HOW TO MAKE HIGH-QUALITY MARIJUANA EDIBLES

Every marijuana enthusiast and new cannabis user owes it to themselves to give cannabis edibles a try. They offer a unique, potent cannabis experience that many may end up enjoying much more than smoking. However, that often raises the question of where to get the edibles. It can be hard to find pot edibles depending where you live and if there are dispensaries near you, but there's one excellent solution to your dilemma...

Instead of figuring out how to get marijuana edibles, learn how to make edibles on your own.

WHY MARIJUANA EDIBLES? WHAT TO KNOW

There are a number of reasons that people love marijuana edibles, pertaining to comfort, ease of consumption, and more. For one thing, many people don't like smoking of any sort and can find it uncomfortable for their throat and lungs. In this case, edible cannabis products allow people to enjoy marijuana without having to smoke.

You can even make medical cannabis edibles, and they'll have similar if not better therapeutic effects as smoking. However, it must be noted that edibles tend to have a delayed effect and a highly potent one at that. Many people have stories about eating an edible or three and continuing to eat more because they felt nothing, but then it all hits them at once.

When you're first trying edibles, take your time and go slowly. Remember, in order for you to feel the effects of an edible, it first has to pass through your digestive system and therefore why the effects are delayed by an hour or two or even more depending on the person.

If you are new to marijuana edibles, start out with 5mg THC or less and work your way up from there. Anyone who's ever had too many edibles will tell you it's best to start slow and feel nothing than to have too many. So, start small, and work your way up.

DECARBOXYLATION IS KEY

Decarboxylation, or decarbing for short, is the process of transforming THCA into THC by heating it. This activates the marijuana, so to speak, and produces the psychoactive effect associated with pot.

While it sounds complex, it's actually quite simple. The first step is breaking your cannabis flower up into smaller pieces roughly the size of rice, and then putting them in the oven, or some sort of decarboxylation device. If using the oven, you can place the buds on tin foil on top of a baking sheet.

High heat such as 300 degrees Fahrenheit will produce the highest THC content in just minutes, but THC will decrease should the decarbing process continue too long. Low heat, such as 250 degrees Fahrenheit, is more forgiving and carries a larger room for error. Fifteen to twenty minutes is a reasonable timeframe.

CANNABUTTER

Once you've activated the THC, you're ready to start making cannabis butter. Butter or another type of oil is necessary to infuse the THC and use it as a food additive. There are some important notes to consider, such as taking care to achieve a cannabis- to-butter ratio in line with your desired potency levels. Additionally, you'll end up with less butter than you started with: the cooking process removes milk solids and causes water content to evaporate. If you need a precise amount of cannabutter for a specific recipe, use extra butter to ensure the right amount.

CANNABIS COCONUT OIL

If you're a vegan or if you prefer the flavor of weed coconut oil to cannabutter, then it's a suitable alternative. Additionally, many recipes for cannabis edibles are improved by using coconut oil instead of butter.

CROCKPOT CANNABUTTER RECIPE

While this is a cannabutter recipe, the process for making coconut canna-oil is exactly the same, right down to the cannabis coconut oil ratio.

Cannabis to butter (or oil) ratio: 1 oz:1 lb

Step 1. Place an appropriate amount of butter and decarbed cannabis into a firmly closed mason jar.

Step 2. Insert into a crockpot filled with water and heated to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 3. After cooking the cannabutter for four hours, allow the mason jars to cool and remove them.

Step 4. Set up a straining area with a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth and remove the plant matter from your cannabutter.

Step 5. Strain your cannabutter and place the jars into the refrigerator.

CLASSIC MARIJUANA EDIBLE RECIPES

Pot edible recipes are as creative as the millions of people who use marijuana. They include cannabis cookies, marijuana brownies, pot chocolate, and much more. That's why we've assembled the best cannabis edible recipes for you to put your new cannabutter or canna-oil to good use.

POT BROWNIES

Cannabis brownies are some of the most iconic, best edibles to make.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. cannabutter
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Step 1. Combine all ingredients.

Step 2. Cook for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 3. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.

WEED COOKIES

Pot cookies are an excellent choice of psychedelic sweets.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. cannabutter
• 3 c. flour
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Hot Water
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Step 1. Cream cannabutter, brown sugar, and white sugar together.

Step 2. Add eggs and baking soda.

Step 3. Gradually add flour and salt into the butter mixture while stirring.

Step 4. Dole out spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Step 5. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

CANNABIS CHOCOLATE

If you're looking to use your coconut cannabis oil, consider canna chocolate. The flavors of coconut and chocolate mesh beautifully. Here's a simple recipe you can try:

Ingredients:

• 2/3 c. cannabis coconut oil
• 1/2 c. of cocoa powder
• 1/3 c. syrup sweetener or honey
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Optional: Garnish with shredded coconut or nuts

Step 1. Combine oil and sweetener over low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Step 2. Add remaining ingredients.

Step 3. Pour into ice cube trays, plastic molds, etc. and store in the refrigerator.

TIPS FOR CANNABINOID DOSING

When you're making edible cannabinoids, you shouldn't skimp on the marijuana you use. After all, different strains produce a different feeling based on the ratios of cannabidiol, THC, and other compounds. You should pick out your favorite indica, sativa or hybrid strain or do research on what strains sound appealing to you and use those for your cannabutter.

If you're interested in strong, THC edibles, you should use a rich strain and employ a short, intense decarbing process.

FINAL THOUGHTS BEFORE ENJOYING MARIJUANA EDIBLES

Edible marijuana products are a new experience for many people, and you should take care to make sure it's a good experience. The most important thing to remember is that edibles can take time to kick in, so you should take your time. If you do overdo it, you can take comfort in the fact no one has ever died from eating too many cannabis edibles. You can safely sleep it off and feel alright in the morning.

That said, start low and go slow. The less cannabis you consume, the less you should start with when trying to make marijuana edibles.