Instead of throwing out that leftover cannabis flower pulp from making cannabutter or infused oil, learn how to store it and save it to use it in one of these delicious recipe ideas using leftover cannabis pulp.
What Is Leftover Cannabis Pulp?
I recently received a question over in my Well With Cannabis Facebook Community from a reader who said:
“You’ve got the best cannabis cookie recipe and the easiest way to infuse coconut oil! Is there anything I can do with the leftover pulp?”
The quick answer: YES! Don’t throw out that pulp!
Leftover cannabis pulp, also called sludge, is the cannabis flower material that is leftover after making an infusion.
When making either cannabutter, cannabis-coconut oil, cannabis-olive oil, and even a cannabis tincture, there is leftover plant material from the straining process.
If you were making an oil infusion, you could simply pour hot water over the leftover pulp, let the oil and water separate and cool, and reclaim the remaining solid fat or oil and discard the water.
Or you could try one of these awesome tried and true ways to use up leftover cannabis pulp below!
Please join my Well With Cannabis Facebook Community if you have any questions about cooking with cannabis, how to make this recipe specifically, or anything else you can think of that is cannabis related!
Is There Anything Good Left?
Some folks argue that the spent cannabis flower is ‘garbage’ after the extraction process.
Many counter-argue that the leftover weed material is full of beneficial nutrients, compounds, and even a few terpenes and cannabinoids.
As a Holistic Cannabis Practitioner and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I am inclined to value all parts of the plant, especially for a full-spectrum experience.
Chances are, there is some good stuff (ie. CBD or THC) stuck in the leftover plant material, making it worth saving and enjoying.
Anecdotally, many members of my Well With Cannabis Facebook Community, report that they find it beneficial to save the leftover pulp and use it in some way.
As long as you like the taste and enjoy it, it’s great to reuse and recycle cannabis plant byproducts wherever possible.
How to Store Leftover Cannabis Pulp
After the infusion and straining process, you will be left with a ball of plant material leftover in your filter, cheesecloth, or strainer.
If you don’t plan to use it right away, there are many different ways you can store it including refrigerate it, freeze it, or dry it out.
Just remember to keep in mind what you may want to use it for, and store accordingly!
Store in the Refrigerator
If you plan on using it within the week, you can store the leftover pulp in an airtight container in the fridge.
Keep in mind that if you store it in the refrigerator for longer than a week, you run the chance of it molding or spoiling!
Store in the Freezer
If you want to store your leftover cannabis pulp for longer than a week, simply store it in the freezer.
Freezing does not dilute or destroy any remaining potency, and if anything, helps to retain it.
Leftover pulp can be stored in the freezer for a long time, months even.
From personal experience, I do recommend storing it in 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup portions so it’s easier to pull from the freezer and use it when you want.
If you freeze it in one big block, you will have to thaw it all out at once together too.
Just remember when thawing to never thaw it out in the microwave, as the microwave can destroy the potency of any remaining cannabinoids.
Dry to Store
If you’ve made a cannabis alcohol tincture, it is easy to leave the leftover cannabis pulp out to dry in order to evaporate off any remaining alcohol.
Simply spread the leftover pulp out on a large surface – like a lined baking sheet or large pan.
Leave uncovered and allow to air dry for a few days, stirring frequently. Feel the material to see how moist or dry it is.
Once it is completely dried, you can store it in an airtight container.
Members of my Well With Cannabis Facebook Community have reported putting this dried out material in teabags, capsules, and more.
How Much Pulp Should I Use?
If you’re brand new to cannabis edibles or making cannabis-infused recipes, it’s important to note that it can oftentimes be difficult to estimate your final product potency.
It will be even more difficult here to estimate the potency because many of the cannabinoids will have already been extracted during the cooking process.
Ultimately, the potency of your leftover weed material will depend on two things, the potency of your starting material (i.e. buds, flowers, or trim, regular vs CBD flower), and the cooking process you have already used.
For these recipes featuring cannabis pulp, it is recommended to start low and go slow.
We recommend starting with just a 1/4 cup of leftover flower pulp addition and going from there.
This will give you time to experiment with not only the potency but the taste too, as the spent cannabis flower can have a very strong taste to some individuals.
Recipe Ideas To Use Up Leftover Cannabis Pulp
Recipe Ideas Using Leftover Cannabis Pulp
Don't throw out that leftover cannabis flower pulp from making cannabutter or infused oil - save it to use in one of these delicious recipe ideas using leftover cannabis pulp.
Cannabis Golden Milk is a creamy, delicious warm beverage made with anti-inflammatory superfoods like turmeric and cannabis.
Traditionally made with infused coconut oil, you can simply pack a tea ball with your leftover cannabis leaves in oil or butter and steep them directly into this delicious healing beverage.
It's easy to make a delicious cannabis-infused vinaigrette with fresh strawberries, avocado oil, and your leftover cannabis pulp. For this recipe, we recommend adding just a small amount, around 1 tablespoon, to the entire batch. The vinegar in the recipe will act as a solvent to help remove the remaining cannabinoids from the plant.
From there, you can choose to pair your vinaigrette with our deliciously creamy strawberry burrata salad or your own personal favorite!
Spice up your Taco Tuesday with this tasty infused salad made using leftover cannabis pulp. The leftover pulp mixes well into an already made salsa or your own personal favorite recipe.
For a delicious medicated salsa we recommend mixing 1/4 cup leftover cannabis pulp per 1 cup of salsa. Paired with your favorite tortilla chips, you'll have to be careful not to eat too much 😉
Just like with your medicated salsa, you can spice up your Taco Tuesday with this tasty infused guacamole made using leftover cannabis pulp. The leftover pulp mixes well into an already made guac or your own personal favorite recipe.
For a delicious infused guacamole we recommend mixing 1/4 cup leftover cannabis pulp per 1 cup of guac. Paired with your favorite tortilla chips and maybe even some medicated salsa!
Use up all of your homegrown cannabis, basil, and parsley with this easy-to-make savory cannabis pesto that can be enjoyed as a dip, on meat, served over vegetables, swirled into pasta, used as a spread on sandwiches and so much more.
The leftover cannabis pulp will not be nearly as strong as your infusion would be, so you can use your discretion as to how much you want to use. It will depend on how much you have, how strong the flower you started with was, and your desired end experience.
What better way to use up those spent cannabis flowers leftover from making cannabutter than to make a delicious medicated garlic bread? It is likely that your cannabis flowers are already saturated with remaining butter from your straining process, which makes them perfect for this recipe.
You can either use your already made cannabutter here or simply mix 1 tablespoon of plant matter with 2 tablespoons of softened butter and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic to taste. Mix well and apply to your bread of choice. Bake or broil until toasted and enjoy!
Spaghetti sauce is a great place to add in that leftover cannabis pulp. It already herbaceous and the flavor and texture of the pulp blends well with the traditional Italian herbs used to make spaghetti sauce.
We recommend adding in 1/4 cup leftover cannabis pulp to an entire batch of either homemade sauce or your favorite storebought sauce just before serving.
Who says cannabis-infused recipes can't be deliciously savory? This delicious Medicated Chili made with leftover cannabis pulp will make this hearty wintertime everyone's new favorite.
For this recipe, you can either add in 1/2 cup of spent cannabis flower to the entire batch, stir in and simmer just before serving, or you can stir in a teaspoon at a time to each individual bowl to individualize the dosages.
