Pressure Cooker for decarboxylation

[Durgan]

Experimenting with decarboxylation of raw marijuana material it was decided to use the pressure cooker. The internal temperate reaches 240 F almost ideal for decarboxylation. Four batches convinced me the technique worked. How well?
Procedure. Pick the marijuana material. Trim away the larger leaves and stems. Loosely stuff the end product into liter jars. Install canning lids. Place in Pressure Canner and cook for 15 PSI for one hour. Let cool. Store in refrigerator. Use as required. No rot or mold can take place since inside of the jar is pressure steamed vacuum sealed.

 

[Troy01]

New technique for me.

How do you use your Pressure Cured meds?

 

[Bonsaiweed]

I'm intrigued as to why the storage would need to be in a refrigerator... I would think being sealed and sterilized, it could be any cool dark place. I'm not an expert here, just trying to learn.

 

[Durgan]

I'm intrigued as to why the storage would need to be in a refrigerator... I would think being sealed and sterilized, it could be any cool dark place. I'm not an expert here, just trying to learn.

You are right. Storage at room temperature is fine. I pressure can fruit and vegetables about 500 liter jars each year and they sit in stacks at room temperature. Never had a spoilage. I guess put in the refrigerator is habit.

 

[Durgan]

New technique for me.

How do you use your Pressure Cured meds?

Once the product is Decarboxylated , it can be used most ways. I made some cannabutter and gave some to a friend to smoke. I do not smoke.

But my main interest now is tinctures. I have no product now so must wait for plants to mature to experiment further.

 

[Troy01]

Once the product is Decarboxylated , it can be used most ways. I made some cannabutter and gave some to a friend to smoke. I do not smoke.

But my main interest now is tinctures. I have no product now so must wait for plants to mature to experiment further.

Thanks - I don't smoke either and turn most of my product into tinctures and sometimes potent sugar pills. I was wondering if you have to cure and dry product to make tincture or whether you could just decarb it wet.

 

[Durgan]

Thanks - I don't smoke either and turn most of my product into tinctures and sometimes potent sugar pills. I was wondering if you have to cure and dry product to make tincture or whether you could just decarb it wet.

My view is raw fresh cut wet plant material decarboxylated in the pressure cooker is adequate and necessary before producing the tincture. I have no experience decarboxylating in the oven, which is done when the material is dried. I am also of the opinion that to utilize the material decarboxylating is necessary except when smoking, since release is achieved by combustion or heat.

Assuming the pressure cooking method decarboxylates adequately, and the sealed jars make storage simple a lot of work is eliminated.

I only made five liter jars in the pressure cooker, then made cannabutter for ingesting. It was effective. At present I have no more material with which to experiment.

Your reference to sugar pills is interesting. I must study it a bit.
PotentPotent Canna-Sugar Pills

 

[Troy01]

Your reference to sugar pills is interesting. I must study it a bit.
PotentPotent Canna-Sugar Pills

They came out really good. My only problem was I made the last batch a little too strong. I would think they are about 20 mg per capsule. I'm a wimp and generally only like about 10 mg to help with my insomnia. If I go over 10 I get a high off of them and more in a euphoric couch lock and just drift not sleep.

 

[WeedyGonzalez]

Rick Simpson used a rice cooker when he started making RSO. I was taught to maintain temperature between 127 to 135 F to preserve terpenes.

 

[Durgan]

Rick Simpson used a rice cooker when he started making RSO. I was taught to maintain temperature between 127 to 135 F to preserve terpenes.

Terpenes I have no knowledge. But the sealed jar decarboxylated keeps everything in the jar. When the pressure canner first starts all the air inside the jars seeps out and is allowed to escape since the regulator is not placed on until this is done. When finished the jar tops get pushed in to seal since the jars are a partial vacuum. It is necessary to use a can opener to open the jars. At 15 PSI the temperature of the jars is very close to ~240F. and constant. The raw material after cooking for about an hour is sort of lightly humid, like good rolling tobacco of old.

The temperature at different pressures is a range below 240F , but is difficult to control by regulating the heat. If one was really keen different weights could be used to regulate. All pressure cookers in NA are regulated at 15 PSI by using the bubbling weight. Pressure versus temperature charts are available.

 

[philthegeek]

Interesting. Decarb in a sealed container may help retain terpenes that get lost if you do in the oven.

 

[SweetSue]

I make my oils in the Instant Pot all the time. On high pressure for 110 minutes (1 hr 50 min) I get almost complete decarb. I know this because I took the time to check decarb with a hot oil bath.

At one hour you're getting a partial decarb, but with cannabis a little THC goes a long way, and I've reached the conclusion that we're getting high on much less than we realize. An incomplete decarb isn't a bad thing. It suggests a more well-rounded cannabinoid profile, and the ECS can use all of them, not just THC.

Thanks for posting this Durgan. I hadn't tried decarbing fresh cuttings like this. It opens up new possibilities. I'll have to do some playing around.

 

[SweetSue]

Interesting. Decarb in a sealed container may help retain terpenes that get lost if you do in the oven.

You can do essentially the same thing by decarbing in the oven using a roasting bag. When finished with decarb (you'll get a good level of decarb at 235 degrees F/110 degrees C for 110 minutes) toss the sealed bag into the freezer for an hour to let everything settle before you open the bag. I have done that with fresh-cut material and then turned it all into butters and oils

 

[Durgan]

Reviewing old posts.
I bought one of those Ardent decarb devices. Ardent LIFT / Nova Decarboxylator Cannabinoid Activator. It is simple and if it works all the Decarboxylating is at one's fingertips.

I managed to get some material so have been practicing making "Cannabutter"
Simple to make 1 to 2 ounces of plant, two cups of olive oil (old), two teaspoons of an emulsifier.
Place in the Magic Butter Machine push a few buttons for one hour at 160F. Remove and use.

I have been straining it, but can't image a reason for doing so. I store the oil in a liter jar or half liter. Leaving the material in the jar would appear to me to be prudent in that any residual active ingredient can mixed with the usable oil. When I needs some I simply strain it though a sort of tea strainer, small or cup size. All recipes mention straining. WHY.

 

[philthegeek]

"You can do essentially the same thing by decarbing in the oven using a roasting bag. When finished with decarb (you'll get a good level of decarb at 235 degrees F/110 degrees C for 110 minutes) toss the sealed bag into the freezer for an hour to let everything settle before you open the bag. "

Yup, i have tried that. Oven bag in convection oven. 120 degrees C for 1hr 10mins.

Works and less messy than a pressure cooker.

On durgans post about straining. I think its to avoid a lawn flavor.

I use a stainless coffee press. Plant and solvent (alcohol) in there to fester a while then pour out the solvent through a 25 micron mesh (which you can get from a screen printing supplier, good source for cheap mesh). Ends up a nice and clear green.

Programmable pressure / slow cookers a good device to have for olive oil extractions and butter making.

My only prob is i'm a crap baker and need to get friends to make scones from my butter so i tend to accumulate butter in the freezer.

Lately have been making some tincture out of leaf only. 25g leaf / 50ml works well. Not as strong as my standard brew of 4g buds / 25ml but mild is ok.

 

[JimJonesJr]

Nice thread. Preserving and decarb at the same time. Awesome. Thanks

 

[Durgan]

I have material to work with and have used this method with success.
13 October 2020 Decarboxylating Marijuana (Pressure Canner)
Posted on October 13, 2020 by Durgan
13 October 2020 Decarboxylating Marijuana/ 13 October 2020 Decarboxylating Marijuana
Decarboxylation marijuana. Marijuana usually needs decarbonylation prior to utilizing. My method is not unknown but seems to be rarely used. It work fine with little hassle. I use pressure canner aften and and am an expert in its use. I usually work with 30 grams of home grown material.
Method. Raw quality product about 30 gram.Remove from support substrate and scissor into small pieces. Place in a liter jar and finger tighten the cap. Place in pressure canner and pressure can at 15 PSI for 40 minute.Done properly the jar material reaches 240F for 40 minutes. Let cool to room and store in freezer or refrigerator.Perfectly Decarboxylated.

https://durgan.org/2020/October 2020/13 October 2020 Decarboxylating%2

 

[Edzzed]

I did the pressure cooker thing. Nice that it has no smell. Wife hates it when I do it in the oven. Going to make some butter with power pressure cooker XL

 

[013]

Thanks for sharing, I’ve got instant pot and will try this..... it may be a minute since I’m not really close to a big enough harvest any time soon, but this is something I will try

 

[bcarpenter24]

Thanks for sharing, I’ve got instant pot and will try this..... it may be a minute since I’m not really close to a big enough harvest any time soon, but this is something I will try

My wife uses her insantpot, works great.
Whole house doesnt stink