Cooking a delicious meal is no easy feat—it takes a lot of practice and know-how. Do you have all your tools and utensils? Are your ingredients fresh and properly measured? Do you know how to turn on the oven? Can you reach the items on the high shelf? Regular cooking can be challenging enough, but adding cannabis to the mix takes things to a whole other level.
Don’t worry though - we’ve got your back. Just keep these six things in mind and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a budding canna-chef.
1. Butter is Always the Answer
Whatever recipe you choose, butter is especially important. (Or oil; that works too. Olive, coconut—whatever.) Why? It’s an easy way to introduce cannabis into your food as cannabinoids are fat-soluble. You can learn how to create your own cannabutter here.
2. Measure Up Properly
It’s normal (and okay) to be slightly timid when it comes to incorporating cannabis into your food. No one wants to waste their food, or their weed. As common sense would dictate, throwing ingredients into a bowl and hoping for the best is not a great cooking strategy. Carefully measuring the amount of cannabis (and other ingredients) will make all the difference. Start light; always start low and go slow and do the math so you can make a reasonable assumption about how much cannabis your food will contain. If you’re new to cannabis, a good rule of thumb would be about 2.5 mg of THC.
3. T is for Terpenes. And Taste.
A key aspect of cooking with cannabis is knowing what strain you want to consume. Aside from different cannabinoid concentrations, different varieties contain different terpenes. Terpenes play a big part in giving your food its own distinct taste. It’s important to keep this in mind depending on your meal and kitchen situation.
4. Less is Always More
You know the old adage “less is more”? This rule applies here too. Just as you would limit the amount of weed you smoke, you want to limit the amount of cannabis-infused food you consume in a day. It might take 1-2 hours or more for you to feel the effects, and they could last 6-8 hours or more. Be patient and always wait until the next day before diving back into the fridge (or cookie jar).
5. Basic Can Be Boring
Don’t let cooking with cannabis limit you to just baking brownies. If you master the art of infusing and consuming butter or oil, it will help you figure out the amount that is right for you to consume. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can use cannabis in anything from French toast to a five-course meal.
6. Label Your Goodies
It is extremely important to keep any cannabis-infused oils, butters, or food clearly labeled. It’s your conscious choice to prepare and consume food containing cannabis, so be sure to extend the same courtesy to others. Otherwise, a friend or family member who unwittingly consumes one of your cannabis-laden confections could be in for an unwanted experience. Always label what you make and store away from children and pets -- and you’ll be set.
