You can make cannabis coconut oil by simply combining the right coconut oil with grounded cannabis flowers. You have to put them in a slow cooker, strain them, and let the cannabis-infused coconut oil cool before storage and use.
This article is a guide on how to make cannabis coconut oil. We’ll also discuss key elements in the production process, learn about the varieties of coconut oil, why coconut oil is suitable for the infusion process, among other things.
Cannabis Coconut Oil
Cannabis coconut oil serves as a good alternative for cannabutter. It’s an essential staple recipe for people who love consuming cannabis. Another carrier oil that’s commonly used for cannabis infusions is olive oil. Other kinds of oils like canola oil and vegetable oil are used as well.
Using cannabis to infuse coconut oil is a relatively simple process that uses heat and saturated fat to decarboxylate cannabis flowers and get cannabinoids from the plant.
Infusing coconut oil with cannabis takes a complete spectrum of cannabinoids and other cannabis compounds from the plant.
As the final product of the process, you get cannabis coconut oil that can be used to produce certain cannabis edibles, such as cannabis brownie and cannabis chocolate chip cookies.
The Production Process of Cannabis Coconut Oil
Tools You Need
- A cheesecloth
- A metallic sieve or strainer
- A bowl or a big cup
- A mason jar for storing the canna oil (cannabis oil)
The Cannabis Coconut Oil Recipe
- Decarboxylated cannabis (buds/trim/kief/hash) – 40g in quantity
- 2 cups of unrefined coconut oil
Steps on How to Make Cannabis Coconut Oil
Step 1 (Dosing and expectation)
1.5 grams of cannabis trim for each tablespoon of CBD oil or canna-oil is a considerably strong dose.
How to Dose Properly?
The recommended range of quantity for the bud/hash/trim for each tablespoon of canna oil is between 0.5 to 1.5 grams.
If you’re dosing with canna oil for the first time, you can start experimenting with about 16 grams of cannabis per 2 cups of oil.
If you’re using buds, you can use less quantity than what you would’ve used if it was trim. This is because buds contain more trichomes than trims, which means it has a higher level of THC.
The recommended dose for buds should be a half gram of bud for each tablespoon of coconut oil.
What to Expect?
Cannabis oil is more potent when taken through the mouth. Therefore, it will take a longer period to feel the effects in your system, but when the effects begin taking place, they’re usually long-lasting.
Canna oil is very effective, and when taken, it can make you very drowsy. Therefore, we don’t advise you to take canna oil if you have a busy day ahead.
You can attempt to fight the drowsy effect by using just sativas in your canna-oil or by selecting a CBD-rich strain. But, even at that, it can still induce some fatigue. So it would help if you take it cautiously.
Step 2 (Mix the Coconut Oil with the Cannabis and Place on a Cooker)
Combine both key ingredients in a small metal container, preferably a saucepan, and cook the combination over a minimal heat.
When the coconut oil melts, remove the cover of the saucepan to let the ingredients simmer while uncovered, as you stir gently for 1 hour.
You can also opt for a crockpot to use in the cooking process. Again, use the same low heat for cooking. It should take about 2 hours.
At the end of the cooking process, your canna-oil may be green in color or not. The color of the final product (the cannabis-infused oil) has nothing to do with its potency. It just means that chlorophyll is present.
Step 3 (The Straining Process)
To strain the cannabis-infused coconut oil, use a cheesecloth placed in a sieve over the cup.
Using just the sieve is still okay, but it’s not fine enough to strain the cannabis-infused coconut oil without it having particles.
It doesn’t matter whether there are particles or not present in the oil. Cannabis coconut oil has a better aesthetic effect without them.
So doing it step by step:
- Position 2 layers of the cheesecloth in the metal sieve and place it over the cup.
- Slowly pour the heated cannabis coconut oil on the cheesecloth.
- Allow the oil to drip for about 1 hour or thereabouts. After that, use your hands to squeeze the cloth to get the rest of the oil.
You can use the cooked cannabis for other purposes once you’ve been able to squeeze the cannabis infusion. The cannabis will have a lesser quantity of THC remaining.
You can mix the cannabis with soft butter and get cannabis compound butter, which can be used on toast, dollop on a steak, or even beneath the chicken’s skin.
It can also be discarded without any hard feelings whatsoever. After all, virtually all the health benefits of cannabis flowers are in the canna oil.
Step 4 (Cooling and Storage)
Pour the hot canna oil into a jar or bowl and leave it open and exposed to room temperature until the oil begins to take a solid form.
The essence of leaving it open is to prevent condensation from taking place inside the jar. The vapor will evaporate into the atmosphere.
Once the cooling process is completed, cover the container and store it in your refrigerator or a cool place and not exposed to sunlight. The shelf life of this oil can be up to 1 year.
The cannabis coconut oil is usually dark in liquid form and light when it has cooled into a solid form. So that’s how yours should look like as well. Anything other than that means you cooked it longer than necessary, or you mishandled it.
Usage of the Cannabis Coconut Oil
You can consume the cannabis coconut oil directly, or you can use it to make weed gummies. For first-timers, we recommend you take between a quarter to half tablespoon orally.
For a second helping, wait for a minimum of 3 hours. The effect of the first helping should give you clarity on increasing or decreasing your dose. It will also aid you in deciding on the quantity to use on edibles.
For edibles, use recipes that you have used before. Knowing the quantities of cookies, cake slices, and muffins that a recipe can produce will help you measure how much THC is contained in each serving.
Why Is Cannabis Coconut Oil Suitable for Infusion?
Coconut oil has a similar performance to butter in the extraction of cannabinoids from cannabis plants. It can also retain its solidity at room temperature, just like butter.
Coconut oil can also be consumed by people who eat dairy-free, plant-based, vegetarian and allergen-free foods. It’s also the best oil to use if you want to prepare your homemade oil.
What Kind of Coconut Oil Do You Use for Cannabis?
Coconut oil has a huge variety, all of which are available for sale in the market. However, just three types are popularly used for the production process. They include refined coconut oil, MCT coconut oil, and unrefined coconut oil.
Unrefined Coconut Oil
Unrefined coconut oil is also called virgin coconut oil. It is derived from the flesh of fresh coconuts. To produce the oil, you will cold-press the coconut flesh and extract the oil. As a result, the oil typically has an authentic coconut flavor.
It’s more pronounced in terms of smell and taste.
It has similar properties to refined coconut oil. It’s 63% MCTs and 50% lauric acid. So the infusion is the same for both of them.
Refined Coconut Oil
You’ll get this type from dry coconuts that have gone through further processing.
Some processing plants use strong chemicals to bleach the meat of the coconut. This is done to eliminate the taste and flavor of the coconut. Other processing plants use steam to refine the oil.
It’s important to note that it has a neutral taste. This makes it more convenient for users to easily immerse it in specific recipes where the coconut flavor is unwanted.
This type of coconut oil is very common because the coconut flavor is very weak.
MCT (Medium-chain triglycerides) Coconut Oil
MCT oil is a kind of saturated fat that you can extract from coconut that is quickly digested and assimilated by the body.
Many individuals prefer MCT oil for infusions because it doesn’t have taste and retains its liquid form at room temperature.
MCTs are a peculiar kind of fatty acid in coconuts. They aid the metabolism process, and they are easy to digest. They are utilized by the body as fuel to give energy.
MCT oil in excessive amounts can trigger digestive distress in the human body.
