THE KITCHEN / FUNDAMENTALS
Good cannabis cooking begins with a familiar dish and a well-understood ingredient. Prepare an infusion, incorporate it evenly, and pay close attention to portions. The same principles work for savory food, desserts and drinks.
Understand decarboxylation before making an infused ingredient.
Choose an oil or butter that suits the flavor and cooking method.
Distribute the infusion thoroughly. Do not treat estimates as laboratory results.
01 / THE PROCESS
What happens when you cook with cannabis?
Cannabis flower contains acidic cannabinoids, including THCA. Controlled heating can convert some THCA to THC through decarboxylation. The outcome depends on the material and the time, temperature and method used; heating longer does not automatically make an infusion stronger.
When you prepare butter or oil, some cannabinoids transfer into the fat. The amount that transfers is not fixed, and mixing, straining and cooking introduce more variation. A batch made with the same ingredients can still produce a different finished strength.
02 / CHOOSE YOUR BASE
Match the infusion to the food
Make the infused ingredient separately, using a reliable method and food-safe equipment. Pick the fat for the dish rather than trying to force every recipe to use the same base.
03 / IN THE PAN
Work the infusion into a real recipe
Measure the infused ingredient as part of the recipe's normal fat rather than pouring in an unmeasured extra amount.
Do not let infused fat scorch. Cook other ingredients to their appropriate food-safe temperatures, and add an infusion later when the recipe allows.
Distribute infused butter or oil thoroughly before dividing portions. Stirring improves consistency, but it cannot verify the THC content of an individual piece.
04 / MEASURE THE UNKNOWN
Know what a potency estimate can and cannot tell you
If you have tested ingredient cannabinoid percentages and measured the ingredient and finished batch, a calculator can help you explore a theoretical amount per serving. It cannot determine actual extraction efficiency, uneven mixing, heat loss or the finished THC content without testing.
Edibles can take 30 minutes to two hours to produce noticeable effects, and the effects may last longer than expected. Avoid consuming additional portions while waiting for effects, and do not drive after consuming intoxicating cannabis.
Open the THC potency estimator05 / AFTER COOKING
Store it like food—and label it clearly
Use clean equipment and follow the storage and refrigeration requirements of the finished dish. A cannabis infusion does not make perishable ingredients shelf-stable. Label the container clearly, keep it in child-resistant storage away from children and pets, and avoid presenting it as ordinary food.
If a child or pet may have consumed an infused product, seek immediate professional guidance. In the US, Poison Control is available at 1-800-222-1222.
THE NEXT DISH
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Further reading: CDC — Cannabis and Poisoning and Cannabis-infused edibles and food safety.