Читать книгу CBD For Dummies - Blair Lauren Brown - Страница 68

The best way to pick up a new skill is to do it. Because infusions are so time-tested and safe to make and use, now is a great time to dive in. You’ll need a few items that may already be lying around your kitchen if you delight in trying out new or specialty recipes. To be fully prepared to begin, grab a grinder or mortar and pestle, something to cook the infusion in (more on that in Step 3), and a fine mesh strainer. Cheesecloth also works!

1 Figure out the concentration.I explain the math for this process in the preceding section.

2 Grind the flower.Grinding the flower makes exposing every little bit and immersing it in your oil of choice easier.

3 Combine the base oil or fat in the appropriate volume to the cooker.Olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, sesame oil — the options are endless from an oil standpoint.As for the cooking device, you want something that controls the heat over time so you get a proper infusion. A host of tools are readily available, from stovetop double boilers to slow cookers. You can also get options made specifically for the cannabis and hemp market. Levo and Ardent are two great brands.

4 Cover the cooker, set it to high, and cook for one hour.

5 Turn the cooker down to low and cook for two to three hours.The slow and low heat is important here because the heat and time create a chemical reaction necessary to activate the cannabinoids in the CBD flower. This reaction is properly known as decarboxylation.

6 Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth to remove the plant matter.

7 Store your infused oil in an airtight container.An airtight container is important here because when you expose cannabis to oxygen over a long period, it activates prematurely. That early activation ultimately degrades the potency and flavor. If you use butter or animal fat, put it in the fridge or freezer if you don’t intend to use it all right away.