The market for THC-infused edibles has exploded in recent years—for good reason. Eating cannabis-infused foods is a great alternative to smoking, and edibles offer a full-body high that many users crave. And even if getting high isn’t your thing, you can add non-intoxicating CBD oil to give just about any food or beverage a beneficial boost.

It’s easy enough to stop by The Happy Camper and pick up a bag of your favorite infused treats, but some users prefer to DIY, and we support that! This article will walk you through the process of making cannabis-infused oil or butter, which you can then use to make a whole smorgasbord of goodies.

Step 1: Getting started

The first thing you’ll want to do is gather materials. You’ll need:

• An oven-safe container (with a lid, if you want to contain the smell)
• Oil or butter of your choice (we prefer coconut oil) 
• About 7-10 grams or two eighths of weed, coarsely ground
• Whisk or stirring spoon
• Strainer and cheesecloth

Another nice thing about cooking with infused oil is that you control the potency, so it’s never too much or too little for your personal tolerance. If you’re concerned about potency, you can start with a smaller amount, but either way you’ll want to infuse at a 1:1 ratio—for example, 1/2 cup of coconut oil to 1/2 cup of bud. Just be sure to write down the ratios as you go; that way you can add more or less to future infusions until it exactly matches your preference.

Step 2: Decarboxylation 

If you’ve ever tried eating raw marijuana, you probably already know it won’t get you high. The buds need to be heated (the same reason you light a joint to smoke it) in a process known as decarboxylation. By heating marijuana to a specific temperature, it allows your body to absorb the THC, CBD and other cannabinoids while keeping its beneficial terpenes intact. 

Here’s how to decarb your weed prior to infusion:

1. With the rack placed in the middle of the oven, preheat to 245ºF. 
2. Line the baking container with a sheet of parchment paper and spread your ground buds in an even layer. 
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes, giving it a stir or shake after 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove the baking container from the oven and let the buds cool at room temperature for about 30 mins.

Step 3: Infusion

There are a number of ways to infuse oil with cannabis, but we like to keep things simple by using the same oven-safe dish that you used to decarb the buds. After your decarbed buds have cooled, lower the oven temperature to between 175-200ºF and pour the oil of your choice (in the 1:1 ratio described above) directly to the baking dish over the buds. 

Give the mixture a little stir and bake for 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. During this step, it’s important to make sure the temperature never exceeds 200ºF, otherwise you risk scorching which can result in decreased potency as well as a nasty flavor.

To strain your infused oil, place a small strainer over a new container and line the strainer with a layer of cheesecloth. Then pour the infused oil/cannabis mixture through the cheesecloth-lined strainer and into the new container. Be careful not to squeeze the leftover plant matter as this will give the infused oil an overly vegetal flavor. 

At this point you can either discard the plant material or repeat step three for a new infusion with a lower potency.

Step 4: Cooking and storing

Now, with your oil infused, you can start cooking everything from classic gummies and pot brownies to stir fries and guacamole. If you need THC-infused recipe ideas, check out blogs like this one from Leafwell. But if you’re more into freestyle cooking, it’s generally fine to use infused oil in the same amounts the recipe calls for. For example, if a brownie recipe calls for one-third cup of regular oil, you would simply use one-third cup of infused oil in its place.

Infused oil can be stored for up to three months outside the refrigerator and up to six months with refrigeration. Want to chat more about cooking with weed or get recipe ideas? Our friendly budtenders are happy to help—drop us a line! 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.