There are many ways to enjoy cannabis, and one of the most popular is through edibles. But what happens when you don’t have any flower to cook with? Can you make cook with concentrates? The answer is yes, you can! In this blog post, we will discuss the different methods for making edibles with concentrates, as well as some of the pros and cons of each method. Let’s get started.
De-Carbing your Cannabis Concentrates
Some cannabis concentrates do not require decarbing before cooking, but others do, so you should know what you’re working with.
Cannabis chefs use distillates because they are flavorless, odorless, activated, and ready-to-use. The disadvantage is the loss of entourage effects present in full-spectrum extracts. Cannabis concentrates sold at a dispensary are often rich in THCA, but they must be decarbed, which is usually done by way of a flame, e-nail, or vape pen. Hash and kief also require decarboxylation to convert the THCA into THC.
You’ll need the following equipment and supplies in order to decarb your wax, budder, sugar, hash, keef or other extract: An oven set to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Pour the extract or plant material on the parchment paper and bake for about 20 minutes. (Halfway through baking, dry plant material should be shifted with a spatula.)
- To release the concentrate from an old cartridge, put it in the freezer. This will allow is to exit the container in a clump rather than as sticky oil.
- When extracts reach the right temperature, they begin to bubble. Keep an eye on them.
To decarb a full-spectrum oil, such as FECO or RSO, the procedure is slightly different and may be done on the stove-top. You’ll need a cooking pot, cooking oil, and a glass container small enough to fit in the pot.
- Add enough cooking oil to the pot to float your glass container.
- Place your cannabis oil in the smaller container and then float the container on the cooking oil.
- Slowly heat up the pot until bubbles begin to form in the cannabis oil.
- Using a thermometer will prevent you from overcooking your material – once the 200-degree (Fahrenheit) sweet spot is reached, remove the extract from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- You may also add cooking oil slowly to loosen the texture and make it easier to work with.
Cannabis Butter vs. Cannabis Oil
Depending on what dish you are making, you may want to use either cannabis butter or cannabis oil. Just like when cooking without cannabis, each material works better for different recipes.
Cannabis butter is made by infusing cannabutter into milk or cream and then boiling it until the water evaporates. The process of making cannabutter can be done with either cannabis flower or concentrate.
Cannabis oil, on the other hand, is made by combining olive oil or another type of carrier oil with cannabis concentrate. This mixture is then simmered for a period of time (usually about an hour) to allow the cannabinoids to infuse into the oil.
How is Cooking with Concentrates Different than Cooking with Cannabis Flower?
Cooking with concentrates is significantly easier than cooking from flower because an essential step in the process – extracting the concentrated cannabis oils – has already been done for you.
Another key difference is the fact that cannabis concentrates are much more potent than flower, so you will need to use less of it in order to achieve the same effect. For example, if a recipe calls for one ounce of flower, you would only need to use one-eighth of an ounce of concentrate.
As always, be sure to start with a small amount of concentrate and increase as needed until you find the perfect dose for your needs.
The Last Toke – Dosing
You can now focus on proper dosing once your marijuana is ready to cook. When utilizing cannabutter or refined oil, the fat is generally mixed in as butter or oil would be; when using extracts, however, the choices to medicate are less restricted.
To calculate the dose per dish, use this formula: Amount of concentrate [by the gram] x THC percentage x 1,000 / number of servings
For example, if you have one gram of 70% THC cannabis oil for 10 muffins, that equation would look like: 1 x 0.7 x 1,000 / 10 = 70 milligrams of THC per muffin.
Now that you know how to make cannabis edibles with concentrates, it’s time to get cooking! Remember, always start with a small amount of concentrate and increase as needed until you find the perfect dose for your needs. And be sure to focus on proper dosing when calculating the THC content in your dishes. Whether you’re new to cooking with cannabis or an experienced pro, we hope you found this guide helpful. Happy concentrate cooking!
