How To Cook With Cannabis Concentrates Like Kief, Hash, And BHO

Cooking with cannabis is full of possibilities. As you probably know, the most common way to cook with cannabis is by using oil or butter previously infused with dried buds. But did you know that you can also cook with cannabis concentrates? Read on to learn how.

HOW TO DECARBOXYLATE CANNABIS CONCENTRATES

When making cannabis butter and oil, you always need to decarboxylate your cannabis buds first to ensure the cannabinoids in them have been activated.

Cannabis doesn’t naturally contain THC. Instead, it contains THCA, an acidic version of THC that isn't psychoactive. The process of curing and drying cannabis helps convert some of this THCA into THC. When you light your joint, bowl, or vape, that last burst of heat takes care of the rest.

When you’re cooking, however, you’ll need to decarboxylate your cannabis to ensure it contains enough THC (or any other cannabinoid, for that matter). Unfortunately, however, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to decarbing concentrates.

For the best results, start things off slowly by heating your concentrates in a preheated oven using a lined baking sheet at around 250°F or 120°C for around 45 minutes, just like you would with regular flower. Depending on the type of concentrate you’re using, you may need slightly higher temperatures or to decarb for longer.

Kief and hash, like bud, will look slightly toasted and smell quite aromatic after they’ve been decarbed. When decarbing BHO concentrates, you’ll know your extract is ready once it stops bubbling.

Alternatively, you can also decarboxylate concentrates in a water bath. Place a Pyrex dish inside some boiling water, and make sure to use a thermometer to ensure the water temperature doesn’t exceed 250°F or 120°C. Drop your concentrates inside, and decarb for roughly 30 minutes.

HOW TO COOK WITH CANNABIS CONCENTRATES

Once you’ve decarbed your extracts, you can use them to add an extra kick to virtually any of your favorite dishes. Just remember, THC is fat soluble, so you’ll still need to use some butter, oil, or other form of cooking fat (such as ghee, for example).

We usually recommend mixing your concentrates into a small amount of butter or oil while they’re still warm from the decarboxylation process. Just make sure to give everything a good stir to ensure the concentrate mixes well with the fat.

Unlike when making cannabutter or oil, however, you can use much smaller amounts of fat, making this a great option for people who are trying to cut down on their fat consumption or reduce calories. Plus, you’ll also need much less concentrate to infuse a meal than you would flower, seeing that concentrates are much more potent.