Cannabis infusion allow you to harness the power of cannabis in drinks, foods, and more. By infusing cannabis into butter, oils, milks, alcohol or other mediums, you can transform the psychoactive compounds into edibles and tinctures.
Making your own infusions at home opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to consuming and cooking with cannabis. In this guide, we’ll walk through the key steps for making simple cannabis infusions using common household ingredients.
Contents
What is Cannabis Infusion?
Cannabis infusion refers to the process of extracting the active compounds from the cannabis plant (like THC and CBD) into another substance. This is done by heating the cannabis over low heat to activate the psychoactive cannabinoids, then mixing it with a fatty “base” that allows the cannabinoids to dissolve.
Oils and butters are commonly used for infusion because cannabinoids bind well to fats. Other substances like alcohol and glycerin can also extract cannabinoids for making tinctures.
Once infused, these cannabis concentrates can then be incorporated into drinks, baked goods, topical lotions – you name it! The options are endless when cooking with cannabis infusions.
Why Make Your Own Cannabis Infusion?
Making DIY cannabis infusions offers many advantages:
- Total control over strain, potency, and flavors
- Versatility – use infusions to make edibles, topicals, tinctures, and more
- Cost savings compared to buying premade infusions
- Fun weekend project for the cannabis connoisseur
- Gifting potentials for fellow cannaseurs
As long as you take care to properly dose and label your infusions, making them at home opens up a whole new world of possibilities when consuming cannabis.
Step-By-Step Guide to Cannabis Infusion
Here is a simple, foolproof process for making cannabis-infused butter at home:
What You’ll Need
- Cannabis flower – 1 ounce per 1 pound (454g) of butter/oil to use
- Butter or oil – Clarified butter such as ghee works best
- Cheesecloth – To strain the plant material
- Slow cooker or double boiler (Optional)
Instructions
- Decarboxylate the cannabis by heating slowly below 245°F until browned and fragrant, about 30-45 mins. This activates the THC.
- Melt butter/oil over low heat in a pan or slow cooker. Add decarbed cannabis.
- Simmer the mixture gently for 3-6 hours, stirring occasionally. This allows the cannabinoids to fully infuse.
- Strain mixture through a cheesecloth to remove plant material. Squeeze cloth tightly.
- Use the infused butter to create edibles, topicals, and more as desired! Dose carefully.
And that’s it! These same basic steps work for making all kinds of cannabis infusions.
Other Infusion Methods
While cannabis butter is a classic, there are many other ways to make infusions for different uses:
Here is the table converted to HTML format:| Infusion Type | Uses | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Oil infusions | Cooking, dressings, massage oils | Decarb cannabis into olive, coconut or grapeseed oil on low heat |
| Alcohol tinctures | Sublingual drops, mixes | Steep decarbed cannabis in high-proof alcohol |
| Glycerin tinctures | Sweetener, gummies | Extract cannabis into food-grade glycerin |
| Milk infusions | Hot cocoa, lattes | Simmer cannabis in whole milk, then strain |
The process remains largely the same – decarb, infuse, strain and store for use. Dosing carefully is key with any edible.
Storing Your Cannabis Infusion
Properly stored, cannabis infusions can last for months:
- Store butter and oils in an airtight container in the fridge
- Put tinctures in dark dropper bottles in a cool, dark place
- Label everything clearly including strain and potency
Over time, butter may separate or develop smells – a sign it’s time to make a fresh batch.
Enjoy Your Cannabis Infusion Responsibly
When cooking with cannabis for the first time, remember to start low and go slow with dosage. Edible highs take 1-2 hours to onset. It’s better to take small, gradual doses than to overdo it!
Cannabis infusions also should never be mixed with alcohol due to increased impairment risk.
Follow our guide to make your own infusions safely. We hope this opens new doors for you to harness cannabis’ incredible benefits through edibles, topicals and more that you craft yourself!
Let us know if you have any other questions about cannabis infusion. Our experts are standing by to help you get the most out of this versatile cooking ingredient.
FAQS
What is the best infusion for cannabis?
There is no single “best” cannabis infusion overall. The ideal infusion method depends on your intended uses:
– Butter or oil infusions are extremely versatile for use in edibles, topicals, tinctures and more. Fats efficiently bind cannabis compounds.
– Alcohol tinctures offer quick absorption and discreet dosing but can’t be used for baking. High proof alcohol like everclear works best.
– Glycerin tinctures capture flavors well and provide a nice sweetness for sublingual use, gummies, and mixing into beverages smoothly.
For accessibility and ease-of-use, many home cooks start with simple cannabis-infused butter or coconut oil. But experiment with mediums to find your favorite.
What does a cannabis infuser do?
A cannabis infuser is a machine designed specifically to streamline the infusion process at home. Infusers take raw cannabis plant material and convert the key compounds – like THC and CBD – into infused butters, oils or tinctures by:
– Decarboxylating – Heating the cannabis to activate psychoactive compounds
– Infusing – Binding cannabinoids to fats or alcohol bases for solubility and consumption
– Straining – Filtering out plant material from finished infusions
Quality infusers carefully control temperature, cycle timing and filtration to maximize potency. This automation makes infusing cannabis simple and reliable.
What are the side effects of cannabis infused?
Potential side effects of consuming cannabis edibles or infusions include:
Impaired coordination and decision making
– Anxiety or paranoid thoughts
– Increased heart rate
– Dry mouth/eyes
– Dizziness
– Nausea (in excess)
These effects typically last up to 12 hours as the high slowly tapers off. Using small doses can help mitigate adverse effects – start with 5-10mg of THC if tolerance is low.
What is the best temperature for cannabis infusion?
Experts recommend maintaining temperatures below 245°F (118°C), ideally between 160-200°F (71-93°C) when infusing cannabis. This gently decarbs and activates the compounds without risk of burning. Higher temperatures degrade the integrity of terpenes and cannabinoids.
Slow cookers or double boilers provide the steady low heat ideal for infusing cannabis into butters, oils, milks, and more on your stovetop or in the oven safely.
