Cooking With Cannabis

Tag: Decarboxylation

  • Blanching Cannabis Before Decarboxylation: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Blanching Cannabis Before Decarboxylation: A Step-by-Step Guide

    When it comes to cooking with cannabis, achieving the perfect balance of potency and flavour can elevate your culinary creations. One often-overlooked technique that can enhance both is blanching cannabis before decarboxylation. Popularized by Jeff the 420 Chef, this method removes impurities and some of the plant’s bitter taste, making it a preferred choice for those who value a cleaner flavour profile.
    In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of blanching cannabis, provide a step-by-step overview of the process, and explain how it integrates seamlessly into decarboxylation to prepare your cannabis for edibles.


    Why Blanch Cannabis?
    Blanching is a technique that briefly submerges cannabis in boiling water, followed by immediate cooling in an ice bath. This process is widely used in vegetable preparation to preserve colour, texture and nutrients, but its application in cannabis has an additional purpose.
    When cannabis is blanched, the water helps remove chlorophyll, excess plant material, and impurities that contribute to its harsh taste and aroma. By doing so, the resulting cannabis butter or oil carries a milder flavour, allowing the intended ingredients of your recipe to shine without being overpowered by the earthy, grassy notes of unprocessed cannabis.
    Moreover, blanching can help reduce some of the undesirable compounds in cannabis, such as pesticides or residual solvents that may be present in poorly processed plant material. While it’s not a substitute for sourcing high-quality cannabis, blanching offers an added layer of purification.


    The Jeff the 420 Chef Approach
    Jeff the 420 Chef is a pioneer in the art of crafting gourmet cannabis-infused edibles. His unique approach to blanching cannabis has gained popularity among home cooks and cannabis enthusiasts alike. By incorporating blanching into his process, Jeff ensures that his infusions are not only potent but also palatable and accessible to a broader audience.
    Here’s a simplified version of his procedure:


    Boil water: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Ensure the pot is large enough to allow the cannabis to move freely without overcrowding.

    Prepare the ice bath: Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. This will be used to stop the cooking process immediately after blanching.

    Blanch the cannabis: Add your cannabis to the boiling water. Use a slotted spoon or mesh strainer to ensure easy handling. Allow the cannabis to blanch for about 5 minutes.

    Shock the cannabis: Immediately transfer the cannabis from the boiling water to the ice bath. Let it cool completely to stop the cooking process and preserve the integrity of the plant material.

    Dry the cannabis: Remove the cannabis from the ice bath and gently pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Spread the cannabis out on a parchment-lined baking sheet to air-dry completely before proceeding with decarboxylation.

    Benefits of Blanching
    Blanching cannabis offers several key advantages for those cooking with it:
    Improved flavour: By removing chlorophyll and impurities, the harsh, bitter taste often associated with cannabis is significantly reduced. This makes your edibles more enjoyable for those who prefer subtler cannabis flavours.

    Cleaner infusions: The process helps remove unwanted compounds, leading to purer cannabis butter or oil. This is particularly important when creating recipes where cannabis plays a supporting role, rather than being the dominant flavour.

    Enhanced versatility: Blanched cannabis pairs better with delicate dishes, such as desserts or savoury recipes with subtle seasoning, as the flavour profile becomes less overpowering.

    Odour reduction: For those concerned about the smell of cannabis during the cooking process, blanching can minimize the pungent aroma typically associated with decarboxylation.

    Decarboxylation After Blanching
    After blanching, the next step is decarboxylation, the process that activates the cannabinoids in cannabis. Decarboxylation involves heating the cannabis at a low temperature to convert THCA into THC, the compound responsible for cannabis’s psychoactive effects.

    Decarboxylate your blanched flower in the oven. Pre-heat your oven to 240°F (115°C). Grind your herb to desired consistency and spread on the parchment paper covering the cookie sheet. Cover with Tinfoil and crimp around edges. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

    Blanching cannabis before decarboxylation is a simple yet transformative step for those who want to create high-quality cannabis-infused edibles. By following Jeff the 420 Chef’s method, you can elevate the flavour, purity and overall enjoyment of your creations.
    While the process adds an extra step to your preparation, the benefits far outweigh the effort. Whether you’re crafting a delicate dessert or a savoury main course, blanched cannabis ensures that the taste of your dish remains front and centre, with cannabis playing a subtle yet effective supporting role.
    Experiment with this method in your next infusion, and experience the difference it can make in the world of cannabis edibles.

  • Begin at the beginning – Decarboxylation

    Begin at the beginning – Decarboxylation

    Before you can get busy making magic, you have to set the stage.

    With edibles, it isn’t enough to just toss a handful of bud into the sauce and call it a day. There is a critical step necessary to make a lifted meal – decarboxylation.

    DECARBOXYLATION

    What is this and why you need to do it

    Simply put, decarboxylation is making raw cannabis flowers psychoactive. 

    This is done by using a low heat to turn tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) into Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This process occurs automatically when you combust the plant, ie. Spark-up a joint or a bong. Once the herb is decarboxylated, it becomes psychoactive and can be used to infuse fats and alcohol, or even eaten as-is if that’s your preference.

    Cannabis flowers are the buds of female plants. They are covered with trichomes which contain terpenes. The ones that get the most attention are THC and CBD (cannabidiol).

    You can’t just use raw flower in cooking. The psychoactive chemical that gets you lifted is in the form of THCA. You need to get rid of the A and that’s done with heat. 

    Going forward, on this blog decarboxylation means to bake your weed at 240 F (325 C) for 30-40 minutes. 

    This is a basic procedure but is not the only way. Many variables can be manipulated, including time and temperature, all with the goal of customizing the experience, ie. which terpenes are being activated. You can make this as simple or as fussy as you like. Regardless, to put it in food you need to heat the flower first. You are encouraged to explore other techniques and procedures to discover what works best for you.

    Basic Procedure for Decarboxylating Cannabis Flower

    Decarboxylation is the name for changing THCA into THC by heating the cannabis 240 F for 20-40 minutes.

    There are two main ways to decarboxylate:

    1. Conventional oven – almost everyone has access to an oven. Make certain to cover your herbs with tinfoil or use an oven-proof and smell-proof container as things can become rather fragrant.
      1. Coarsely grind your buds.
      2. Place in an oven safe dish or on a parchment lined cookie sheet and cover with foil to minimize the smell
      3. Toast your flower 240 F (115 C) for 20-40 minutes. Rule of thumb, the shorter the time, the higher the temperature. Adjusting the time and temperature will allow you to activate different terpenes to achieve different effects. 
      4. Let cool. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
    2. Sous vide – Sous vide is a type of low temperature, long time cooking. The main advantage is more THCA is converted to THC, and the smell is considerably reduced. The downside is it takes longer and you have to buy specialized gear (the immersion blender or water water bath)
      1. Seal ground bud in a freezer safe resealable plastic bag, vacuum-sealed bag, or a mason jar. If using a freezer bag, place your ground cannabis in the bag. Add something to weigh it down or it will float to the surface. Immerse the bag in the water, which will push the air out. Seal the bag.
      2. Set your sous vide device (an immersion circulator or water bath) for 90 minutes at 203 F (95 C)
      3. Immerse cannabis
      4. When time is up, remove from water and let cool. Store in a glass jar with a lid in a cool, dark place.

    Tags: Decarboxylation, Basics, How-to