Make Your Own Cannabutter: Using a Crock Pot

I hope I’m not the only one out there that enjoys a good edible. From the seasoned smoker to the curious first-timer, a good “loaded” treat really can bring a great high without the inconvenience of actually smoking. It’s good for a variety of reasons: the lack of smoke makes your “session” undetectable, it is probably a nice break for your lungs, and a cookie or brownie can be much tastier then even the best bud around (unless you suck at baking). The good news for fans of edibles is that it is very easy to make your own cannabutter.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in a state with medical marijuana, then you probably already know that many dispensaries carry a wide variety of great edibles. Much like the comparison between eating out every night and cooking for yourself, however, it can really start to add up if you rely only on dispensaries for your loaded treats. That’s why I usually make my own cannabutter at home.

There are many different ways to make your own cannabutter, and everyone has their favorite. My method is extremely simple, and I’d like to share it with the readers of Weedist today.

Here’s what you will need: 

1. A crock pot (any size and kind will do.)

2. A single stick of butter

3. Some bud, perferably shake if you can get your hands on it. Many dispensaries (at least in Colorado) will sell shake, or you can just grind up whatever you have. Make sure to grind up any large flowers. It doesn’t have to be perfect since you won’t be smoking this, but there shouldn’t be any large nugs going into the pot. A grinder is most definitely recommened, but anything will do just as long as it is decently ground up.

The actually amount you should use depends on how strong you want your treats to be. I usually like to use one 1/8 ounce of weed to one stick of butter. Using this ratio will ensure that you have a good amount in the final product — using too little will make an entire batch weak.

The easy steps: 

1. Put the stick of butter into the pot with your ground bud.

2. Set on LOW for 10-12 hours

(Those in a hurry can use the high setting for less time. It’s worth experimenting with this if you’re impatient, but keep in mind that you don’t want to get it too hot and scorch the THC out of the leaves.)

3. Stir every few hours to make sure that nothing burns.

You want your bud to turn dark brown, but not 100% black. The butter in the pot should resemble something close to light fryer oil: a dark brown/ dark green color. A totally black final product probably means the THC was too hot and may have evaporated in the crock pot, so make sure to watch it and stir every few hours or so.

Once completed, just strain the leaves out and you’re ready to start baking whatever it is you feel like. The butter can be stored in a refrigerator, and as long as you keep it covered and the temperature in your fridge doesn’t get too extreme, the butter won’t lose any potency.

Yes, it really can be that easy.

There are obviously many different methods for making your own cannabutter. This crock pot method’s big draw is that it is extremely simple: very few steps, not much preparation, and all you really have to do once the butter is cooking is check on it and stir. Slow cooking on a low setting will ensure that all of the THC gets absorbed into the fat in butter, without the risk of burning it off at a higher temperature. If you’ve ever cooked anything, you can imagine how hot a pot can get when put on a high setting, and this is why I prefer the slow cooking method. It’s easier to monitor the progress of butter, and although it does take a longer amount of time then some other methods, it’s much easier to ensure that you’ll get the end result you need.

What’s you’re favorite method for making cannabutter? Does anybody out there have any other tips to share?