In this guide, you will learn more about how you can use just plain, decarbed cannabis in your edibles - without the need for lengthy infusions or extractions - to make quick and easy, delicious edibles at home.
Features
- Just 1 simple ingredient is needed.
- No infusing required! Just decarb, incorporate into a recipe and enjoy.
- Perfect for those who want to enjoy their cannabis immediately.
- Offers the whole-plant benefits of cannabis.
- Stores well in the freezer, so it can be made in advance.
- Dietary Features: decarbed cannabis is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free.
What Is Awesome About This Method
I was recently asked this question by Audrey, a member of my Well With Cannabis Community. She says:
Ok, so is it really true? Can I decarb about 3 grams of flower and just eat it??? I don’t have to infuse oil or butter? I’m all ears!!
Audrey from the Well With Cannabis Community
And my answer was: "YES! if you like the taste and texture, you can absolutely just eat decarbed cannabis. Just remember to eat it with a meal or another fat source of maximum bioavailability."
While I am sure you are used to infusing your flower into butter and oils or extracting it with an alcohol tincture, you really can eat just straight cannabis flower.
But, there are a few things to know before getting started!
In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about making edibles with decarbed cannabis, including the decarb process, the importance of pairing with fat, and some tasty recipes to try.
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Taste and Texture
Before adding decarbed cannabis to your cannabis edibles, it's important to note that you will be dealing with the taste and texture of cannabis.
I know that seems like an obvious no-brainer, but many people do not like the taste of cannabis.
If that is you, you will be better off skipping this method and looking towards an infusion or extraction option.
After all, that is the purpose of infusing and extracting - to separate the medicinal cannabinoids in the trichomes from the plant material.
But if you don't mind the taste of cannabis and are looking for a quicker and easier way to make edibles, adding decarbed flowers to your edibles may be the perfect solution for you.
As for texture, I recommend you grind your cannabis flowers as small as possible for the best possible outcome; a coffee grinder works great for this.
This essentially creates a fine cannabis powder that can be added to just about any recipe, similar to how we use onion powder or ground oregano when cooking.
Just remember not to confuse this cannabis powder with cannabis oil powder.
Decarboxylate First
If you are not familiar with the process of decarboxylation, you should read my beginner's guide to cannabis decarboxylation first.
This simple process of baking cannabis flowers in the oven helps convert cannabinoid acids to their active forms.
In simple terms, if you want the 'high' of THC, you will want to decarb your cannabis flower first.
Of course, THC is not the only cannabinoid that needs to be activated, you can also decarb CBD flower, CBG flower, and even decarb for CBN.
If you're new to these cannabinoids and want to experiment, you can purchase CBD flowers and CBG flowers from my shop.
If you just need a quick and easy reference for times and temperatures, here is my simple decarb chart here for you, depending on which cannabinoid you're working with:
- The most common recommendation for decarboxylating THCA to THC is to bake the flower at 240° F for 40 minutes.
- The most common recommendation for decarboxylating CBDA to CBD is to bake the flower at 240°F for 90 minutes.
- The most common recommendation for decarboxylating CBGA to CBG is to bake the flower at 220°F for 60 minutes.
- The most common recommendation for degrading THC to CBN is to bake the flower at 240°F for 180 minutes.
Pair With A Fat
To get the best results possible from adding decarbed flowers to your edibles, I recommend pairing eating it with some form of fat.
According to a scientific study published in the American Journal of Translational Research, when paired with a fat source, the absorption of cannabinoids is enhanced: THC and CBD by 2.5-fold and 3-fold, respectively, compared to fat-free formulations (1).
This means that adding a fat source to your cannabis edibles may make them up to 2.5-3 times more potent than choosing to skip a fat source.
Now the fat source doesn't have to be anything fancy; it can be as simple as consuming your decarbed flower with a meal.
If that meal contains fat in it, you're good to go.
Or you can add the decarbed flower to a recipe that already has fat in it, like these simple cannabis chocolates.
You can get as simple or as fancy as you want with your fat source.
Just be sure to avoid eating decarbed cannabis alone on an empty stomach; some people have reported mild stomach discomfort when doing so.
Step-By-Step Process With Photos
- Step 1 - Decarboxylate your cannabis according to the time and temperature requirements for your cannabinoid of choice.
- Step 2 - Place the decarbed flower into a grinder.
- Step 3 - Grind until a fine, powdery consistency is achieved.
- Step 4 - Add your cannabis powder to your favorite edible or store for future use.
Note: complete step-by-step printable instructions are located in the recipe card below.
Recipes To Use Your Decarbed Flower In
From sweet to savory, there are so many ways to use decarbed flower in your favorite cannabis edible recipes.
One of the most popular ways is simply adding the decarbed flower to a batch of brownies or making a simple firecracker.
And if you want to skip the recipe altogether, check out my guide on filling cannabis capsules with flowers to make medicating easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this process is very similar to using already vaped bud (AVB) in edibles, but this method is more potent.
Yes, of course! Just keep in mind that trim, leaves, or shake tend to be less potent and contain more plant material, so you may need to use more for a higher dosage. You will also need to decarb the trim, leaves, and shake as normal.
Yes, of course! Just keep in mind that kief tends to be more potent and contain less plant material, so you may need to use less for a higher dosage. This is ideal for taste and texture. You will need to decarb kief according to these directions.
It's hard to say how eating decarbed cannabis will make you feel, as cannabis affects us all differently. However, this is some potency loss associated with infusions and extractions. Knowing this, it is safe to assume that eating straight decarbed cannabis may be a more intoxicating experience for some.
It should be fairly simple to determine the dosage if you know the % levels of THC or other cannabinoids you are using. To do the math, you can use my edibles dosage calculator below, and just select 'No Solvent Used' when asked about the oil or alcohol used.
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!
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How To Prepare Decarbed Cannabis For Edibles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 grams cannabis flower of choice
Instructions
- Decarb your cannabis flower according to the time and temperature recommendations for your specific cannabinoid. Find recommendations in the notes section below.
- After the decarb process is complete, add the decarbed flower to a grinder. It can be a traditional cannabis grinder, or what I recommend, a coffee grinder, for a super fine consistency.
- You are now left with a fine cannabis powder. Either add this powder directly to your edible recipe of choice, or store it for future use.
- To store for future use, add the ground, decarbed flower to an airtight container, like a mason jar, with a tight-fitting lid.
- This can be stored for several weeks or even months. For long-term storage and to preserve the potency of the flower, store it in the freezer.
Notes
- The most common recommendation for decarboxylating THCA to THC is to bake the flower at 240° F for 40 minutes.
- The most common recommendation for decarboxylating CBDA to CBD is to bake the flower at 240°F for 90 minutes.
- The most common recommendation for decarboxylating CBGA to CBG is to bake the flower at 220°F for 60 minutes.
- The most common recommendation for degrading THC to CBN is to bake the flower at 240°F for 180 minutes.