How to decarb weed – With tried & tested methods

How to decarb weed written by @otfd420 (instagram). Edited and commissioned by Lovedank.

Decarboxylation, an art, a science and a real confusion….or is it?

Prior note to reading the below – Decarboxylation is a very well talked about and researched subject. A lot of the research is unreliable, can contradict itself, and is based on very little proven scientific fact.

That being said, there’s also some fantastic studies, very experienced people, and a great wealth of knowledge to be found.

 I think the below is a mix of both…so strap in, prepare to learn some definitely true stuff, some stuff I think is true and I’m afraid, some stuff that could seem to contradict itself.

Ultimately, there are a couple of methods that are tried and tested, and work a treat.

So, I make my own edibles occasionally, and without blowing my own trumpet, I think I’m fairly good.  For me, there are two main things about cooking with cannabis. 

One, having a good recipe, not a good infused recipe, but a really good recipe for what it is your making.

Second, and most importantly, is decarbing the flower.

I’m by no means an expert, but I’m geeky enough to have spent time researching it and talking to anyone with any knowledge about it. So, I have a fairly good practical knowledge on it, but I also learned some of the science to help me.

What is Decarboxylation and why do we do it?

How to decarb weed

To put it simply, the cannabis plant produces THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, you can see why they shorten it) and THCA does not get you high. 

 Heat over time removes the acid, leaving THC
(Tetrahydrocannabinol).THC as we all know, does get you high.

So when you smoke a joint,  the heat converts THCA into THC, and you get high. The same goes for a pipe, bong and even a vape.  But if you eat the raw plant, no amount will get you high. (As an FYI, the extreme heat in combustion methods like above loses a fair amount of THCA/THC)

The science behind THCA not getting you high.

The reason THCA does not get you high is simple. Because the endocannabinoid system has very small receptors, and the THCA molecules are fairly large in comparison, they will not get in and interact with
your endocannabinoid system. But by removing the acid, the molecules become small enough to interact, hence giving you the psychoactive feeling (get you high).

On a side note, all of the above applies to CBDA/CBA as well, and most cannabinoids (assumed from the limited research I could do on other cannabinoids, as the main bulk of research has only been done on
THCA and CBDA).

Over decarboxylation, and CBN

How to decarb weed

Firstly, THCA, if over decarboxylated can turn into CBN. Now, CBN is not bad for you.  However, it makes you sleep, quickly and very effectively. It also doesn’t really get you high in the same way as THC. In reality, it just makes you extremely tired.

However, to over decarboxylate THCA is very very difficult, unless you go over a certain temperature.

So, what is that temperature i hear you all scream.  To be honest, it’s difficult to give you an exact answer that I can 100% confirm to be true, as different research has produced different results, and I found certain issues with the most commonly used research.

But for me, I try to never go over 140c as I think (from research and my own experience) 145 is the highest you should go for decarboxylation. The flower is at its most vulnerable when its body, and resin containing the THCA is exposed to direct heat. This is when it could easily degrade to CBN.

Just to assure you, stay well below 140c when decarboxylating and CBN is not a worry. Even if you hit 145c, you would still need to leave it at that heat for a fairly long time to really degrade the THCA.

As an example, a friend of mine who dislikes the taste of the cannabis in his edibles,  decarbs at 150c/160c for 8-10 minutes, with the flower in the oven a on a tray covered with foil. He has had a few disasters, but
has now perfected it and likes the speedy approach.

He is very aware of the variables though. When I speak of variables, I mean things like the ratio’s , potency of the original flower, if its flower or shake and many other things.  For me, that sounds like too much hard work. Hence why I stay below 140c.

Decarboxylation confusions.

The thing to remember about decarbing your weed is that lower temperatures take longer to be as effective.  If you look on YouTube you will find hundreds of videos,  and along with them, hundreds of different temperature and time variations.

As an example,  one video may say 110c for an hour,  another 120c for 30mins, and in all honesty,  both of these variations on time and temperature will work.

Are they as effective as each other, with all honesty I can’t answer that.

Summary.

How to decarb weed

All of the above may leave you more confused than when you started, and I wouldn’t blame you.  Firstly, don’t fret, below are some great methods that can easily be used as a great starting point for learning the art of decarboxylation.

Secondly, none of it really matters, honestly, it really doesn’t.  Hopefully you
now understand the basic science of it, and why you need to do it.

With some trial and error, you can soon learn what works for you.  What i would say, is start with small amounts.  You can make a few great cookies with just an 8th, and if it all goes wrong, you haven’t lost much.  So, with that in mind, let’s talk methods to get you started.

A quick note, whilst I state foil or parchment paper, resin will stick more to foil, so you may notice some loss, it won’t stick as much to parchment paper. However, foil is generally easier to use all round.

3 Different Methods of Decarbing your Weed

Method one: the tray method

Things you will need
1/8 of bud (amount can be changed)
A large baking tray with a raised edge
Foil or parchment paper
An oven

Instructions: Pre heat your oven to 115c. Cover the baking tray with the foil or parchment paper, and secure it by wrapping it under the edge, or clip it down if its parchment paper.

Take the cannabis and gently break up any large dense buds. We want the heat to evenly penetrate the resin covering the buds, so try and make it consistent. Whilst you can grind the buds, do not grind them into a fine powder, as this will make life harder when using the flower after decarboxylation.

It is best to use your fingers to just gently break down large buds though.
Sprinkle the broken-up buds evenly on the tray, try and make sure it is even and not a thick layer. 

Now place a layer of foil or parchment paper over the top, covering the flower and secure it on the tray leaving no large gaps. Do not squish it down onto the flower. Now place the tray in the oven and leave it for 30 minutes. 

Once the time is up, remove the tray from the oven and let it cool.  Once cooled, remove the foil cover. You should notice the flower looks slightly browned, it should be very brittle to the touch, and you should
notice a slight hint of ammonia that was not present before. If this is not the case, place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes.  Do not exceed 45 minutes.

The flower is now decarboxylated. The above method will be smelly and stink out your house, the layer covering the flower will help, but by
no means stop the smell. So be warned. It is also worth noting your oven will make a difference to time, as all oven differ in temperature and temperature fluctuations.

Difficulty level: 1 very simple and straightforward
Smell level: 10 not subtle, expect anyone entering your house to smell it, and possibly people walking past.
Effectiveness: 5 it works, it will make your edibles get you high, but you will loose terpenes (hence the smell) and it won’t be an even decarb.

Method two: The jar method.

Things you will need
1/8 of bud (amount can be changed)
A large oven proof Mason jar with sealable lid
An oven

Instructions: Pre heat the oven to 100c. Take the cannabis and gently break up any large dense buds.  We want the heat to evenly penetrate the resin covering the buds, so try and make it consistent. Whilst you can grind the buds, do not grind them into a fine powder, as this will make life harder when using the flower after decarboxylation.

It is best to use your fingers to just gently break down large buds though.
Place the cannabis in the jar and shut the lid. Do not fill the jar more than 3/4 full. Now place the jar in the oven, on its side for 60 minutes, every 15 to 20 minutes roll the jar to gently move the bud inside about.

Once the full 60 minutes is up, remove the jar from the oven and leave it to cool. As with Method 1, you should notice the flower looks slightly browned, it should be very brittle to the touch, and you should notice a slight hint of ammonia that was not present before.

If none of these are obvious, replace the jar back in the hot oven and leave for another 10 minutes. Repeat until you notice the telltale signs mentioned above. The jar method cuts down drastically on the smell when decarbing. How much depends on the seal on the lid of the jar. 

Leaving it to cool allows the volatile terpenes that have vaporised during the process to settle down, also helping cut down on smell.

Difficulty level: 1 very simple and straightforward as long as you have a suitable jar
Smell level: 2-3 very subtle. The main dish of smell is when removing the lid, but if it’s fully cooled this is
not an issue.
Effectiveness:  7 this method preserves many of the terpenes and cannabinoids.  If your oven is accurate and consistent this is even more effective.

Method three: The real chef’s way with a sous vide – that’s French for hot water machine (its not
really).

This method can be done multiple ways, and normally uses a sous vide (Google it) but you can make a ghetto version fairly easily, and that’s what I will tell you.

You will need
1/8 of bud (amount can be changed)
A water tight glass jar/or sealable freezer bag (a sealed vac pack bag will also work great, and sealed bags work better than a jar, as a jar is less effective)
A large enough slow cooker to place the jar or bag in fully submerged
Water
A thermometer of some kind

Instructions: Fill the slow cooker with hot water (you can use cold, but it’s quicker if its hot). Then turn on the slow cooker.  Every slow cooker is different.  So, check yours and maybe test how hot the water gets, when on a given setting using your thermometer. I tested mine, low gets it to around 70c and high it boils the water (ultimately meaning just above or around 100c in the water).

Break up any large buds, but do not grind it.  Place the bud in your jar or bag and seal it tight. If it’s a vac bag, vacuum the air and seal it (this is by far the best way to do this method). It’s important the seal is good as this will be going into the water, and you don’t water getting into the jar or bag.

Once the water has got to the desired temperature, place the bag or jar with the flower in, into the hot water. Try and suspend the bag so it is not touching the side of the slow cooker, but is suspended in the water and the flower is fully submerged (this is a skill in itself).

Now, for timing you really need to know how hot it is in the water.  If its boiling, be sure to keep the water topped up, and go for at least 60 minutes. If it is not boiling, go for longer.  At 70c, I would probably go for two hours minimum.

As with before, you should notice the flower looks slightly browned, it should be very brittle to the touch, and you should notice a slight hint of ammonia that was not present before.

The beauty of this method, is that, unless you let the water boil to low, you can’t really go wrong.  It will be a longer process,  but the chances of over decarboxylating the flower is almost impossible due to the measured low temperatures.

Plus, it retains all the terpenes and cannabinoids on the plant. It’s also smell free. But it is risky, if the bag touches the side of the slow cooker too long, it can melt and split (unlikely but possible). If the water level drops too low, it becomes ineffective. It is also a slower  process as it uses lower temperatures.

Difficulty level: 8 some of these steps are trickier than they sound.  Plus you need to keep a very close eye on the water levels. Once perfected,  its much easier.
Smell level: 1 this method creates no smell.  The bag or jar plus the water retains any smells.  Plus the cooling down period is quick,  meaning even less smell when opened.
Effectiveness: 9 this method,  when done right,  is damn near perfect.  You can leave the flower in the heat for a much longer period without fear of degradation of the THC ensuring a better decarboxylation rate and a more potent end product. Plus, it retains all the goodness within the resin that escape much easier using the other methods.

A method for decarbing an extract.

Extracts can also be used in edibles, and it is equally important to decarb these as it is your flower. This method is very similar to the sous vide method, but as it uses oil, be extra careful as it will be extremely hot and can burn much worse then water.

You will need

1. 1 gram of extract (amount can be changed)
2. A tall glass jar
3. Cooking oil
4. Slow cooker

Instructions: Place enough oil in the slow cooker to cover at least an inch of the glass jar once it is stood in the slow cooker (you really need enough to go above the extract once it’s melted in the jar). Turn the slow cooker on and heat the oil.

Again, be sure to check the temperature and set the slow cooker on a setting that keeps the oil below 120c. Once the oil has reached temperature, place the extract in the glass jar and stand it in the hot oil in the slow cooker. Then let the hot oil do its magic.

You will notice the extract starts to bubble, this is decarboxylation happening before your very eyes. It will take at least 40 minutes, but do keep a close eye on it. Once the bubbles stop, the process is complete. But be warned, it goes from bubbling to done fairly quickly, and once it stops, you need to remove it.

Final thoughts

How to decarb weed

Decarboxylation is not a big scary monster. Just give one of the above methods a try and remember low and slow is the best way to start.

You can always put it back in the oven, but you can’t unfuck it!! What you
do with the decarbed weed is entirely down to you. In fact maybe soon I’ll do a cannabutter recipe.