Tips For Making Excellent Edibles
There are many different methods when it comes to indulging in marijuana. You can smoke from a pipe, vape, joint, bubbler… the list goes on! Aside from smoking, you can treat yourself to a tasty cannabis edible, beverage, or even capsule. These methods are pretty simple to enjoy, but if you want to get creative, why not make your own edibles?
Making homemade edibles is fun, rewarding, and a lot more exciting than just packing a bowl! Not everyone is great when it comes to baking regular treats in the kitchen (let alone cannabis edibles). So, we want to give you some helpful tips for cooking with cannabis that will ensure excellent results!
#1 Put Some Thought Into It
It’s not as easy as blending some bud into your cake batter! Making edibles is a bit of a complex process, but nothing too hard to handle either. The best advice for edibles is to start by finding a recipe that you’ve put some thought into. While it’s important to find a recipe that you think will taste good– you also need to ask yourself what recipe you will be prepared to make.
There are plenty of assortments when it comes to edibles, and some are much easier than others. You will need the right tools and ingredients, depending on your recipe, so don’t just pick something because it looks good. Otherwise, you might take on more than you can handle. Choose wisely, but don’t worry… there are so many recipes to choose from.
#2 Prep Your Kitchen
Once the recipe is chosen, read it carefully. Make a list of what you need to get the job done (both ingredients and tools), then check it off until you are fully prepared to make your batch. You don’t need to set up an entire edible science lab, but if you have the essentials, it’s a great place to start.
#3 Consider The Quantity
Are you making edibles to enjoy for yourself? Or, are you making a big batch to stock up on and share with friends? Think about your goal in terms of quantity and potency to make sure you have the right amount of ingredients. If you just want to try out your edible chef skills, it might help start with a smaller batch. This way, if things go wrong– you won’t have wasted too much herb.
#4 Find The Strain You Want
Consider the occasion these edibles will be used for– are you making them for bedtime or a fun day out? Edibles tend to pack a punch, so you don’t want to take a big bite of a strain you won’t enjoy. If you’re going to eat your treat and relax all day, it might be helpful to go with an Indica strain. But if you want to bring your edibles along on an all-day adventure, you might want a Sativa to keep you energized and euphoric.
Once you know which kind of strain you are leaning towards, think about which strains you’ve had success using in the past. If there’s a strain that does the job but might make you feel a little funky, maybe save that one for a different method. If you want successful edibles, pick a strain that you feel confident will give you a good experience– preferably ones you’ve enjoyed consistently.
#5 Toast Your THC Properly
If you weren’t already aware, making edibles that work requires a process called decarboxylation. If you skip this step, you’ll essentially just be eating raw cannabis (which won’t provide any “high’ effects). To decarboxylate your cannabis successfully, it’s important not to go overboard. If you heat your cannabis for too long because burning your bud will reduce the potency.
During this process, make sure the marijuana is ground well and spread evenly. Then, keep it in the oven (around 240 degrees Fahrenheit) per instructions until it develops into a golden brown color. You don’t want cannabis that is too dark or too green… a golden brown will be just right.
After your cannabis is perfectly toasted, let it cool for some time and then ground it finely. You can use a food processor to get this done quickly, too!
#6 Weigh Your Weed
Everyone has a different tolerance for cannabis, so you should think about how much you’ll need when making edibles. If you’re using a large amount of cannabis, note how much is used and divided into the batch. When you are prepping, stock up on the amount of cannabis you think is appropriate for your edibles.
If you wouldn’t smoke two whole joints in one sitting, don’t put two joints worth of cannabis into one serving! Keep track of your quantity before you get cooking. It will give you a better sense of what you’ll need to indulge fully.
Another helpful tip: Remember that, on average, one gram of marijuana has at least 100mg of THC. If you’ve taken edibles before and were aware of the dosage per serving, that can help you determine the amount you’ll need.
#7 Even Out Your Edibles
Mysteries can be fun… but, edibles aren’t the best time for guessing games. You don’t want to carelessly throw your cannabis into each serving, or else you might end up with a mixed bag of dosages. Once you have your decarboxylated cannabis ready and weighed out, proceed to measure evenly or mix it into your recipe. Some recipes will require you to divide doses per serving, while others will have you blend the contents throughout the recipe.
If you are mixing in your cannabis, make sure to be thorough! Then, once you are making portions for your batch– don’t be lazy! Measure each cookie, cupcake, chocolate, or whatever you are making. Do your best to make all edibles equal, so your experience will be consistent.
Edibles are fun to make and convenient to enjoy, but they aren’t your average chocolate chip cookie. This isn’t the time to “eye out” your ingredients or get lazy with your methods. Take it seriously, and you will get seriously amazing results.
