Classic Cannabutter
The foundational infused butter every recipe here builds on. Make once, dose everything.
About this recipe
Cannabutter is the base most cannabis cooking starts from: decarboxylated flower held in melted butter at a low heat for a few hours, then strained. The water in the pan stops the butter from scorching and carries away some of the green taste.
The key is temperature. Keep it at a bare simmer and never let it boil, because too much heat damages THC and flavour. Strain through cheesecloth without squeezing hard, then chill: the butter sets on top and the water stays below.
With this recipe each of the 16 portions holds about 63 mg THC. That is far more than one person should eat at once, so use the dosing calculator to work out how much butter goes into each dish.
- Total time: 190 min
- Servings: 16
- Difficulty: easy
- ~63 mg THC per serving
Ingredients
- 7 g Cannabis flower, decarboxylated
- 250 g Unsalted butter
- 250 ml Water
Method
- Decarboxylate the flower on a lined tray at 110C for 40 minutes, then coarsely grind.
- Melt butter with the water in a saucepan over the lowest heat.
- Stir in the ground flower and hold at a bare simmer for 2-3 hours, never boiling.
- Strain through cheesecloth into a jar; press gently. Discard plant matter.
- Chill until set; lift the butter off the water. Portion using the dosing calculator.
Questions
How long does cannabutter keep?
About two weeks in the fridge and up to six months in the freezer, wrapped well and clearly labelled.
Do I need to decarboxylate the flower first?
Yes. Raw flower contains THCA, which does not get you high. A short bake at about 110 °C turns it into THC. See the decarboxylation recipe.
How much cannabutter should I use in a recipe?
It depends on your flower and on the dish. Aim for 2.5 to 5 mg THC per serving to start and let the dosing calculator turn that into grams of butter.