Garden gummies, hard candies, and drinks have overtaken the once-popular brownies and cookies of the cannabis edibles world. No matter what they are eating, people still love infused food. Those who have attempted to take this work into their home kitchen have likely learned the word decarboxylation.
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Decarboxylation, or decarbing, is a process that activates the psychoactive compounds in the cannabis plant. Raw cannabis flower contains THCA, a precursor to psychoactive THC that is not psychoactive. When a person applies heat to the flower, the compound drops an acid, turning it from THCA to THC.
With inhalation, this looks like a lighter, lit hemp wick, or vape chamber. For edibles, the heat activation process happens when it is decarbed. Weed will still have an impact before it is decarboxylated, but there is very little chance it will get a person high.
Once weed is decarboxylated, infuse it into butter or oil. Some may opt to grind the product into a powder to add to sugar or flour for future edibles. There are multiple ways to decarboxylate cannabis, each requiring different tools and methods. We broke down the easiest and most effective ways to decarboxylate weed, including in the oven, in the microwave, and using the sous vide method.
How to decarboxylate weed in the oven
The oven is a tried-and-trusted method of cannabis decarboxylation. After the process is complete, the finished product can be infused into fats like butter or ground into flour.
Here’s the step-by-step process of decarboxylating weed in the oven:
Gear:
- Cookie tray
- Oven or toaster oven
- Parchment paper
- Stainless steel spatula
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 225 °F
- Lay out parchment paper on a baking tray
- Break off your weed and spread it on the paper
- Cover the week with another layer of parchment
- Bake the weed for 45 minutes
- Remove and allow to cool for 30 minutes
- Use or store the weed as needed
This is a simple and effective way to decarboxylate weed, but it can take too long for some people. For a quicker method, turn to the microwave oven.
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How to decarboxylate cannabis in the Microwave
If you’re short on time, decarb in the microwave, but the method does not allow as much control over how evenly it heats. Keep an eye on your weed buds while they are cooking. They can burn quickly in a microwave.
The microwave decarb process looks like this:
Gear:
Microwave-safe glass dish
Directions:
- Break up or grind your weed
- Spread the weed into a microwave-proof glass dish
- Microwave on medium heat for 90 seconds
- Mix the weed in the bowl and heat for another 60 seconds
- By now, the weed buds should be golden brown and ready
Many professionals, like cannabis food influencer Monica Lo, aka SousWeed, prefer the sous vide method.
Guide to sous vide decarboxylation
The sous vide method is highly recommended for people who are planning to make multiple batches of weed edibles. There is an upfront cost with this method for anyone who does not have an immersion circulator. However, it may be worth it for those seeking a discreet option that preserves the maximum amount of terpenes.
Gear:
- Immersion circulator
- Large pot or stock pot
- Freezer-safe bag
- Vacuum sealer
Directions:
- Fill the container with hot tap water and place the immersion circulator inside
- Set the immersion circulator to 203°F
- Grind the weed into a fine powder (you can use a coffee grinder)
- Seal the weed in the plastic freezer bag
- Place the bag into the water for 90 minutes
- Remove and let it cool for 20 minutes
- Remove weed from the bag and use/store as needed
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This is a slower method but produces almost no smell and, as noted, is great for making larger batches with minimal smell.
You now know three great methods to decarboxylate cannabis. Each has its benefits, but all are effective in activating the psychoactive compounds to get you high.