Though edibles are readily available in shops, a couple of hours and basic kitchen tools are all you need to make cannabutter, the base of pot-infused recipes, for homemade treats.
When eating marijuana, the effects last longer and can be more intense than those from smoking. Effects take longer to kick in, though, so be patient, experts caution. Josh Potter, a budtender at Satori, suggests experimenting with different strains in your cannabutter depending on the high you're hoping to experience.
"An indica is more body relaxation," he says. "It's a bedtime, relaxing high... Sativas are more uplifting and energetic. Those are the ones you want to smoke when you're trying to function throughout the day."
While cannabutter isn't the only way to incorporate marijuana into recipes (tinctures also work), it's a simple process that produces a lot of product with little effort.
Here's a Stoner's Cookbook recipe for Cannabutter.
You'll need:
¼ ounce finely ground cannabis buds
One stick salted butter
Grinder
Medium saucepan
Wooden ladle
Spoon
Metal strainer (Potter says you can also use cheesecloth or coffee filters)
Container with a tight-fitting lid (Potter suggests a heatproof bowl)
Directions: Melt the butter on low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the ground buds to the melted butter a little at a time, stirring in between. Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Strain the butter into the container, using the metal strainer to filter out the ground buds. Press the spoon against the ground buds in the metal strainer to release all the cannabutter.
Potter's recipe has a few more steps. He puts the butter in the fridge for about an hour to set, then runs a knife around the edge of the container to remove the butter. He scrapes off any remaining cooking water, and the cannabutter is ready to go.
To start your baking career, here's a Stoner's Cookbook recipe for chocolate chip cookies.
You'll need:
1 cup cannabutter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate
chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together the cannabutter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges are nicely browned. ♦
