Cannabutter Questions

[stevegrows]

Hey guys so I just gave my first go at making cannabutter. Used a quarter with one stick of unsalted butter, and I simmered it for 3 and 1/2 hours. The marijuana was still quite green, and the water wasn't incredibly green. I'm not sure if it's done or not. There's definitely weed in the butter now, I can see that. But what color should the bud be after completion, or does it really matter.

My weed was well grinded and dank as fuck

 

[RandM999]

I've been making cannabutterfor going on three years now, I find that making cookies with it is a sure fire sleep inducer.
In answer to your question I can only tell you how I do it and you can take it from there.
Quality trim and or buds is the first rule. No fan leaves or sticks. I put my trim and bud through a coffee grinder after they are comletely dry. Some people do a low temperature bake for about 20 min. or so to 'de-carbolize it' at this point. I don't bother, never seen it to help, myself.
In a large stock pot I put about a quart or so of water and bring it to a SLOW boil. I make up a pound at a time so I use one pound of butter. I then add 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 ounces of ground bud and stir it in. Simmer for around 30 min. to 1 hour. I have heard of people saying to go for 4 hours and others say 15 min. is all you need. I find that an hour is plenty. Remember you want the water simmering on a very slow boil ( water is moving but not bubbling if that makes any senc) Stir often.
I then use a 140 micron mesh to strain the resulting mix into a seperate bowl. Caution ITS HOT! I have used strainers and material from my wifes sewing stuff as strainers, its whatever works to get the leaf matter out. 140 micron seems to work for me, and I had some hanging around.
I then place the bowl in the fridge overnight. In the morning you will find that the butter has solidified on top of the water. Use a butter nife to cut it up into whatever size chunks you want. I store mine in the freezer. Those small margarine tubs are great for storing it in.
Makes some nice oatmeal cookis and choc. chip cookies. The taste may be a bit strong for some so I try and cook it into highly flavored things rather than on tender tasting stuff ( like fish or shellfish ) but too each their own, experiment with it.

I find that the cookies I make with this butter are pretty strong. I use them for help in sleeping and one or two cookies, an hour befor bedtimet, is quite suficiant to find me sleeping in front of the TV.

Just what works for me

 

[ptg701]

...the butter has solidified on top of the water. Use a butter knife to cut it up into whatever size chunks you want. I store mine in the freezer...

After I remove the solidified butter from the water I re-melt it and pour it into 4oz. plastic storage containers and store those in the freezer. That way we have several pre-measured 1/2 cup portions which makes measuring it into the cookies, or brownies, really easy.

 

[Muttt]

I still don't understand why people use water in thier butter. Seperating the two is just such a mess and pain in the ass. There is no reason why you can't use just butter or just oil and skip using water all together. You also want to make sure you don't heat the butter/weed over 180 degrees F ..... once you do, you start vaporizing the active components in your weed. Which makes it weaker the longer you cook it at the higher temps. If you cook it too hot for too long, there won't be much left in it at all. But, if you wish to have the psychoactive effects from you weed, you DO need to heat it up before ingesting it. By heating it, it activates the active psychoative compounds in the weed.

I just think your final product would be much better without adding water into the mix.

If you are adding water to try to keep the butter from getting too hot, then you may want to rethink how you are using the water. If you were to put water in a pan and get it boiling. Then, place a second pot into the hot water .... and use this second pot to cook your butter/weed, you will have a more controlled method of heating. Plus, you won't be subjecting your weed/butter to direct heat. It's called a double boiler. Google it.

 

[DelphiOracle]

Never heard of anyone using water in their butter recipe before. What's it for? I've never run into problem just using straight butter. Works a treat in fact.

DO

 

[stack2006]

Never heard of anyone using water in their butter recipe before. What's it for? I've never run into problem just using straight butter. Works a treat in fact.

DO

When he mentioned using water, typically people use water when using the stove. It helps regulate the temperature so the process does not harm the THC. You don't absolutely need water using a slow cooker but its a preference to some.

 

[labrat303]

Hey, I was reading this for what kind of butter to use and saw your question. The reason why people add water to the mix is because the water layer contains the really intense weed flavors so washing the budder with water takes some of the color the chlorophyl's out and what ever else likes to be dissolved (remember like dissolves like) into the aqueous layer as opposed to the organic fatty layer(the budder).

source: a chem major

 

[jcburton13]

Seems to me that any dirt particles would also be deposited into the water layer due to gravity. No sense eating dirt with your results.

 

[Cannabelle]

3 reasons why I specifically use the water method for slow brewing in a slow cooker.

1) I only brew a small amount for my own medication to make cannabutter and skin salves. Water adds a little more volume in my slow cooker to help retain an even temperature all through the pot not just around the heating element.

2) Slow cookers will eventually get hotter than the boiling point of water. That is the way they are programmed no matter what the heat setting is. Low heat simply takes longer to get to the boiling point of water than high heat. Again, water helps retain an even temperature all through the pot not just around the heating element. With water at the bottom, temperature that won't go beyond 212f/100c.

3) The dark, bitter matter settles in the water after straining leaving a better tasting oil on top.

A more bitter, astringent cannabis oil is quite fine for recipes that can use this astringency to an advantage such as pesto, marinara, or vinaigrette. But for baking pastries or fixing Asian cuisine, a nutty, buttery flavor is preferred.

Freshly strained cannabutter using the water method.
Notice the contrast in color.
Bottom is water. Top portion is coconut oil.

Cannabis infused coconut oil in solid form has a light apple green color.

 

[Seangoodnow]

If I use trimmings to make butter should I use less oil so the final product is strong?