Kick Your Food Into High Gear With the Addition of Cannabis Butter

By Jamie Evans

The following recipe was originally published on The Herb Somm.

Cannabis butter
Getty | Krug Studios

There's nothing better than adding soft, smooth butter to a recipe. The richness increases depth to the flavor and can bring delicious creaminess to a variety of foods. How about adding cannabis to that butter? Even better!

Throughout The Herb Somm guides, we use many recipes incorporating gourmet cannabis butter also known as "CannaButter." From baked goodies to creamy soup, and from risotto to sautéed steak, there are so many ways to use this versatile cooking essential.

Similar to making infused cannabis olive oil, creating a CannaButter at home can be time-consuming but very rewarding. When cooking, remember to keep temperatures low and prepare slow in order for the THC to activate correctly (change into its psychoactive form). Low temperatures also help preserve terpenes, which add desirable aromas and can provide many health benefits.

For standardized dosing, the majority of the CannaButter recipes we use for The Herb Somm recipes test at 12 percent THC. This means a single-serving size of 1 teaspoon is equal to 10 milligrams depending on the strain used. Be aware that a specific cannabis variety's THC and CBD levels can vary depending on the grower and where you purchased the flower, so be sure to know your product well before using and be mindful of your metabolism. Here's what you'll need to get started:

Cannabis Butter

Cook Time6 hours

The Herb Somm

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound of unsalted butter
  • 1 ounce (28.3 grams) cannabis flower, trim or shake
  • 1 cup of water

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 250ºF. Separate the cannabis with your fingers and place on a baking tray. Decarboxylate in the oven for 30 minutes to activate the THC. Set aside.

  2. In a large Crock-Pot, empty butter into the bowl and melt on low heat. Add water and turn the temperature up until the mixture begins to simmer and all of the butter melts.

  3. Stir in the decarboxylated cannabis flower, trim or shake. Reduce heat to the lowest setting — do not boil.

  4. Cook the mixture for 4-5 hours stirring every 60 minutes. Be sure the temperature reaches 150-200 degrees Fahrenheit, so you extract the THC via solubilization. Add water if needed.

  5. As the butter cooks, line a strainer with the cheesecloth and set over a large mixing bowl. After the cooking hours have gone by, turn off the Crock-Pot heat and let the mixture cool.

  6. Pour the mixture into the strainer and collect liquid in the large mixing bowl. Compost the remaining cannabis mix.

  7. Seal the bowl containing your new CannaButter with Saran wrap or a lid and place into the refrigerator overnight to separate out extra water.

  8. The next day, remove water from the bottom of the bowl and scoop remaining CannaButter into an airtight container. You are now ready to start cooking recipes! Your new CannaButter will stay good for up to several weeks if stored in the refrigerator or up to 4 - 5 months if stored in the freezer.

Notes

Looking for extra flavor? Try adding fresh chopped garden herbs, honey, or fresh fruit to the CannaButter after it has been filtered. Blend in extra ingredients by using a whisk, mixer, or food processor. After the mixture has been blended, scoop onto parchment paper to wrap or empty into an airtight container to seal. If you use parchment paper, place into a Ziploc bag and put into the freezer to harden.
Any products or usage referenced in this article are offered for informational purposes only and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and your experience with cannabis might be different than that outlined here. The legality of cannabis usage varies from state to state. We encourage you to check your local laws and consult your doctor before using cannabis products.