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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Ew, weed stems...those small (or sometimes rather large) sticks at the end of the cannabis flower.

Sometimes when you buy cannabis flowers or buds from a dispensary or online at a cannabis provider like CannaSaver.com, there may be extensive stem—depending on the quality of the product. 

Weed stems contain little to no THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Why Are Weed Stems Not Used? 

Because they contain little THC, weed stems have often been discarded as worthless. However, these parts of the cannabis plant can be used for several products.

Why Not Smoke Weed Stems?

Although it may be tempting to use every bit of the cannabis you’ve paid for or grown, avoid smoking weed stems.

Low in THC, weed stems will not get you high. 

There are also negative side effects. Healthline.com outlines some of them.

• Smoke inhalation damages your lungs.

• Toxins and carcinogens are released through smoking. These can cause cancer.

• Breathing toxins can also increase the risk of heart disease.

• Smoking stems can cause severe headaches.

• Stem smoking may result in a sore throat.

• Smoking stems may trigger uncontrollable and/or persistent coughing.

• The smoke from stems is not pleasant. It tastes like charred wood chips.

• Some stem smokers reported uncomfortable gas.

Uses of Weed Stems

Even though smoking weed stems is not recommended, there are some products that can be made using the stems.

"CannaTea"

Thrillist.com (https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/how-to-make-cannabis-tea-recipe) provides a recipe for making weed stem tea.

Grind a gram of weed stems

Add:

• A tablespoon of unsalted butter or coconut oil

• Teabag in the flavor of your choice 

• Four cups of water

• Flavor ingredients like honey, lemon, mint, milk, sugar, or cinnamon

• Cheesecloth, coffee filter, or a fine strainer

Boil water in a medium-sized pot. Add butter or coconut oil to boiling water. Allow to dissolve completely. 

Add ground cannabis. Turn the temperature to simmer.

Simmer for fifteen minutes. 

Use a cheesecloth or coffee filter to strain the mixture into an empty teapot. 

Add the teabag and extras. Steep for three minutes.

Remove the teabag. Stir well. Pour and enjoy.

Decarboxylation

Decarboxylation is the removal of the carboxyl group from cannabis stems. The process toasts the stems converting THC into a psychoactive form called Delta 9-THC. This increases the consistency and the potency of the weed. The heat acts as a catalyst. You can use your oven.

• Pre-heat oven to 215° F.

• Put weed stems on a cookie sheet.

• Toast for 15 minutes.

• Raise oven setting to 240° F.

• Toast for 45 minutes more.

• Remove from oven.

• Cool.

• Fine grind toasted stems.

• Use immediately or store in a light-tight/air-tight container.

Kief

Break off weed stems. Place in Ziploc plastic bags. Put bags in the freezer. Let sit.  Add additional stems as they become available. Give the bag a thorough shake each time you add stems. A pile will build at the bottom of the bag. The frozen resin crystals will detach from the stems. Sift the stems out of the residue and discard them. What’s left at the bottom of the bag is kief. You can smoke this or you can cook with it.

Hash

Separating the trichomes from the cannabis plant produces hashish. Trichomes are hair-like structures on the surface of the buds. Hash can also be made from kief.

RoyalQueenSeeds.com provides a step-by-step guide to creating hash.

Using solvents like butane, propane, or CO₂ extract the cannabinoids and terpenes from the trichomes or kief.

Before using, it is vital to purge the solvent. Whip it into a wax form, over a hot plate, or use a vacuum desiccation chamber. Be careful. The substance is highly flammable!

The Shoe Method is much safer.

Start with five grams of kief. You will also need a small piece of tape, parchment paper, and a pin.

• Wrap kief tightly in parchment paper. Tape closed.

• With the pin, punch a small hole through the package. This lets trapped air out. 

• Place package inside the heel of a hard-soled, closed-toed shoe. 

• As you walk, your weight will press the hash into a slab. This takes between fifteen and sixty minutes.

Cannabutter

As the name suggests, cannabutter is a product created by infusing butter with cannabis.

HerbieHeadshop.com offers this cannabutter recipe using weed stems. Have a coffee maker? That can work, too!

Preheat oven to 200 F. Grind stems. Lay ground-up stems on a cookie sheet. Bake for 40 minutes.

Melt butter at medium temperature. Add ten ounces of water and simmer. Add ground, toasted stems. Soak for three or four hours stirring every fifteen minutes. Add a half cup of water every hour. 

Set cheesecloth or a coffee filter over a heatproof container. Secure with string or elastic. Pour liquid slowly through the strainer. Bundle the edges of the strainer and squeeze tightly to extract all the cannabutter.

Place the container in the fridge. Let set. Collect the butter. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

There are many ways to use cannabutter in the kitchen. This is an easy recipe from Emily Kyle. You can use kief or weed stems to create cannabutter.

This cannabutter won’t be as potent as cannabutter made from bud or leaf. But, cannabutter made from stems is less likely to cause an overdose.

When it comes to making edibles with cannabutter, you are limited only by your imagination. 

Infused Liquor

Start with a bottle of strong clear vodka. For every ounce of liquid, grind one and a half grams of stems. Place the stems or kief in the bottle and leave it in a dark room for three weeks. Stir contents occasionally.

Strain the stems from the liquid. Serve the infused liquor as you would regular vodka. Blend with your favorite mix or fruit juice. This makes an awesome bloody mary, martini, or margarita.
 

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