Decarbing Weed: How to Decarb Cannabis

Smoking weed is arguably the easiest method of absorbing the THC within your bud. After all, you just have to grind it, pack it, and light it up in order to begin reaping the benefits offered by your marijuana. That said, smoking may not be the best absorption method for everyone. In which case, they can turn to eating edibles instead.

Unlike the previous method, however, you can’t just light your weed and throw it in your desired dish. So, how can you turn your marijuana into delicious foods that get you just as high? Let’s take a look at the process behind some of your favorite edibles. 

What’s Decarbing Weed?

Put simply, decarbing weed (known as decarboxylation) is the process of heating up your weed so that the THC contained within your herbs are activated and can serve their purpose. Prior to applying heat, THC is actually THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid), which is not psychoactive on its own. The heat allows the THCA to transform into THC so that it can get you high (the same thing you do when you burn your herbs in a pipe). If you want to get baked, you have to bake your herbs first!

Benefits of Decarboxylation

The benefits of decarboxylation lie in the description above. Without heating your herbs, you wouldn’t be getting anything from them when you put them into edibles! Decarbing your weed is the only way you are going to be able to create the edibles that will provide you with the expected benefits. However, decarbing your weed is far more complex than it sounds as there are many factors along the way that will determine how your finished product turns out. 

Decarboxylation Temperature 

The temperature that you decide to cook your herbs on will depend on how much THC is contained within your chosen strain and how fast you want your marijuana to be ready. The general consensus on temperature seems to be within the 250°F to 300°F range and the general time range seems to be anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes.

Baking temperature and time may vary, however, so it is important that you do your research and follow the recipes exactly as described when you first start learning how to decarb your weed. 

How to Decarb Weed: Decarboxylation Recipe

If you are looking to use your weed in baked or cooked edible recipes, there are plenty of ways to activate your herbs. Here are a few methods and decarboxylation recipe on how to decarb your bud. 

Natural Method (Slowest)

If you have plenty of time on your hands and plenty of weed that you do not plan on using right away, then you may consider decarbing your weed over time. Although this is by no means an efficient method, weed does naturally go through the decarboxylation process over time. However, you will need to store your weed away for at least over a year until the weed is ready to bake into goods. If you don’t have this kind of time, consider some of the faster methods described below. 

Baking Your Weed in the Oven

If you want to bake your weed easily in the oven, here are a couple of suggestions that will help you get it done quickly and easily. Convection heating is going to be one of the best ways to do it.

Baking Sheet

Grind your weed down and spread it across a baking sheet covered with foil or parchment paper. Place it in the oven at 250℉ for 30 minutes until the marijuana begins to take on a golden brown color. 

Mason Jar

If you have some mason jars in your house and aren’t fond of the smell that fills your house when you bake your herbs openly on a baking sheet, you can take the mason jar approach instead. Grind your weed and place them into your mason jars, making sure that the lid is tight in place. Place your mason jars onto the oven rack and let your marijuana bake for 30 minutes at 250℉. Make sure that you give your jars ample time to cool before you remove and open them. 

Ardena Nova

The Ardena Nova is a device designed specifically to decarb your weed. All you have to do is load it, turn it on, and wait for it to get the job done. You won’t have to watch it and it will automatically stop applying heat once it senses that your weed has been thoroughly cooked, making it perfect for those who don’t want to have to watch their weed using the above methods. That said, the Ardena Nova can only cook up to one ounce at a time and will take a couple of hours to get the job done. However, if you are looking to avoid the smell and the waiting game, this is a great way to decarb your weed. 

Conclusion

If you’re in love with edibles and want to make your own, you have to go through the decarboxylation process before you get to baking. Use the guide above to learn more about decarbing your weed and how you can accomplish this to start making your own edibles at home.