How to make cannabis cooking oil

Cannabis cooking oil is versatile and easy to make. You can infuse any type of oil, like canola, vegetable, olive, peanut, sesame, and others—all you need is some grass, cheesecloth, and a sauce pan or slow cooker.

Consuming edibles made with cannabis edible oil is similar to consuming edibles or anything made with cannabutter—in comparison to inhalation methods, the effects take longer to kick in and they usually last longer and are more potent.

As with all cannabis edibles, we recommend “starting low and going slow”: eat a little and wait at least 45-60 minutes for the effects to kick in, only eating more if you want a stronger effect.

Benefits of using cannabis cooking oil

The great thing about using cannabis-infused oil is that you can add it to anything: sauté some veggies, fry up some morning eggs, mix it into a salad dressing, or whatever else you can think of.

Keep in mind that it’s difficult to calculate the potency of homemade edibles. Compared to other cannabis infusions such as However, when making cannabutter to add to a batch of brownies, for example, cannabis cooking oil is easier to dose. You can add a lot to a salad dressing or just throw a little in a pan to cook with your whole meal.

Types of cooking oils that can be infused with cannabis

There are many types of oils that you can infuse with cannabis:

• canola
• vegetables
• coconut
• olive
• avocado
• sesame
• peanut

When choosing a base cooking oil, consider how you will use it and what foods you will be cooking with it. You can use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil, or something with a specific flavor like sesame or peanut oil. It all depends on your taste preferences and the dishes you want to cook.

Also, oils have different consistencies at room temperature, so consider how you store the oil.

If you’re looking for an oil that can be used in both stir-fries and a pie crust, coconut oil is a great option — it adds great flavor to veggies and stays firm enough at room temperature to make a pie crust.

Vegetable and canola oils are great options if you want something mild in flavor. They’re also versatile and work with most recipes that call for oil.

For a slightly stronger taste, you can infuse olive or avocado oil with cannabis. Both tolerate the taste of cannabis well and can be stored in your pantry.

Cannabis cooking oil recipe

Making cannabis-infused cooking oil. (Dulezidar/iStock)

materials

• baking tray
• parchment paper
• oven
• cooking pot, soup pot, dDouble boiler or slow cooker
• colander or cheesecloth
• Container for cannabis oil
• Cannabis grinder (optional)

ingredients

• 1 cup cooking oil of your choice
• 1 cup (7-10 grams) of ground cannabis, decarbed

When making cannabis cooking oil, we recommend a 1:1 cannabis to oil ratio. If you want milder effects, use less cannabis.

directions

1. Decarb the cannabis. We recommend decarboxylate first your weed and then pickle it in oil. Decarbing turns THCA in the plant into THC, the psychoactive compound that will get you high. Set your oven to 245ºF and place the buds on parchment paper on a baking pan. Heat for 30-40 minutes.
2. Grind or grind the cannabis. Grinders grind up weed to the same consistency and save time, but you can just as easily grind up weed with your hands. Keep in mind that anything small enough to fit through the sieve or cheesecloth will end up in your final product, so don’t grind the weed into a fine powder.
3. Heat oil and de-carbonated cannabis. In a double boiler, slow cooker, or saucepan, add oil and degassed cannabis and simmer on low for 2-3 hours. Make sure the temperature of the oil stays between 160-200ºF.
4. Strain and reserve the oil. Place a strainer or cheesecloth over the oil container and pour the oil/cannabis mixture through. Don’t squeeze it — this will add more chlorophyll to your oil and make it taste more plant-based. Discard the plant matter. The oil has a shelf life of at least two months and can be extended by refrigeration.

Tips for reducing odor when making cannabis oil

Because it takes hours to infuse coconut oil, a weedy smell can build up in your kitchen.

Turn on a vent or fan while pouring the oil in to keep the odor down, or open a window. If you’re worried the neighbors might smell it, stick to the fan or vent.

How to cook with cannabis cooking oil

Once you have your cannabis-infused oil of choice, be sure to sample a little before making an entire meal to get a feel for just how potent it is. This gives you a good sense of how much to use when cooking.

Also, be careful not to overheat the enriched oil when preparing a dish, as this can burn out the THC and leave you with plain cooking oil.

Kayla Williams and Pat Goggins contributed to this article.