarified butter) instead of regular butter due to its better taste and longer shelf life. To start, you use a small saucepan on the stovetop. Turn the burner down low so that cooking is slow.

Add about a quart of water to the saucepan and bring it to a boil. Place two sticks of butter in the boiling water. Stir consistently. As soon as the butter is melted add roughly seven grams of seedless and finely chopped cannabis. You can also add other ingredients to the butter such as other herbs and spices.

Stir in the cannabis and then cover, turning down the heat to a simmer. Leave for about forty-five minutes, but make sure you continue to stir the mixture frequently.

Remove the saucepan and leave it to cool for about 6 hours, stirring it every 30 minutes.

After 6 hours reheat the butter and then strain in through a cheesecloth. Put it in the refrigerator for about an hour until the butter hardens. Now you are ready to use your butter to make your edibles.

Storing Cannabis Edibles

After making your delicious edibles, it is important to keep them stored in a cool, dry, and dark place to keep them fresh. Store them in a resealable bag or airtight container in your pantry or refrigerator to extend their shelf life.

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Above all, clearly label your infused creations and keep them out of reach of children and pets.

Enroll in Online Cannabis Cooking Classes

Are you interested in learning how to cook with cannabis? Enroll in Cannabis Training University’s Cooking with Cannabis Certification Course to learn the techniques you need to create a wide range of edible infusions.

If you want to learn how to cook with marijuana and create cannabis products, visit the Cannabis Training University today.

Karen Getchell, expert cannabis writer
Karen Getchell

Karen gained expertise in developing training programs and technical documentation as a Senior Editor at Cisco Systems. She began her journey in cannabis as a patient, searching for a way to heal herself. When she perfected a method for making cannabis oil, other patients began to seek her out. An early adopter of CBD medicine, she started her CBD-infused-products business in 2014. Over the last two decades, Karen has taught hundreds of patients and caregivers how to select strains, infuse oils, and extract cannabinoids.

When she isn’t teaching cannabis cooking classes, Karen works as a cannabis business consultant, writes for online cannabis publications like Cannabis Training University, Leafly, and Weedmaps, and runs a CBD-infused-product business.

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