How To Sous Vide Decarboxylate Your Cannabis

Do you get a little nervous every time you decarb weed in your oven? Most of us do. Oven temperatures vary, so there's always the chance it won't fully decarboxylate—or you'll scorch your herb. It's also easy to lose track of time and heat your buds for longer than intended. If you're off either way, your edibles won't be nearly as potent.

Then, there's the obvious smell that's almost impossible to hide.

The sous vide cooking method solves all those problems! This technique was first invented in 1971 by a pair of French chefs. It involves heating food in a sealed bag or jar at a precise temperature in a water bath for an exact time. Because sous vide requires specialised equipment, only high-end restaurants were able to cook this way, until recently that is.

Affordable immersion circulators designed specifically for the home cook have put perfectly cooked steaks, as well as perfectly decarbed weed, well within reach of the typical consumer. And, because the herb is sealed in a bag and heated under water, there's no telltale aroma. It's practically foolproof.

If you'd like to try the sous vide method the next time you make a batch of edibles, here's how to do so.

HOW TO SOUS VIDE DECARB YOUR CANNABIS

INGREDIENTS AND HARDWARE

• Cured herb

• Grinder

• Sealable plastic bag

• Immersion sous vide circulator

• Pot deep enough for the circulator

• Water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grind the herb.
2. Place ground herb in the plastic bag. Press on it to remove as much air as possible, then seal.
3. Fill the pot with water until it's deep enough to accommodate the circulator.
4. Set the circulator to 95ºC. Clip it to the side of the pot so that the heating element is in the water.
5. Once the water has reached the set temperature, put the bag of weed in the water. Make sure it's fully submerged.
6. Remove the bag from the pot after an hour. Most circulators have built-in timers or work with mobile apps to prevent overcooking.
7. Allow to cool before using.

HOW TO MAKE CANNABIS BUTTER USING SOUS VIDE

You can also use sous vide to make cannabutter or cannabis-infused coconut oil. For maximum saturation you should stick at this rule of thumb: The ratio for pretty much any fat/oil is 16 parts of fat or oil for every part of decarboxylated cannabis (except for coconut oil, which has a ratio of 8:1—you will have to adjust your recipe accordingly if you want to use this).

INGREDIENTS AND HARDWARE

• 500g butter

• 30g decarbed herb

• 2x 850ml (or 1l) canning jars with lids

• Immersion sous vide circulator

• Pot deep enough for the circulator

• Water

• Strainer/cheesecloth

• Storage container

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put half of the butterl in each jar.
2. Add half the decarbed herb to each jar.
3. Screw the lids on the jars until they're snug.
4. Fill the pot with water.
5. Set the sous vide circulator to 85ºC and clip it to the pot.
6. When the water reaches the set temperature, gently set the jars inside the pot.
7. Allow your butter to heat for 4 hours before removing the jars.
8. Cool the mixture until it's safe to handle, but not cold.
9. Strain the butter into a clean jar or other container. Discard the plant matter.
10. Allow the butter to cool completely until it returns to a solid state.

CONCLUSION—SOUS VIDE DECARBING IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK

Sous vide is a deceptively simple way to decarb cannabis, and it has distinct advantages over heating buds in the oven. This cooking method gives you complete control over both heating time and temperature. Plus, enclosing the weed in a sealed bag and heating it while submerged eliminates any conspicuous odours.

You will, however, have to come out of pocket for an immersion circulator if you don't already have one—but we think this investment is well worth the price.

Luke Sumpter

With a BSc (Hons) degree in Clinical Health Sciences and a passion for growing plants, Luke Sumpter has worked as a professional journalist and writer at the intersection of cannabis and science for the past 7 years.

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