Learn more about full-extract cannabis oil, also known as FECO, a powerful cannabis plant extract that can be used as a potent sublingual, topical, or edible and get step-by-step instructions for making your own at home.
Features
- A powerful plant medicine that can be made at home
- Just 2 ingredients needed: cannabis flower & high-proof grain alcohol
- It can be used as a sublingual tincture, edible, or topical
Why You Will Love This Method
For many people in my Well With Cannabis Community, FECO is the holy grail of all cannabis extractions.
Full-extract cannabis oil, also known as FECO, is a concentrated, whole-plant, full-spectrum cannabis extract made by soaking the cannabis in a solvent like alcohol.
The alcohol is then evaporated, leaving behind the concentrated plant oils containing cannabinoids like THC and CBD.
One of the few concentrates that are easy to make at home, this powerful product can be used for many different needs, from edibles and topicals to tinctures and capsules.
Continue reading to get step-by-step instructions for making FECO with tips on how to do it safely so you end up with the purest plant medicine.
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What is Full-Extract Cannabis Oil?
Let's break down the name FECO or full-extract cannabis oil.
We know cannabis oil is just an oil obtained from the cannabis plant.
Full extract means that all of the important plant compounds, from cannabinoids to terpenes and other plant materials, are present in the extract.
FECO is a powerful concentrated cannabis extract that interacts with our endocannabinoid system.
It can be extremely potent, making FECO an excellent choice to be used for medicinal purposes.
Once the FECO is prepared, it can be used in various application methods, including sublingual, topical, and edibles.
Please note that using FECO for inhalation or vaping is not recommended.
The Difference Between FECO and RSO
If you're unfamiliar with the following abbreviations, check out this cannabis terms and abbreviations guide.
One important thing to note is that many people confuse FECO with RSO – also known as Rick Simpson Oil.
RSO is FECO. Both FECO and RSO have the same final characteristics and appear very dark, thick, sticky, and tar-like consistency upon successful completion, and both utilize alcohol as the solvent for extraction.
The main difference between FECO and RSO is the type of alcohol used for the extraction.
FECO utilizes food-grade grain alcohol, which is considered a safer solvent than isopropyl alcohol or naptha used in the RSO method.
The outcomes are similar, but isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol, like the kind you would find in your medicine cabinet) IS NOT SAFE TO INGEST.
Again, here we are making full-extract cannabis oil, FECO, with a tincture made with food-grade grain alcohol, which is safe for human consumption.
If you are having problems finding high-proof, food-grade grain alcohol, check out this guide to help you access safe products.
Ingredient Notes
- Cannabis flower: You will need your desired amount of cannabis flowers, ranging from 1 gram up to 1 ounce or more. Choose THC, CBD, or CBG-dominant flowers. You can purchase them from your local dispensary or hemp flower from my online shop. Do not forget to decarb before getting started.
- High-proof alcohol: You need high-proof grain alcohol. You want at least 150 proof, but ideally 190 or 200 proof. Lower-proof alcohols, like vodka, are not ideal. Be sure to check out my guide to order high-proof grain alcohol online and have it shipped to your door, or learn more about what to ask for when visiting your local liquor store.
Note: a complete list of ingredients with amounts and printable instructions is located in the recipe card below.
Super Quick FECO Instructions
For my friends who just want a quick overview of the process, here it is.
Below you will find more detailed instructions for each step.
- Decarboxylate your cannabis in an oven or Instant Pot
- Prepare a cannabis alcohol tincture like the Green Dragon or Golden Dragon
- Evaporate the alcohol using our safe evaporation methods
- Store your medicine in a glass syringe or other container
- Consume your medicine as an edible, topical, sublingual, or in a capsule
At the end of this process, we will have evaporated all of the alcohol, leaving a small amount of concentrated cannabis oil.
It is important to note that you will have collected a very small amount of oil at the end of this process.
A rough guesstimate expects to use 1 cup of tincture and collect only approximately 3 milliliters of FECO.
The Step-by-Step Process
Note: complete step-by-step printable instructions are located in the recipe card below.
Step 1 - Decarboxylate Your Cannabis
Before jumping in and pouring alcohol over your cannabis flower, you must ensure you don’t forget this crucial step – decarboxylation.
Without decarboxylation, you may not experience the full range of effects from cannabinoids like THC or CBD.
With this process, we heat the cannabis flower at a low temperature over a long period to allow complete decarboxylation without destroying the other beneficial compounds, such as terpenes or flavonoids.
Decarboxylation can be done with the traditional oven or in the Instant Pot.
The time and temperature should be adjusted depending on whether you are working with THC flower, CBD flower, or even CBG flower.
Use this guide to decarb at the right temp for the type of flower you have:
- THCA to THC → bake at 240° F for 40 minutes
- CBDA to CBD → bake at 240°F for 90 minutes
- CBGA to CBG → bake at 220°F for 60 minutes
- THC to CBN→ bake at 240°F for 180 minutes
Step 2 - Make A Cannabis Tincture with Alcohol
The second step to making full-extract cannabis oil is to prepare a cannabis tincture with alcohol.
You can follow either the long-soak, Green Dragon method, or the Golden Dragon freezer method.
I ran lab tests to compare the traditional Green Dragon cannabis tincture to this Golden Dragon QWET tincture, and the results are posted here.
According to the results, the Green Dragon long soak tincture method produces a more potent tincture. However, this method produces a stronger-tasting tincture with more residual plant matter like chlorophyll.
This leaves you, the consumer, deciding to choose potency over taste.
For both processes, you will need your decarbed cannabis flowers and food-grade, high-proof grain alcohol. It is important to use high-proof grain alcohol for the best quality extraction.
Here is my complete guide for where you can get high-proof alcohol for making tinctures. You will not achieve the same results with lower proof alcohol like vodka or rum.
From here, you have many choices on what you want to do with your tincture. You can leave it as is, not evaporate, and simply have an alcohol tincture to use in cocktails like sangria.
Or you could use it in some of your favorite recipes, like gummies made with tincture. You can also pour the tincture over white sugar and make cannabis sugar with it.
You can also move on to Step 3, where we evaporate off 100% of the alcohol to make FECO, or full-extract cannabis oil.
Step 3 - Safely Evaporate the Alcohol
There are a few safety concerns to keep in mind before evaporating the alcohol of your tincture.
We are using high-proof alcohol, which is EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE.
That is why we want to be careful about how we evaporate the alcohol.
If you introduce an open flame while trying to evaporate the alcohol, you risk starting a fire or, worse, having an explosion.
I never recommend evaporating the alcohol over an open flame or gas-burning stove. This is dangerous and unnecessary.
Thankfully, I have safe evaporation solutions outlined below.
Evaporation At Room Temperature
You can allow the alcohol to evaporate just by sitting at room temperature. It is the safest option, but it takes a long time.
Here is a picture of a shot glass I filled with 1 ounce of the tincture. It took approximately 3-4 days for the alcohol to evaporate.
I recommend adding a coffee filter or other breathable material to your vessel's top to prevent contaminants from getting in.
Use glass when possible.
Evaporate Alcohol With Heat
We want to introduce heat to help evaporate the alcohol faster without an open flame.
My safe solution is a small (0.65 quart) mini-warming crockpot.
This is a perfect solution because the mini-crockpot does not heat above 160° F, meaning it won't destroy any cannabinoids.
Simply pour the tincture into a clean mason jar, place the jar in the mini-crockpot, and pour water around the jar, creating a water bath. Turn the mini-crock pot on and allow the water to heat up.
You want to ensure you do not have the lid on the jar, which will slow the evaporation process.
I recommend doing this in a room with good ventilation to keep the windows open and airflow moving.
The evaporating alcohol has a strong odor that may be unpleasant in a small, confined space. A fan can help here, too.
Additionally, if you don't have or want to use a mini-crockpot, I have many more ideas in my guide for safely evaporating alcohol from tinctures.
The alcohol will begin to leave the container during the evaporation process, and your volume will drop significantly.
Don't worry; the good stuff is what is left behind.
You know you are getting close to the final evaporation stages when the mixture turns into black, thick oil.
Only a very small amount of this oil will be left at the end.
Step 4 – Store Your Medicine
When you have successfully evaporated all of the alcohol, you will be left with a small amount of very dark, thick, sticky, molasses-like oil.
This is your FECO, full-extract cannabis oil.
From here, you can collect and store it in an airtight glass vessel of your choice.
I recommend using these reusable glass locking syringes.
Not only are they a great way to store your medicine, but they contain mL labeling, which helps make dosing easier.
Collecting the FECO may be difficult due to its sticky nature. Be sure to collect the oil while it is still warm.
If it is too thick to draw into the syringe, add a few drops of either more alcohol or carrier oil of choice, like MCT oil, to thin it out.
How to Mix FECO With A Carrier Oil
Because of the sticky, molasses-like texture of the FECO, many people prefer to mix in a carrier oil, which will help to dilute the FECO and make a more viscous, tincture-like oil.
One of the most popular carrier oils to mix FECO with is MCT oil, a form of coconut oil that is liquid at room temperature.
If you want an oil-based tincture, I recommend mixing 1mL of FECO with 29mL of MCT oil for a 30mL infusion.
Note: you may need to heat them together slightly to get them to combine.
If you have to heat them together, do NOT heat them in the microwave. Combine in a double boiler or use one of the gentle methods suggested here.
You can then store it in a dark bottle tincture like this one.
Step 4 – Consume Your Medicine
Once the FECO is prepared, various application methods can be used, including sublingual, topical, or edible.
Again, it is not recommended to use FECO for inhalation or vaping.
If you are new to using a concentrate like FECO in recipes and edibles, check out my guide to making edibles with cannabis concentrates.
How To Put FECO Into Capsules
Another way to consume FECO is to put it into capsules that can then be swallowed or used as a rectal or vaginal suppository.
Check out my guide to making and filling cannabis capsules to make capsules that can be swallowed.
How to Determine The Dosing
Want to get a more accurate guesstimate of the potency of your cannabis infusions and extractions? Try our popular edibles calculator!
Not sure what your perfect dose is? Learn more here.
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Full-Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 14 grams decarbed cannabis flower
- 8 ounces 190-proof grain alcohol*
Instructions
- Decarboxylate the cannabis according to its dominant cannabinoid. Click here for a full tutorial, if needed.
- Choose between the Green Dragon or Golden Dragon tincture methods.
- For the Green Dragon method: place the decarboxylated cannabis flower at the bottom of a pint-sized mason jar.
- Pour the alcohol over the cannabis. You only need to add enough alcohol to cover the plant matter completely*. Screw the cap tightly and shake gently.
- Place the mason jar in a cool, dark location like a cupboard or closet and leave to sit for 24-hours or more, as desired.
- After your desired soak time, strain the cannabis tincture through a coffee filter or filter into a clean mason jar, separating the plant matter from the alcohol.
- Place the mason jar in the mini-crockpot. Carefully pour water into the crockpot but around the jar, creating a water bath. Turn the mini-crock pot on warm and allow the water to heat up.
- Make sure you do not have the lid on the jar, as this will slow down the evaporation process. Additionally, I recommend doing this in a room with good ventilation to keep the windows open and airflow moving.
- The time it takes to evaporate all of the alcohol will be dependent on the starting volume of the tincture. For example, 1 cup of tincture will take approximately 4-5 hours to evaporate down into FECO. More tincture will take longer, and less will be shorter.
- The alcohol will evaporate off during the cooking process, reducing the volume and leaving behind a thick, black, sticky substance. This black oil is your medicine.
- If this black oil gets too sticky or hard to work with, add a few drops of alcohol or carrier oil to the jar and mix well to create a more viscous oil.
- Store your FECO in a glass syringe, capsule, or another airtight glass container. Store in a cool, dark place like a medicine cabinet.
Notes
- You do not need to use the full 14 grams of cannabis called for in this recipe. You can use as much or as little cannabis as you want. Just know that your yield will be very small, as little as 1mL.
- Only use high-proof alcohol, the higher the better. Lower-proof alcohol, like vodka, is not ideal. Use this guide to finding high-proof alcohol, if needed.
- *You do not need to use the full 8 ounces of alcohol, you just need enough to cover all of the cannabis in the container you are using. Anything more is a waste.
- *How long to soak? I’ve seen traditional, long-soak tinctures steep anywhere between a few hours to up to 6 months, or longer, in some cases. Soaking your plant material for longer will slightly increase the potency, but will also increase the amount of chlorophyll and plant matter in your final infusion.
- If you want alternative evaporation options, follow this guide for how to safely evaporate the alcohol.
Nicole
Hi! I’ve been reading up on how to make the tincture and remove the alcohol from it. Once you do that and you have FECO, can you still use that to make canna sugar for non alcoholic drinks?
Emily Kyle
Nicole, I would suggest following this recipe for cannabis sugar to make drinks, it will work better than the FECO 🙂
Michelle
Hi Emily! Really great content here. I may have missed it, but what is the best way to clean the glass syringe?
Emily Kyle
Hey Michelle, thanks so much for the kind words 😁 The easiest way to clean the syringe is with a little bit of alcohol! Use grain alcohol if you’re trying to still use the product, or isopropyl if your just cleaning and not consuming and further.
Patrick Monk
Avoiding "foul" taste. Considering using 50/50 mix of 190 proof and Vegetable Glycerin for extraction. According to MBM instructions Veg Glycerin is an acceptable product.
Feedback appreciated. Pat Monk.RN.
Emily Kyle
Hey Patrick! I've always avoided using vegetable glycerine for extraction. Ardent cannabis did a study and found that it only helps to infuse around 10% of the cannabinoids, making it a not efficient option. I think it would be better to make the FECO with the alcohol as is, and then mix that final product with VG for better taste and palatability 🙂
Bruce
Greetings Emily!
Thank you for the well-crafted and detailed information you have provided here. This should truly make the process available and simple for many folks.
I have some experience making what you refer to as full-extract cannabis oil. I've had good success evaporating the alcohol using a magnetic stirring hotplate, and using avocado oil as a carrier. But, I do find the strong grassy taste of the finished product a little off-putting.
Adding a few drops of edible peppermint essential oil has helped a little. I'm wondering if you have used any such flavorings and if so, which ones have been most successful. I considered sweet orange, but I wanted to ask your opinion before trying that with my next batch.
Thank you again for your generous guidance!
Emily Kyle
Hey Bruce! Thanks so much for your kind words 🙂 I totally understand, the taste can definitely be overwhelming, I'm glad the peppermint essential oil helps a little. I think any food-safe essential oil would be worth trying to see if you can make the medicine more enjoyable!
lacie fussner
Thank you so much for this information. I am extremely excited to see if it turns out alright. If I can achieve this I will forever be making my own thc medicine.....thanks a mill
Emily Kyle
I hope it turns out well for you, Lacie! Keep me posted on how it goes.
Axel
Hey Emily, thanks for your recipe. I've used it as the base for my first FECO batch.
I'd like to ask you something. I've read many times that decarb would be unnecessary due to the molecules already decarbing in the reduction process of the tincture.
What's your take on that?
Emily Kyle
Hey Axel, thanks so much for your kind words. I've heard that too and it makes sense, but I don't have lab tests to know for sure, so I like to just play it safe and decarb upfront 🙂 Let us know if you try it the other way!
Jennifer
What mg of thc ends up in 1ml of the FECO? Or how would I figure it out based on what I used? Or just a general estimate works. I’m curious if I use 1 cup chocolate and 1 ml FECO and I make 10 chocolate squares, how much thc per square?
Emily Kyle
Hey Jennifer! That will depend on the % THC of your starting material and how much you used. If you know that, you can input the values into the edible dosage calculator. This will help answer those questions 🙂
Erica
I've been making this for a few months and am really excited to try these tips I didn't know before, thanks for the timely post!
Emily Kyle
You are so welcome, Erica!
Jessie
Hi Emily,
Thank you for your detailed explanation on making FECO.
Is there a way to determine if a finished product is FECO or RSO.
If you did not make it yourself and there is no labelling on the container would you be able to determine what the finished product is that you have?
While visiting overseas, i came across ‘FECO’ and now i am not sure what exactly it is…..
I am learning so much from you and i am enjoying it thoroughly. I have bought the courses you have to offer….Thank you!
Regards
Jessie
Emily Kyle
Hey Jessie, you are so welcome. Unfortunately, the only way to go to the source and ask them directly. I don't know another way to determine what was used to make it 🙁
And thank you so much for the kind words, I am so glad you're enjoying my online courses 😀
JD
Hi could I combine one of these methods with an infusion device like the Magical Butter Machine (I have the ella Bella).
Emily Kyle
Hey JD. You don't need a machine to help you with the tincture-making process; it really would just add an extra step and more clean up 🙂
Denise
This is the best article I've read on tincture and feco and especially what to do with the feco. Thank you!
Emily Kyle
Thank you so much, I am so glad you’ve found it helpful, Debbie 😁
Sean
Hi,
First off, thank you for your guide. I managed to extract quite a lot of thc/cbd from my AVB (Already vaped buds) which is great cause if not it would have been wasted.
Secondly, I come from a country where cannabis is illegal, and while ive switched to homegrown buds, I do have some leftover "brick" weed. I was wondering, if I used the extraction on this "brick" weed, are the pesticides that are almost definitely in the bud soluble in ethyl alcohol?
Thanks in advance.
Keep up the great work!
Emily Kyle
Hey Sean! I am so glad you were able to see success using the AVB 👏 You are most welcome. Unfortunatley, I do think that the alcohol has the possibility to bring any unwanted materials with it, but I am not 100% sure.
Heather
Hi, I was wondering how long can you keep the FECO (sealed in an airtight method or glass syringes) and have it stay good/potent? Do you know what it's "shelf life" is? Thanks.
Emily Kyle
Hello Heather. I do not know the exact shelf-life, but if you store it well, it could likely last up to a year or more. Keeping it in the freezer is just fine if you're planning for long-term storage 🙂
Dana
Can someone please tell me or show me the best way to get the FECO INTO THE SYRINGE
Emily Kyle
Hey Dana! If you find your FECO too thick to draw into the syringe, you may want to add a few drops of oil to help thin it out. This will make it more liquid and fluid and easier to get into the syringe. If you can't suck it up, you can also use a small spoon to pour it into the other end of the syringe before putting the plunger in. I hope this helps!
I also see you are already a member of my private Well With Cannabis Community, feel free to share this comment there as well to see if you get more responses from the other members 🙂
Jeff
I have made Green Dragon many times and now I want to turn it into FECO because I need something stronger for long-lasting pain relief.
I have a few questions:
1) Once FECO is made, how long does it last?
2) What’s the best way to store it?
3) I was thinking of mixing it with coconut oil and putting it into capsules. How long will the capsules last and how should they be stored? I’ll use the ones you recommend, so they won’t dissolve or anything, even if kept for awhile?
Thanks so much and thank you for this wonderful site and all the information you have to offer. I have learned so much from your articles and instructions.
P.S. I forgot one question. What about adding lecithin to the FECO and coconut oil before putting into caps? I keep reading that it helps keep things homogenous and also helps the body to process the FECO. How much lecithin would I use? Thanks!
Emily Kyle
Hey Jeff, it sounds like FECO is the way to go for you!
1. It should last quite a long time, several months if stored properly.
2. An airtight glass container or a syringe. Then in the refrigerator or other cook park place.
3. Here is my full guide to filling capsules!
4. It definite won't hurt to add the lecithin. Just a small amount is good, but it will depend on your total volume of FECO+coconut oil. Maybe 1/4-1/2 teaspoon?
Thanks for your kind words, I'm glad you are enjoying the site!
Jerry
Is there any THC left in plant matter after making golden dragon
Emily Kyle
Hello Jerry. If done correctly, there should be very few cannabinoids left. However, that doesn't mean nothing is left; so some people do save the leftover plant material to use in other recipes. Personal preference!
Viviam
Hi Emily!
I'm using the "Mike Show" method (adapted from Rick Simpson's) by washing the buds with grain alcohol (as you also recommended). I grind the buds in a mixer before washing them: shaking them with alcohol in a mason jar for 3 minutes, as Mike suggests. They suggest 2 washes for medicinal properties (like for cancer, in my husband's case). After that, we then cook it in a rice cooker.
My questions:
1- Do you think that not doing the decarboxylation process of the buds that you suggest BEFORE the alcohol evaporation would not have the same medicinal results, or the cooking process to evaporate the alcohol would do that decarboxylation?
2- Do you think that grinding the buds and "washing" them, like sharing them with alcohol in a jar for some minutes, would be as effective as leaving them soaking in alcohol for days?
Anyway, I just want your opinion on the others' processes considering the efficacy of the FECO and its medicinal properties. I really want to do it right and preserve the cannabinoids and terpenes - a matter of death or life, literally.
Thank you!!
Renée from Team EKN
Hi Viviam. These are great questions!
1. Without lab testing it is really hard to say what the correct decarboxylation process is, but I also want to say that Emily's recipes don't call for cooking the alcohol. I guess it would depend on the temperature and length of time the tincture is cooking to determine if it is being decarbed enough. Without heat, the THC won't activate so decarbing prior to making Emily's tinctures is essential.
2. Emily has lab results comparing the strength of both her Green Dragon and Golden Dragon tinctures. Soaking longer did make for a stronger tincture, but only so much. Here is the link for further details: https://emilykylenutrition.com/golden-dragon-vs-green-dragon-tincture/
Hope this information is helpful!
Donald Morrison
Hi, the only factual info regarding naphtha is the camp lantern with the “white “ mantle. It stays white because the gas burns clean, safe in a camp tent etc. When it’s gone, it’s just that, gone. It is a very good solvent, and I have , for years now, used 2 , three minutes wash time for a batch of chopped plant. When evaporated by a rice cooker, the remaining oil can be put in my oven to give some warm time to make any final evaporation complete. Thanks for putting this info out there.
Emily Kyle
Thanks for sharing your experience, Donald!
Mark
Hello and your website was passed along as a referral and glad it was!! We hope to fill vape carts with our extract. Should there be any change to the recipe and/or do we need to add anything to the extract(other than terps) before we load it into the empty cartridges? Thank you for your help and any response!
Renée from Team EKN
Hi Mark! Vaping (or smoking) FECO isn't recommended. The residual solvents are flammable, which could pose a risk.
Susan
Hello-
I came across two small jars of grain alcohol in which I had started to make a cannabis infusion--about 5 years ago.
Do you know if this is still good to proceed with? I am thinking the alcohol would be a preservative.
Your thoughts?
Renée from Team EKN
Hi Susan. What an interesting find! Cannabis loses roughly 50% of its potency after five years, so I'm sure there will be some sort of effectiveness remaining. The THC has most likely converted to CBN which will make for a sleepier experience. It's definitely worth sampling a small amount to know for sure! I hope this helps!