When getting into marijuana use, the most common method of ingestion is smoking. Blunts, joints, and others make up for the highest sales for weed retailers. One of the ways to diversify use is to check out edibles. Comparatively, edibles are better than smoking.
One of the reasons why this is so is the long-lasting effects of edibles. When purchasing these components, you may find that they are highly priced. That is the result of taxation and processing. Instead of buying them from the store, cooking your own is always a better option. How hard can it be?
The Main Ingredient when Cooking with Marijuana
Cooking with cannabis is not hard at all. You start with one ingredient and can end up with multiple edibles. When you hear the main ingredient when cooking marijuana, your head must conclude the answer to be weed. While weed is an integral part of edibles, seeing that it does bring about the high, it isn’t the key ingredient you will need.
The main ingredient for edibles is a mixture of butter or oil with weed. The process of mixing the two compounds takes varying lengths of time. It all depends on the methods you use. In the end, you get cannabutter which you add to other ingredients to make varying dishes.
Cannabutter, as mentioned, can be made with oil or butter. Unlike other compounds that dissolve and mix with water, THC is responsible for the high effect in weed and can only dissolve in oils. Hence, before you start any of the ensuing processes of cooking with cannabis, you have to start with cannabutter.
How to Make Cannabutter
Now comes the interesting science experiment. Cannabutter is made by combining marijuana and oil or butter for a prolonged time over low heat. The actual process begins with the simple process of decarboxylation. This mouthful word means to cook your weed in the oven so its naturally occurring THCA can turn into THC.
You only need to spread the weed on parchment paper and proceed to bake it at 220 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes. Depending on the amount of product, you can turn the buds after every few minutes. What you want is the uniform heating of the entire product.
After the decarbing, the next process is to cook your decarbed cannabis in oil or butter. Several methods can be used to achieve the same. You can simmer the mixture on low heat for 45 minutes to 2 hours. You can boil the mixture in a crockpot for two hours. The mixture can be placed in an airtight mason jar. There are many more options you can use.
The combining process is crucial. For the best results, you can consider cooking your mixture for longer. The crockpot can cook it for up to 4 hours, leading to a more intense concoction. Once you have cooked the two, you can sieve the content to remove the weed debris or leave it as it is. This main ingredient will be the base of so many of your edibles.
What’s the Difference between Edibles and Smoking Weed?
The edible-smoking debate among marijuana users often seems to favor the edibles side. Edibles are reported to have a significantly stronger high that lasts for a prolonged time. In charting their difference, this is at the very top. While smoking has immediate effects, edibles can take up to an hour to hit.
To make up for their late punch, edibles deliver a more intense high. It also lasts longer than 1-2 hours of regular smoking. An edible high can last up to four hours or longer. When ingesting edibles, knowing your limits is safe and starting small. Considering that the high gets delayed, you may think it is not coming and pile up on the edibles.
Another major difference between the two lies in effect on the body. Smoking has been cited to result in health issues such as bronchitis. This is a result of inhaling smoke that is packed with harmful compounds. On the other hand, edibles only affect the body through reactions of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids. There is no heightened harm to the body or its organs.
Things you can Cook with Cannabis.
There are multiple cannabis-infused edibles you can make. Most stoners are familiar with the infused weed brownies. These are chocolate-flavored products whose main ingredients are of the herb variety. With the cannabutter, you can infuse your brownies with potent THC levels and other dishes.
Other common dishes include cookies, teas, pancakes, gummies, drinks, and more.
Conclusion
One of the appealing factors of cannabis use is its diversity. Rather than enjoy one method of ingestion, you can make a range of edibles and get a more intense high.
This Guest Post was written by Helga G., Editor and Contributor at AskGrowers.com.
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