Cannabutter 7 Easy Steps

April 20, 2012 By 420 43 comments

If you’re looking to make some special treats, Cannabutter is a vital ingredient. The process of making cannabutter is basically just melting butter with marijuana, Straining the marijuana And then re-solidifying the butter. This works because THC (the chemical in marijuana that gets you “high”) sticks to the fat cells in butter. Cannabutter can be used in any recipe that calls for butter or oil.

In this thread I will attempt to teach those who don’t know how to make Cannabutter, how to do so. The pictures may help a little but in the end it’s the text that will help you most.

You will need,

1.) A large saucepan

2.) A stir spoon

3.) Sticks Of Butter (Its about 1lb. of butter to every ounce of weed so make sure you do the math).

4.20) Marijuana

5.) Cheesecloth, and some elastics

6.) A couple tupperware containers with lids

Step 1.

Bring a few cups of water to a boil on the stovetop, it doesn’t really matter how much water you use because in the end it will all be seperated, Just make sure the marijuana is always floating about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom of the pan.

Step 2.

When the water is at a boil place the butter in the pan, again it’s about 1lb. of butter, 4 sticks, to every ounce of marijuana, so if your using a half ounce of bud thats about 2 sticks of butter. Be sure not to let the butter burn, if it appears to be burning then let melt on a medium setting.

Move the dial to low heat once butter has melted, it should look like this

Step 3.

Now that the butter has melted you can now add the marijuana, Here I used about 5 grams of fresh nug and about 7 grams of vaped bud. Again make sure the stove is now on a low setting.

Stir occasionally, I tend to stir every time the mix starts bubbling.
I usually let the bud simmer for 3 hours, But you can always tell it’s done when the top of the mix turns from a really watery consistency to glossy and thick.

Step 4.

While letting the mix simmer, You are now going to need to get the cheesecloth strainer ready, which will also be used to store the cannabutter.

Take two sheets of cheese cloth and fold each one over so they each have two layers, place these over a tupperware container (with the lid off), and secure them there with elastics.

It shoud look like this, I say to make two just incase one container runs out of room.

Step 5.

When the water has turned glossy and thick on top it should look like this

You are now ready to strain the marijuana out of the mix, place your tupperware containers with the cheesecloth lids in the sink and slowly pour the entire mix on top of the cheesecloth like pictured here,

When the saucepan is empty carefully undo the elastic, pick up the cheesecloth from all four sides and squeeze all of the remaining butter out,

I throw away the marijuana after this, you can try and dry it out, let me know what happens.

Step 6.

Now place the lid on the tupperware and place it in the fridge to sit overnight, You need to do this so the water can seperare from the cannabutter, be patient.

Step 7.

Now that you have awakened in anticipation for your new treat, its time to seperate the waste water!

It should look like this now, The cannabutter on top, the waste water on bottom.

Take the lid off the tuperware and hold it upside down over the sink, place a dish in the sink to catch any cannabutter that may fall, squeeze two sides of the tupperware and the waste water will pour out, once all the water is gone your done! The cannabutter is ready to cook with.

If you do not wish to cook with it now, you can just place it back in the tupperware, place the lid back on and store it in the fridge.

And be careful, the high from eating “special edibles” is often considered much more intense then inhaling, lasting anywhere from 2-8 hours. Do not attempt to eat too many at first. And I wouldn’t recommend driving. Just chill out, and enjoy!

* If making the butter is too much work for you, you can try this amazing device from Magical Butter.

Cateros

So what potency of cannabutter could I expect if I were to say use all the sugar leaf trim and immature and tiny popcorn buds to maybe about 40-80grams worth in making say 2 1LB bricks of butter? I know the quality of the original pot matters I would say that my buds are almost as good as the very best I have ever smoked its pretty dank but I have smoked stronger lots of times before but I think it would probably be worth $250-300 at a canadian compassion club if I were to buy it. So would I be making a little to strong of butter If I was to use between 40-80g of sugar leaf trim ,immature buds and the small popcorn buds ? or should I consider making more then 2 lb’s of butter from it. I have to ask because I have never done it before and the recipies were all for using bud and vaped bud so wondering what I could expect.
astrogreg33

Well Catero we are gonna find out and get back to ya.I’m getting ready to brew up a batch of butter on the 20th. I’ll be using the trim and popcorn nugs and the main product is very potent so this should be as well.I’ll be sure to get back on Monday may 24th. to report the outcome.
mrgreengenes

We have been rinsing the herb before adding it to the butter so remove the green taste – works like a charm. What we do is put our herb in a stock pot with water and heat it up on the stove – almost to a boil – and then drain through a colander. Return wet bud to stock pot and repeat process – heat up water and pour off. We repeat the process until the runoff water is clear – or noticeably less green. Since thc isn’t water soluble all you are losing is the chlorophyl which is what makes the butter taste so green. After the rinsing process, we combine the herb and butter in a crockpot and leave it on low overnight – 10-12 hours. After cooking is complete, we strain the butter off using a stocking (or cheesecloth works) and squeeze every last drop of butter out into a container and put it in the fridge for a couple hours to set up. There may be a little water separated from the butter as the instructions above show. The end product is a light green butter that doesn’t have that strong taste but definitely has that strong effect.
cabelasdad

Do you gring your buds/trimmings or leave them whole?
Mike 420

Personally I find it a lot easier to use the double boiler method. If you are unfamiliar –

1. You take one large cooking pot and another smaller one to fit inside of it.

2. You put water into the bigger cooking pot and put the smaller one in the water.

3. Add desired amount of butter into the top pot and bring the bottom pot to a boil.

4. Once the butter is melted add the marijuana. I grind everything up with a coffee grinder

5. Stir occasionally over about 30 minutes.

6. Then do as stated above with the cheese cloth into a Tupperware container and put into the fridge to solidify.

This way you don’t have to deal with separating the water from the Cannabutter. Once it’s solid it’s ready to go. Another thing, you don’t need to use the best quality bud, it’s a waste of money really. It’s not the same high as smoking it so you don’t need the better quality. Check with your collective if they sell shake. It’s a lot cheaper and works just as good. Keep the good stuff for smoking.
Mofayah

wicked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mi fi giv a try then i’l hala. tnx 4 tha tip
CanbisMxmus

I use my rinsed greens from making bubble hash to make my butter. While it isn’t as potent, it is more consistent, and barely retains the “green” flavor. This works so well, I’ve had people not even know they were eating bud cookies until it was too late. So not only do I get awesome bubble hash, I get some greens washed free from dirt and dust. I grow my own mostly outdoors, so I’ve got plenty of materials which may be a consideration before attempting.
lbezphil2005

Beautiful idea, canibusmaximus!!
Chipr62

Just a suggestion – after you filter through the cheesecloth perhaps if you were to pour boiling water through the mash to extract ALL the goodnicks. Also I have heard that a lady after making her cannabis oil or tincture she uses the mash for cookies. I don’t know how they would taste but in today’s economic environment one would want to partake of every opportunity to maximize his a-hum medicine, right?
ichabod

New at this. Why the water? I have cooked twice now and only used butter and it has worked but am I using the herb to the best potency doing it this way?
Betty Crocker

I do this, but I only use the “shake” and stems of the plant after harvesting; never the good stuff. And I do pound to pound, between shake and butter. I cook it for 24 hours (old recipe I have), and maybe because it’s not the “good stuff” it takes longer. I also get great results, and still have the bud to smoke.
Betty Crocker

How do you strain the weed out? I think using water is much easier.
Herb_chartley

Herb.
When I make butter I use what I’ve grown. I grow marijuana for my medical needs, so I use it as such. I use the BUD’S for Butter/Oil’s/Oral Tinctures/Topical Tinctures. I use trim (which consists of all Leaf material, Stems, Roots, Branches to make topical, tinctures only!)
When I make Butter, I use a Double Broiler made for the job, you can pick one up at any Kit hen Supply Store, usually pretty cheep. I cook my butter outside in the summer so not to heat up the house, (smell up), I use the low setting on the side burner of my grill, I use 2-3 pounds of Butter to 1 Ounce of Bud, Top Quality Bud (not the little scraggly stuff at the end of the plant. But the way I harvest eliminates that as well. But that’s another story.). I cook it over low heat, a total of 5-hours, checking water level every hour and stirring as often. Adding water as needed. My strainer is: Single cup coffee strainer with cone filter, I’ve since discovered a Large Funnel works quite well too, and drains faster. You place the funnel or Coffee filter over a One gallon pickle jar, pour the Hot Liquid in the pickle jar through the filter. It will take time so be patient. Once this processes complete, pour it from the pickle jar into the pre-marked containers. The butter has been infused and there is no GREEN Taste or Color. A Dosage is; Half inch by half inch by finger nail thick. This will keep you medicated for 3+ hours or if one uses more hang-On! Faster, Easier, Cleaner, Safer (in you don’t have to squeeze hot liquid,burning your hands,filling your product with chlorophyll,dirt,green and other nasties). And the butter itself is more of a Clarified Consistency. Because it was cooked 5 hours on Low Heat, in a Double Broiler, it cooked off the Water Molecules. Making it taste more like real butter not Yuk! Please try it like this, see if it isn’t easier than the traditional method, with no freezing, cooking down, straining through a not efficient. Cheese clotho
http://www.facebook.com/people/Eric-Weed/100003948453775 Eric Weed

very creative! If only Marijuana is available for all people they can also make this however they can only get it Local medical Marijuana Dispensaries
http://profile.yahoo.com/DKASLHBW5TW54RMVWDM6LVMA6A Tijerra

OK, i made some butter in a crock pot yesterday, cooked it for 8 hrs, my final product was a light green butter. with no excess water. rancid taste and strong in smell. i put about 3/4 stick in my brownies, but i didnt get high… i went to sleep an hr later. slept really good. so i woke up this morning… ate another one around 9:30. its 10:16 and just like lastnight. im not feeling nothing. what did i do wrong? if i get high within the next hr or so i will let it be known but right now, im sober as shit.
EricWeed44

Very creative!

Medicinal Cannabis can actually be use in baking, it can give variety of choices for patients using it.
Rami

Make sure the water isn’t boiling when you add the bud. It should only be lightly simmering. If it’s boiling, the THC will be escape with the steam. Also, be extremely careful when ingesting these. Before I made my brownies, I got impatient and swallowed a teaspoon of melted butter thinking such a small amount would do next to nothing (I used the same 1lb butter to 1 ounce bud ratio). That teaspoon alone was enough to get me tripping out for hours. Also, the effects take anywhere from 40-90 minutes to even begin to take effect, so don’t go back and eat more thinking the first time didn’t work.
john

so do you use reggie or better?
HappyHouseWife

I love cannabutter:) I made my first batch of chocolate chip cookies and WOW!!!! I got more of a body “buzz” and I love it. My husband loved them too. I like the “buzz” so much better when I eat it, and who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies. Thank you 420:)
HappyHouseWife

You might have cooked it too hot too long. You should simmer it over the stove so you can see when it’s time to strain. The crock pot might have cooked out all your thc. I am not an expert but that worked for me:)
Ed Chavez

Idiots, because we always buy butter by the pound. Jesus.
Ed Chavez

Why would you want to make pot brownies taste like regular brownies ? Extra work for no purpose whatsoever unless you were trying to sneak someone into getting high.
Ed Chavez

You can also quick harden the canabutter by adding ice to the pot after simmering. The ice will cause the butter to clump up, along with the trimmings. Obviously you still have to melt & strain but sometimes i do this when I don’t have time to do everything at once, leave the butter in there overnight then strain in the morning.
Ed Chavez

After the THC is extracted via butter or oil the “mash” as you call it contains close to 0% THC…. so my question is “What would be the point of using something that tasted like crap to cook when it won’t get you high ? Dingaling.
Ed Chavez

Never leave them whole, at least dry them out and hand crush them. The area of the leaves has to do with the ease of extracting the THC. So if the area is smaller, its easier and more efficient.
Ed Chavez

Explain to me how the THC escapes in “Steam” when it’s not water soluble ?? Please close the butt you are talking out of. What actually happens is that excessive heat while boiling destroys the THC.
Ed Chavez

8 hours ? Way too long, simmering should be between 30-90 or so minutes.
Ed Chavez

Shake is great to use because its useless elsewhere… Although it might take up to 4x the amount of shake as the same in bud to achieve the same effects. I also always use shake since it free during harvesting season :)
Ed Chavez

Water keeps the THC from boiling out via heat. That is its only purpose. What you are describing is known as the ‘quick’ method and while slightly less effective (in my experience) it works all the same.
Ed Chavez

Using the foot of a nylon is what I always do. 99 cents gets you 4 feet (4 batches).
Ed Chavez

Excellent idea.
Ed Chavez

Really weak trim is good to use it just takes more. I used only leaves once, no buds of some stuff you couldn’t even smoke. I used 1.5 – 2 ounces just to make sure there was potency, tripped the same way I do if it was mids.
Ed Chavez

When’s your book coming out ?
bogart1982

its not exscaping in the steam dumb ass its vaporising. Just because its in water doesnt change the tempriture it vaps at.
j

I avoid using water in my mix by using a double boiler… having the water boil under in a seperate pot allows the butter to simmer for longer w/o burning and therefore drawing more thc
j

Shakes not totally useless… with my trim i make hash first, then butter and all the random crap i use for oil
Peter

Do you need to use your grinder to grind up the weed before throwing it in the water? Or does it not matter? If it does, should I put the keef in there too?
Anonymous

Perhaps not everyone in the world shares your opinion of what makes a good pot brownie? Perhaps some people dislike an overpowering taste of marijuana so in that context the “extra work for no purpose whatsoever” you so ignorantly posted would make more sense. I personally don’t mind either way, and I thought the original comment was thoughtful and educational and I appreciated it.

How about for the next time Ed Chavez, instead of only posting a negative, non-constructive, and fundamentally unproductive response that in my own opinion seemed like you just put forth a lot of “extra work for no purpose whatsoever” on a response that really did not add anything to the overall discourse of this topic. Typically smoking marijuana makes people less of a douche’bag.
Earl

This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever read.
orellej

hi folks, a couple of points here, first the water gets rid of a lot of crap from the mix. i scape off the bottom of the butter (but i use coconut oil not butter) into the water and toss it. i use a crock pot with a stem thermometer to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. the batch i just made has about 1/2 lb. coconut oil, 2 oz. ++ of good pot and bud i grew. it will only be as good as what you put into it, this isn’t some miracle process. if i cannot see trichomes with my magnifier i dump it back into the garden so no fan leaves. then i let it simmer for about 20 hours. my stuff is like a thick mud. you can cook with it or what ever but my newest favorite is just make a cup of tea with up to a tablespoon of the oil, honey and maybe a splash of orange juice (i thought it was milk but this was excellent with the juice, try it. better than the cereal was…) add whatever you like in tea.

i thought i would make this batch then add the mash back into the crock pot with another half pound of oil and cook it again. not much to lose. my cookies came out so strong i recommended only a bite and cut them up bite size but one friend told me he he took two and spent the day leveling out his woodpile or something. this is a wonderful way to get rid of excess pot but it will mold without being frozen. i don’t smoke so this is a great way to ingest.
kevin

can you do it with stems anyone
D-Funk

I actually found washing the trim to be helpful because I dont like the strong green flavor. Others I know dont like strong flavor as well. Thanks for the post about washing it. I’m sure you have helped a lot of people who were wondering if there was a way to make it less green tasting.
http://www.facebook.com/Lalaaaaa Lala Lefebvre

does it matter what kind of butter you use?

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Cannabutter 7 Easy Steps