By Rafi at iBakeDenver

It's such a rewarding feat to create your own food products from cannabis, knowing that all of the ingredients are healthy, organic, and full of goodness. Homemade no bake edibles with cannabutter are such treats that involve paying attention to flavor, consistency, and patience. Oftentimes, as a beginner making your own weed butter, it helps to elicit advice from the online professionals, as they've been in the cooking trenches of these edibles for longer than you can imagine.

What is CannaButter?

To be clear, cannabutter is a combination of cannabis and butter and is commonly used in baked goods such as brownies or cookies. These cannabis edibles contain cannabinoids--THC and CBD--which allow you to feel a little of the psychoactive effects from the THC and gain the wellness benefits from the CBD. It's sort of like the best of both worlds.

Prior to making cannabutter, understand what effects you are trying to achieve with creating no-bake edibles. Since cannabis offers numerous health benefits and is becoming more accepted as a natural treatment for aches and pains, the popular choice of cannabutter is the next step as a smoke-free option for making edible cannabis products. This marijuana butter is versatile, improves the quality of your sleep, and manages nausea, pain, and vomiting.

How Do You Make CannaButter?

If you're searching for a cannabis recipe to properly dose it for your weed edibles, look no further than cannabutter. As the integral ingredient for all homemade marijuana edibles, the secret lies in how easy it is to make and to understand how much you are ingesting once the result of the product is complete. Take your time with the entire process; the last thing you need is to make any mistakes and absorb too much cannabis into your system when you hadn't planned on it.

Whipping up your own natural cannabutter relies on nine necessities:

1. 7 grams of cannabis flower
2. 1 cup of raw, organic butter
3. 1 cup of filtered spring water
4. A cannabis grinder - basically, an herb grinder with two halves
5. One large nonstick baking sheet
6. One medium stovetop pot
7. A thermometer to ensure proper cooking temperature
8. A swath of cheesecloth large enough to hold the final product
9. An airtight glass jar to preserve the cannabutter when it's ready

Then follow these simple steps:

Step One: Decarbing Your Cannabis Flowers

• First, grind your cannabis flower.
• Heat your oven to 230 to 245 degrees Fahrenheit
• Spread your ground cannabis on the nonstick baking sheet
• Bake for 30 minutes
• Try not to overbake, as you'll end up baking the cannabinoids right out of the final product.
• After the above has been completed--commonly referred to as ‘decarbing your weed’ --you're ready for the next step of steeping it all on the stovetop. Now, this is the most crucial part, so you don't want to miss a step and make a mistake, something we'll cover in a bit.

Step Two: Cooking Your Creation

• Melt the cup of water and cup of butter together
• Keep your burner on the lowest stovetop heat
• Add your decarbed weed and mix into the heated pot and cover with a lid
• Let simmer on low for a minimum of three hours

Step Three: Straining Your Butter (The finale!)

• Place one or two layers of cheesecloth over a jar and secure them with a rubber band wrapped around the mouth of the jar.
• Slowly pour the butter through the cheesecloth and into the jar
• Let it cool for 30 minutes at room temperature
• After it's cooled and solidified, pour the excess water out that has risen to the top of the jar.

Your cannabutter is now ready to be the primary ingredient in your no-bake edibles. Savor every bite of your creation and prepare yourself to enjoy the wellness benefits of cannabis.

What are the Top 3 Mistakes, and How Can You Avoid Them?

When cooking with cannabis--and despite cannabutter being the easiest to make for all beginners entering into the no-bake edible sphere--there are some mistakes that can be made along the way. We'll show you what they are and how to avoid them. 
As mentioned above in Step One, it's crucial to decarb your cannabis. Failure to do so will result in an awful tasting final product. You can't cook raw weed. Therefore decarbing is an essential step to take before you begin making your cannabutter. 

Secondly, over-grinding your cannabis to the point where the THC is less than what you originally had dosed out. Too much grinding and the taste becomes bitter, and your butter isn't a quality cannabutter, with all the goodness that cannabis provides.

And the third and final mistake, infusing the cannabutter without enough water, or any at all. While your final product may seem alright, it's a good idea to add the water as this keeps the temperature low and helps the butter from burning. There's nothing more terrible tasting than burnt cannabutter.

So you see, the key to a perfect cannabutter recipe for your brownies, cookies, or other no-bake edibles involves consistency. It takes a great deal of practice when you first start out and a few hiccups along the way as well, but don't get discouraged. Oftentimes, your initial batch of cannabutter may be either too potent or not potent enough, and once you taste it and feel the effects, you can alter the doses of cannabis on your next attempted go round.

In Conclusion

There's no denying that cannabutter, or marijuana butter, is the primary ingredient in making baked goods and edible candies. The results of your efforts will do wonders for your health in terms of inadequate sleep or relieving pain associated with cancer-related symptoms. To avoid overconsuming your cannabutter, simply follow the above recipe, change the dosage if needed to arrive at the proper outcome, be okay with making some mistakes along the way, and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

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In Colorado, cannabis is pretty easy to find these days. However, when you’re trying to be adventurous with your cannabis and make some homemade edibles and goodies, you don’t always have all the equipment you need for cooking. Have no fear, here’s how to strain cannabutter without cheesecloth.

What is Weed Butter?

Also known as marijuana butter or cannabutter, weed butter is a combination of cannabis and butter. Weed butter is most commonly used to make cannabis edibles. These include cannabis cookies and brownies.

Why is Straining Required?

Once it is infused, cannabutter needs to be strained. This is often done by slowly and carefully allowing the product to seep through cheesecloth. This method allows only the oil to get through the filter.

You don’t have to strain your cannabutter. You can take the plant bits out of the cannabutter using a slotted spoon. However, you will have to be content with plant pieces floating around in your weed butter.

Straining is required to ensure that the product with which you are going to bake doesn’t contain excess plant materials.

Problems with Using Cheesecloth for Straining

Cheesecloth is gauze-like, woven cotton cloth. It was originally used to create and wrap cheese. Hence, its name. Cheesecloth is costly and can be used only once.

Cheesecloth is tricky to cut. It is also messy and time-consuming to use as a strainer. If you squeeze the cheesecloth to hurry the process, you can end up with plant materials in the cannabutter.

A final disadvantage is that most households don’t have cheesecloth on hand. It is not always easy to find. You can buy cheesecloth at a kitchen supply store or a fabric store by the yard but you need to cut it to the size you need for your strainer.

Alternatives to Straining with Cheesecloth

1. Try Muslin

Select 100% cotton, unbleached, lightweight muslin. The cheaper the quality of the muslin the better it is for straining. You want a loose weave. This will provide a strainer that is tighter than cheesecloth and much cheaper. Muslin is also easier to find and to cut than cheesecloth.

Place the muslin over the mouth of a bowl, a cup, or a measuring cup. Secure with a device like an elastic band or clips. Place the cannabis leaves or buds in the muslin. Pour hot butter over the cannabis and allow it to strain into the receptacle below.

1. Consider Found Materials

You don’t have to go out and purchase cheesecloth or muslin. Look around you. Straining materials are there. How about using a pillowcase, a tea towel, a bandana, or a scrap of fabric from your craft basket?

Stretch the material over the mouth of a bowl. Hold in place with an elastic band or clips around the rim. Put the cannabis in the material and pour hot butter over the material. Allow to strain. 

When done, discard the cannabis. The fabric can be washed and reused.

1. Create an Herb Bag

Use found material to create a pouch. Place the cannabis materials inside and sew closed. Place this bag in a bowl of warmed butter. Allow the cannabis to infuse the butter, stirring from time to time. 

When the butter is infused to your liking, take the bag out and discard it. You can make several of these bags while you have your sewing machine out. Store in a closed, dry container until they are needed.

1. Coffee Filters Work

You have them on hand. Coffee filters make good strainers for cannabutter because they are already set up to be used to filter materials and infuse the liquid. 

First, run hot water through the filter to remove the paper taste. Place the filter in a mug, a bowl, or a dish. Put the cannabis buds or leaves in the filter. Then, pour heated butter in a circular motion over the cannabis and allow the mixture to brew.

Once the butter is infused, remove the filter with the cannabis inside and discard it. You’re left with delicious cannabutter for cooking.

1. Cloth Table Napkins are Versatile

Those cotton table napkins or cloth diapers can also serve as filters. Stretch the material over the mouth of a bowl. Hold in place with an elastic band or clips around the rim. Put the cannabis in the material and pour hot butter over the material. Allow to strain. 

When done, discard the cannabis. The fabric can be washed and reused.

1. Look for a Fine Mesh Bag

Fine mesh bags can be purchased in a hardware store. Mesh bags are worth the price because they are easy to clean and can be reused.

Put the cannabis in the mesh bag. Pour hot butter over the bag. Allow to strain. 

When done, discard the cannabis. The mesh bag can be washed and reused.

1. Select a Fine Wire Sieve

A wire sieve is easy to clean. It can be used several times. Be sure to choose a sieve that catches the plant materials. Because it is reusable, a wire sieve is an inexpensive strainer. Moreover, it is easy to use and not messy.

1. Repurpose Pantyhose

Stockings or pantyhose are a good substitute for cheesecloth. Simply stretch a clean pair of pantyhose or tights or a nylon stocking over the mouth of a large mixing bowl. When you have finished straining the cannabutter, toss the pantyhose in the washing machine and reuse it.

1. Use the Two-Cup Method

Originally used to brew tea, this also works for cannabutter. Place cannabis in a cup. Pour hot butter over top. Stir until the butter is fully infused. Then pour the mixture into a strainer over a second cup. Discard the plant pieces remaining in the sieve.

If you don’t have a strainer, you can pour the mixture in the first cup into the second cup using a slotted spoon to catch the plant pieces.

If you don’t have a slotted spoon, use a fork to hold back the plant material as you pour the infused butter from the first cup into the second one.

1.  Create a Tin Foil Infuser

Cut out a square of tin foil large enough to cover the surface of a cup. 

Fold the square twice so you have a small square. Use a sharp paring knife to make holes in the closed corner.

Fold out a pocket and place it in the cup. Put in the cannabis material. Pour in hot butter. Allow mixture to brew, stirring occasionally. When the butter is infused, remove the tin foil infuser with the plant material and discard it.

** Don’t Use a Paper Towel

People often make the mistake of assuming a paper towel will work as effectively as a filter when they are considering how to strain cannabutter without cheesecloth.

Avoid using paper towels as strainers. Paper towel production uses bleaches and other chemicals. When you strain the butter through a paper towel, it leaches these chemicals into the cannabutter. 

And that's how to strain cannabutter without cheesecloth.

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What is Cannabutter?

Often referred to as marijuana butter or weed butter, cannabutter is used to create cannabis edibles like brownies and cookies.

Creating your own cannabis-infused edibles at home can be messy and time-consuming. If you wish to enjoy cannabis treats without the work, browse the great deals on prepared edibles.

How is Cannabutter Made?

Many sites like Healthyish.com and Bonappetite.com offer step-by-step instructions to novice cannabis cooks to create cannabutter.

Cannabutter Proportions

As you become more experienced, you can experiment with how much weed and butter to use. For beginners, a good starting point is four sticks (one pound) of butter for every ounce of marijuana. Try a half-ounce of weed and two sticks of butter. 

There are various ways to strain the product. A simple guide suggests creating cannabutter by following these steps:

1. Decarboxylation

Also known as decarbing, drying, or desiccating, this step involves baking or dehydrating the weed. The process activates THC, CBC, and other cannabinoids. When this step is completed, the lipids in the butter can bind with the weed.

For proper decarboxylation:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. 

• Take a half-ounce of weed and grind gently with a hand grinder or snip with scissors. 

• The finished product should be just fine enough for making a joint.

• Spread plant material on a glass baking dish. Place the dish on the center oven rack.

• If the weed is old or of lower quality, bake for twenty minutes. If it is a higher quality weed or cured weed, bake for forty-five minutes.

• Stir gently every ten minutes to prevent burning.

• The marijuana should change from bright to deep brownish-green.

If you want to streamline the process of making cannabutter, you can buy plant materials ready for infusion. Check out our cannabis products or already vaped material deals.

1. How to Make Cannabutter with a Coffee Maker

The next step involves infusing the butter with marijuana. A common technique uses a large pot containing marijuana, water, and melted butter. Put this on the stove on medium heat for ten minutes or so. Then, the plant material has to be separated from the water and melted butter.

Unfortunately, the straining process often results in spatters, filter accidents, and singed fingers while trying to get the emulsion through the strainer material.

Also, sadly, the precious cannabutter can get stuck in the cheesecloth or other filter material while it cools and solidifies. This wastes valuable cannabutter. 

These disappointing experiences often cause would-be cannabutter makers to abandon the project and simply buy their edibles.

A tidier, safer alternative is the coffee maker. You can use a regular coffee maker. Place the plant material in the coffee filter. Pour the butter/water mixture through the top and wait for the liquid to pass through the coffee-making process and into a Pyrex measuring cup below.

However, an espresso pot or a Mota Pot is more effective.

Follow these steps to use a simple espresso machine or a Mota Pot to create quality cannabutter without the muss and fuss of those kitchen accidents.

• First, unscrew the top of your espresso pot.

• Remove the middle chamber.

• Place a stick of diced butter in the bottom chamber.

• Fill the bottom chamber halfway or a little more with water.

• Weigh out decarbed weed you’ve dried yourself or try a $50 ounce of “shake.” 

• Place this in the middle filter chamber where coffee grounds would be placed.

• Screw the top of the espresso pot back on.

• Place the espresso pot on medium heat on the stove for at least ten minutes or more.

• Don’t use higher heat. You will burn the butter.

• Listen for the burping sound as the butter/water passes up through the weed in the middle chamber.

• It will bubble into the top chamber. Make sure all the juice has spurted into the upper chamber. 

• Pour this liquid into a Pyrex measuring cup.

• Place in the fridge to cool. This will allow the butter and water to separate. This will take approximately an hour.

• Use a butter knife to poke the edges so you can pry the solidified butter out of the measuring cup.

Using a Mota Pot is much the same process as with an espresso pot. Simply place the Mota Pot on the stove on medium heat with a stick of butter and a cup of water in the bottom. The water in the lower section heats and turns to steam. The hot steam forces the melted butter up through the filter containing the herb, infusing the butter with the THC.

The hot liquid is then poured into a Pyrex dish and cooled in the same manner used in the coffee maker or the espresso coffee maker. Click here for a step-by-step Mota Pot demonstration.

Why Strain Cannabutter? 

There is no rule that you must strain cannabutter. You can scoop the plant remains from the butter/water mixture using a fork, a slotted spoon, cheesecloth, or a metal sieve. Depending on the edible, some plant material may not detract from the weed butter. 

Using the coffee maker or Mota Pot method, the filter area of your coffee maker, espresso maker, or Mota Pot builds in this straining method.

How to Use Weed Butter

You can add weed butter to many recipes. You are limited only by your imagination. Use the cannabutter as part of the butter or oil specified by the recipe. For example, you can use a tablespoon of cannabutter and three tablespoons of non-weed oil or butter.

Follow these steps to make a good cannabis vinaigrette salad dressing. 

Fix nutritious soups by spiking the liquid with two tablespoons of cannabutter or canna-infused sesame oil.

Try these cannabis-infused Citrus Caramel Blondies. 

Are you in the mood for homemade hot-from-the-oven marijuana cookies? Try this simple recipe.

My favorites are still chocolate cannabis brownies. 

If you have decided you’d rather buy your edibles already prepared, indulge in Chaos Crispies or get a great deal on ANY “N-fuzed” gummies.

For other ways to make cannabutter, visit our blog!

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