All the do’s, dont’s and top tips for cooking with Cannabis.
So you’ve discovered that cooking with cannabis can provide some serious benefits – here’s our advice.
Beginners Guide to Cooking with Cannabis
Let’s start with the basics.
For cannabis to be successfully infused with your recipes, there are a few terms you need to familiarize yourself with.
As the largest Vape & Cannabis paraphernalia outlet chain in South Africa, we at Cannarite believe in providing our visitors with true value. Below we break down everything there is to know about introducing cannabis to your cooking. The two main compounds in marijuana that provide you with the benefits you’re after are THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (Cannabidiol). THC is well known for providing the psychoactive effects of marijuana, while CBD delivers relief on anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
THC
The beneficial effects of THC include but are not limited to:
- Pain relief
- Relaxation of the muscles
- Relief of insomnia
- Helps with appetite
- Cures nausea
- Reduces anxiety
CBD
The beneficial effects of CBD include but are not limited to:
- Pain relief
- Reduces anxiety
- Reduces depression
- Alleviate Cancer-related symptoms
- Reduce of Acne
- Can assist in Neuroprotection
- Can assist in heart health
Other commonly noted benefits of consuming CBD include antipsychotic effects, substance abuse treatment, diabetes prevention, and anti-tumor effects.
Decarboxylation
Decarboxylation is the process whereby THCA and CBDA are converted to their more useful versions, THC and CBD.
Your cannabis will have little to no effect if not decarboxylated before use. That’s correct, unless your cannabis is preheated (decarboxylated) before adding to your recipe, the chances are that you’re likely going to be disappointed.
What we know as “THC” and “CBD” are the terms used for already decarboxylated cannabis.
Before marijuana comes into contact with a heat source such as a flame or warm element, the compounds are actually called THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) and CBDA (Cannabidiolic acid)
These compounds are both completely non-psychoactive and provide very little benefit vs THC and CBD. Decarboxylation happens between 110 – 120 degrees celsius, and the perfect duration to keep at this temperature is 30-45 minutes. Anything within these measures should perfectly activate your THC and CBD compounds.
Be careful not to overheat your cannabis as this will completely destroy your compounds, and will also destroy all those lovely terpenes that make it smell and taste so good!
Choosing the correct strain
Different strains of marijuana provide different benefits and side effects. It is important to choose your strain based on your desired outcome. Here are some popular strains and their effects:
- Sour Diesel – Energizing and high in THC
- Purple Kush – Relaxing and high in THC
- Blue Dream – Energetic cerebrally
- Acapulco Gold – Euphoria, stress and pain relief
- Afghan Kush – Very relaxing and sleep-inducing
Mixing method
Cannabis can be inserted into recipes in any of the following ways:
- Decarboxylated flower ground up and added to the recipe
- Cannabis oil used instead of cooking oil
- Cannabis butter used instead of normal butter
Using cannabis oil instead of ground-up flower
A method that is preferred by some, and also necessary for some recipes, is adding cannabis oil to your recipe instead of cooking oil, rather than adding the ground-up herb to your recipe.
This can easily be done by heating a saucepan / slow cooker to the recommended 110 – 118 degrees Celsius (low or medium will also suffice) and adding your ground-up cannabis to the needed amount of oil as per your recipe.
A little water can also be added to avoid scorching your cannabis – this can completely destroy your special ingredient if overheated. All these methods work well and are completely up to personal preference and the type of dish you’re making.
Avoid these rookie mistakes
Overheating flower
The fastest way to completely ruin your cannabis dish is by accidentally burning your flower in an attempt to decarboxylate. The key here is to raise the temperature of your oven to the recommended level, and then be patient.
In the final stages of the decarboxylation process (30-45 minutes in), you will see the flower slightly discolored from the original potent green. Those terpenes will also definitely have you smelling the air, another great way to know that the decarboxylation process is happening!
Not decarboxylating
As previously mentioned, your cannabis will have little to no effect if not decarboxylated before ingesting.
Adding too much or too little
Completely dependent on your marijuana strain, adding the right amount of cannabis to your recipe is vital. Add too little and you will likely not experience the benefits you’re after, and adding too much can lead to some pretty intense and unwanted sensations of the body and mind.
Buying expensive marijuana
Definitely not recommended for first-time cannabis cooks, is to spend too much money on your herb!
It is easy to mistakenly grind your flower too fine (powder form) or scorching your cannabis and can be costly to go for a second attempt.
It is also worth noting that consuming foods infused with THC can have a much stronger effect than if regularly inhaled.
Grinding your flower too fine (powder)
Not only will this increase the time in which your cannabis will decarboxylate (and potentially burn) but this can also lead to a strong plant-like, grassy taste that is not desirable. Grinding your flower too fine also inevitably means more difficulty straining your oil, should you be using oil.
We recommend using a quality grinder from Cannarite that will make the world’s difference in converting your flower to the fine (but not too fine) texture you want for cooking.
Improperly straining oil
Not too much of a dealbreaker, but can leave small parts of plant residue in your oil which ultimately leads to negatively altered taste and texture.
Uneven distribution (mix well)
Believe it or not, this is a mistake commonly made and can have some serious consequences.
Make sure that you stir or whisk your mixture very well when your cannabis/cannabis oil is added. It is possible and definitely not desirable to have an unevenly distributed batch, and this can be the difference between having a good time or having a very bad time.
Expecting immediate effects
On average, consuming THC or CBD through food or drink can take anywhere from 20 minutes to more than an hour to be in full effect. It is also definitely not recommended to ingest more cannabis before you are certain of the effects you are or are soon going to experience.
Helpful accessories
As one of the most trusted and reputable providers of cannabis paraphernalia in South Africa, Cannarite has top-shelf accessories to simplify your cannabis cooking experience.
Available for delivery, online purchase, or a store near you
Cannarite accessories most suited to assist you in your cooking with cannabis:
- Grinders
- Magical butter machine + accessories (child safety & cooking paraphernalia)
Vaperite and Cannarite do not sell any form of marijuana, THC/CBD concentrates, or products that contain these substances, but only offer products used to consume these substances.
