Ever heard of the term medical marijuana? Basically, this type of marijuana has often been used to treat various types of health problems, including chronic pain, epilepsy in children, and difficulty controlling muscle movement. Although generally tetrahydrocannabinol is consumed by smoking like cigarettes, there are also people who choose to mix it into food, you know! However, understand that cooking marijuana is not as simple as putting marijuana leaves into the brownie batter. In fact, you need to first infuse the ingredients to be used with marijuana powder. Interested in learning how? Read this article, yes!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making Cannabis Oil
Step 1. Choose oil as the base material
Since marijuana is insoluble in water, you need to cook it in an oil that is very high in fat, such as canola oil, olive oil, or coconut oil. However, be aware that olive oil and coconut oil have a lower smoke point than canola oil, so they can burn easily if heated for too long. Choose the oil that best suits your intended use.
If your recipe lists a certain type of oil, feel free to use it
Step 2. Grind or mash the dried marijuana florets into a powder
Even though the concentration of marijuana is highest in the buds, some people like to use the whole marijuana to grind it into a powder. Since the oil will have to be filtered later, don't grind the marijuana too finely so that the tiny particles don't escape the filter holes. In general, you can process marijuana with a coffee bean grinder or food processor. Most importantly, make sure the grind is not too fine.
Step 3. Mix the oil with the marijuana powder
The concentration of cannabis oil really depends on the amount you use. In general, cannabis oil can be made with the help of a slow cooker, double boiler, or a regular saucepan. In the cookware of your choice, pour the oil and the marijuana powder, then stir the two until all the marijuana powder is submerged in the oil.
If you don't know the right amount, start by mixing two parts oil with one part marijuana. For example, mix 2 cups (about 480 ml) of oil with 1 cup (about 240 grams) of marijuana powder. Or, if you want a smaller portion, you can mix 100 ml of oil with 50 grams of marijuana powder
Step 4. Heat the oil to dissolve the marijuana powder
In fact, the heating method used is very dependent on the materials to be heated. In addition, the amount of oil will also greatly affect the method you use. Most importantly, make sure the cannabis oil stays hot but doesn't burn, one way is to stir the two periodically. If you wish, you can even add a little water to the oil and marijuana mixture to prevent it from burning when heated.
- If using a slow cooker, heat the oil over low heat for at least 6 hours. If you wish, you can even extend the process for up to three days for the best flavor and density.
- If using a double boiler, heat the oil over low heat for 6-8 hours. The longer the oil is heated, the thicker the taste will be. As it heats up, stir the oil occasionally and monitor the amount of water in the bottom pan. Before the water evaporates completely, immediately pour new water!
- If using a saucepan, heat the oil over low heat for at least 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the oil from burning, especially since this method is the most prone to scorching.
Step 5. Strain the oil
Do this while the oil is still hot for best results. In general, you can use a wire sieve to filter out oversized marijuana pulp. If after that the oil is still not clear, do a second filter using a coffee filter. Since this process is not instant and requires care, you can shorten the time by filtering out a portion of the oil while heating the rest.
- Alternatively, the oil can also be filtered through a cheese strainer with very fine holes. To maximize the results, use several layers of cloth, then place the cloth over a large bowl. Tie the hanging edge of the fabric with rubber so that it doesn't move easily. After that, pour the oil into a bowl through a sieve. If you have a cheese filter cloth, this method is actually more recommended because the amount of oil produced will be more than when you just use a coffee filter.
- If you only have a coffee filter that isn't too big, try placing it over a glass and then tying the edges with rubber. After that, pour the oil into the glass through a sieve as usual.
- If the oil is going to be poured into a glass container, try preheating the container by soaking it in hot water for a few minutes. Supposedly, this step is effective in preventing the glass from breaking due to sudden exposure to excessively hot oil temperatures.
Step 6. Save the oil until it's time to use it
After filtering, store the oil in a closed airtight container so that it doesn't lose its density due to exposure to oxygen. If stored properly, the quality of the oil should not change for two months. To increase its shelf life, you can put a container of oil in the refrigerator.
Step 7. Replace the regular oil with your homemade cannabis oil
Because cannabis oil is highly concentrated, it's best not to replace the entire serving of regular oil in a recipe with it. Instead, just replace about 14 ml servings of regular oil with cannabis oil until you get used to its effects.
Method 2 of 3: Infuse Butter with Marijuana
Step 1. Heat one stick of salted butter over low heat
Use a pot or pan with a lid for this method, and don't forget to stir in the butter or shake the pot/pan/pan from time to time to prevent the butter from burning. If you wish, you can add equal amounts of butter and marijuana powder.
Alternatively, you can also cook the butter and marijuana mixture in a slow cooker. If using this method, all ingredients should be cooked for 8-24 hours, stirring occasionally
Step 2. Grind the marijuana until smooth
For each stick of butter, you need about 7 grams of marijuana powder. To make marijuana powder, you will first need to remove the seeds, leaves, and stems of the marijuana, then grind or mash the florets with the help of a coffee grinder or food processor. Want to produce a smoother powder texture? Try grinding it manually in a mortar.
If you are a patient, try doubling the dose of marijuana to maximize the effect
Step 3. Heat the butter and marijuana mixture over low heat
Put about 7 grams of marijuana into the melted butter, then heat the two over low heat, stirring constantly until all the ingredients are well mixed. If the butter is too hot, add a little water to lower it down.
Step 4. Strain the butter and put it in the refrigerator
First of all, prepare a container that will later be used to store the butter, then cover the surface with a cheese strainer. After that, tie the edge of the cloth hanging over the mouth of the container so that it doesn't move easily, then pour the butter and marijuana mixture into the container through the strainer. If any of the pulp sticks to the surface of the sieve, try pushing it with a metal spoon to maximize the amount of butter it produces. Then, store the container in the refrigerator until it's time to use it.
If desired, use a fine mesh sieve to sift through the less finely ground marijuana powder. Don't forget to push the marijuana dregs with a metal spoon to maximize the amount of butter produced
Step 5. Replace the regular butter with a mixture of butter and marijuana
Unlike oil, most recipes only require a small amount of butter to enhance the flavor of the food. Therefore, you can replace the entire butter portion of the recipe with a mixture of butter and marijuana. If the effect isn't to your liking, try replacing one stick of butter with 14 grams of butter and marijuana mixture. Or, you can also process the material with other methods.
Method 3 of 3: Making Marijuana Flour
Step 1. Remove the seeds and stems of the marijuana
In fact, the highest levels of tetrahydrocannabinol are located in the buds. Therefore, remove the stems and seeds of the marijuana and dry the buds. Remember, the marijuana buds need to be completely dry to make it easy to grind into a powder, especially since even the smallest amount of liquid can turn the consistency into a paste.
Step 2. Mash the marijuana florets
Use a food processor with a very sharp knife or a coffee bean grinder to process the marijuana florets into a fine-textured powder. Continue processing the marijuana until it is flour-like in texture and not lumpy, about a few minutes.
Step 3. Sift the marijuana flour to separate the fine powder from the pulp
Most likely, there will always be dregs or parts of the florets that have not been processed properly. That is why, marijuana flour must be sifted before use. Set aside the sifted flour for later use.
Step 4. Reprocess the dregs or parts of the florets that are not processed properly
If you have a coffee bean grinder, use it to process the unrefined marijuana florets. If the result is still not to your liking, transfer the part of the florets that are not yet smooth into a mortar, then grind until smooth.
Basically, a mortar is the most perfect tool for smoothing marijuana buds. Therefore, do not hesitate to use it if a food processor or coffee grinder does not provide ideal results. However, prepare quite a lot of energy because manually grinding marijuana buds is actually tiring, although the process will feel easier if the buds have been processed with a coffee grinder or food processor first
Step 5. Store the marijuana flour in an airtight container
Basically, the concentration of marijuana can decrease after being exposed to the oxidation process if it is not stored properly. Therefore, always store flour in an airtight container, then use the flour on the same day or within a maximum of 24 hours. To increase its shelf life, flour can be put in the freezer.
Step 6. Use marijuana flour to partially replace the portion of flour requested in the recipe
Generally, you only need to replace 10-20% of your regular wheat flour portion with marijuana flour. In particular, marijuana flour is suitable for making snacks where the dough needs to be allowed to rise, such as bread. Unlike oil or butter infused with marijuana, marijuana flour is an equivalent substitute option although it works slightly differently from regular wheat flour.
To shorten processing time, you can mix wheat flour with marijuana flour ahead of time, then store the mixture in an airtight container. However, just because marijuana has been mixed with plain flour, doesn't mean the product won't oxidize. That's why it's best to only store the flour for making one snack portion in a plastic clip bag, then put it in the freezer so it doesn't change in quality
Tips
- Marijuana is best mixed with sweet-tasting foods, such as brownies, whose recipes are already popular in many parts of the world.
- Don't mix too much marijuana in your food, especially since its strong aroma can dominate the taste of the food. In addition, doses that are too high can also have a negative impact on your body.
- Marijuana is one type of plant that has many versions. Different versions will of course produce different effects. Therefore, do not hesitate to ask the type of marijuana that is most suitable for treating your medical condition.
Warning
- In fact, the use of marijuana for any purpose has not been legalized in most parts of Indonesia. However, local people in some areas consume it as part of their culture, as you may already know in Aceh. Therefore, do not forget to know the applicable laws in the area where you live before starting to consume marijuana.
- Medical marijuana must be prescribed by a doctor, like any other drug. Therefore, never use tetrahydrocannabinol without a doctor's supervision to avoid dangerous side effects.
- Because marijuana in food takes longer to be digested by the body, its effects will only be felt within 30 minutes to 1 hour afterward, and can last for a longer time than cigarettes. However, the effects of marijuana on different people may also differ, mainly because the human body's ability to absorb tetrahydrocannabinol varies greatly. Therefore, be careful not to consume marijuana in excess, especially if the effects are not as strong as you expect, to avoid the risk of overdose.
