Using Sous Vide for Homemade Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil
Yield: 1 cup of infused olive oil | Cook time: 50 minutes | Total time: 80 minutes
Household ingredients needed:
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One eighth (1/8) of one ounce of Cannabis flower – about 3.5 grams of flower.
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1 cup of extra virgin olive oil.
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3 tablespoons of distilled water.
Tools needed for sous vide process (linked below to top-selling Amazon products):
We’ve all heard stories of a friend or roommate who made cannabis butter in their dorm room or apartment. That friend usually ended up with a nearly inedible chunk of earthy goo that looked and smelled like it came from an oil spill, they did not end up with an appetizing baseline ingredient that they could use to prepare a delicious meal. By using the sous vide method to decarboxylate the cannabis, we are preserving the aromatic and flavor profiles of the terpenes, and thereby crafting a delicious infused olive oil that can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Let’s begin.
First step
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Fill a medium saucepan about halfway with water, then set the immersion circulator to 200°F.
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Using your grinder, reduce the cannabis buds into small pieces and place them in the vacuum-sealable bag. Add three tablespoons of distilled water to bag. Then seal the bag completely using the vacuum sealer. Once the circulator reaches 200°F, place the sealed bag into the water for 30 minutes, the bag should be rotated every few minutes.
Second step
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After 30 minutes of decarboxylation, transfer the sealed bag of cannabis buds into a bowl of ice water to stop the process and to preserve the terpenes. Allow the sealed bag to cool for a few minutes. Once cooled, set a fine-mesh strainer or sieve over a bowl, carefully strain and reserve the cannabis, discard the liquid.
Third step
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Combine oil and decarboxylated cannabis buds in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes, making sure to stir often. After 20 minutes of cooking, remove saucepan from the heat source, but let the mixture steep for 30 minutes more.
Final Step & Storage
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Carefully strain the oil-cannabis mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and funnel into a container with an airtight lid, a heat-proof food container or bottle is recommended. Keep the infused oil refrigerated, and consume within 30 days for best taste and wellness.
Helpful hints and information about decarboxylation
What is Decarboxylation?
Decarboxylation refers to the process of heating cannabis and hemp to activate the cannabinoids within its buds, trim, leaves, or kief. Decarboxylating allows consumers to experience the plant’s unique and intoxicating effects by using its active components.
How does decarboxylation work?
The application of heat, over a period of time is what makes the decarb process work. Each cannabinoid and terpene has a different decarboxylation temperature, so full decarboxylation time can vary depending on the material.
Why is decarboxylation important?
Decarboxylation activates the plant’s most essential cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and cannabidiol (CBD). This is an extremely important process in the creation of edibles, tinctures, and other consumable cannabis products, because there is typically no heating process involved in the consumption of these product categories. Freshly harvested and un-decarboxylated cannabis flower contains an excess of cannabinoid acids that have little to no psychoactive benefit until processors decarboxylate them. Decarboxylating cannabis essentially flips a switch that converts cannabinoid acids into THC and CBD.