With more states legalizing cannabis every year, more and more people are getting to enjoy the benefits of marijuana.

Buying edibles from a dispensary can be fun, but it’s also an expensive way to consume weed.

If you’re thinking about cooking with cannabis at home, there are a few important things you should know.

Let’s take a look at what you need to know about cooking with marijuana for beginners.

Pick Out Your Recipes

The internet is full of delicious looking cannabis recipes. You’ll probably want to spend some time deciding exactly which ones you’ll want to use.

There are sweet options like smoothies, cookies, and the classic brownie, but you can also do marijuana cooking with savory recipes as well. You can infuse sauces, salad dressings, and even cornbread with THC from cannabis.

Decide on Your Strain

There are a number of things you’ll want to consider when choosing your strain for cooking with marijuana. When you buy cannabis from a dispensary, you might notice all the different flavor profiles and tasting notes they mention. Though strains don’t always produce the effects they advertise, they are worth taking into account when you are making your choice as the flavor can come through in the final recipe.

You also will want to think about whether you want to use an Indica, Sativa, or a hybrid strain for your recipe.

What’s the intention of your meal? If it’s to relax, unwind, or get some rest, then you’ll generally want an Indica strain. If you want to do something energizing or creative, lean on the side of a Sativa.

Here’s a bonus tip: If you’re used to smoking cannabis but have never had an edible, it’s important to understand that the experience is a bit different. It will take longer for the effects to kick in, and the effects will last longer as well.

The All-Important First Step: Decarboxylation

When cooking with marijuana, the first step is to decarboxylate your cannabis. You might also hear this referred to as “decarb”-ing. This helps to unlock the potency of THC in cannabis.

To learn more about this vital step, you’d be well-advised to check out a beginner’s guide to decarboxylation.

If you try to skip this step, you’ll find your edibles weak or inactive. And honestly, that’s the last thing you want!

Making Cannabutter

Most recipes will have you take your decarboxylated weed and transform it into a cannabutter. There are other substances you can infuse weed into as a part of this step, but it’s important to understand that THC is fat-soluble. That means that you’ll want to infuse it into a fat or oil of some kind.

Once you have your cannabutter or cannabis infused into another oil, you’re ready to begin your recipe!

Cooking With Cannabis: The Sky Is the Limit!

There are so many interesting, delicious, and mind-expanding recipes you can make when cooking with cannabutter. Once you start experimenting, you’ll never want to stop!

Did you enjoy this article about cooking with cannabis? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog to find more fun and interesting articles!

Ben Stern wrote this article on behalf of FreeUp. FreeUp is the fastest-growing freelance marketplace in the US. FreeUp only accepts the top 1% of freelance applicants. Click here to get access to the top freelancers in the world.  

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