The Best Weed Butter
We Tried and Tested Five Infusion Techniques So You Don’t Have To
Words, science and photos By Rachel Burkons and Christina Wong
For decades, the culture, knowledge, and techniques of cannabis were hidden among the shadows, passed down clandestinely from one generation of stoner to the next. The ways in which cannabis could be cooked and eaten were particularly murky, with the details of dosing, decarbing and infusion often left up to trial and error, while techniques were rooted in legend and lore.
While we are increasingly moving toward a new era of cannabis – one rooted in science, information, and education – much remains unclear and uncertain for the at-home cannabis chef looking to understand the best ways to make infused foods. A quick Google search of decarbing times, temperatures and best infusion methods returns results all over the map, leaving a burgeoning weed chef unclear about how to get the best bang from their bud.
Our mission at The Clever Root is to educate and normalize culinary cannabis, so we set out to clarify, once and for all, the best techniques to make at-home cannabis-infusions. Welcome to The Clever Test Kitchen, where we’re using cold hard facts and science to help you make the most of your infused cooking. Beginning with the best techniques to make infused butter, this series will explore the mythology of cooking with cannabis–and test those techniques using a modern-day testing lab to get answers backed by science.
Weed Butter 101
Learning how to make an infused butter is a building block of cooking with cannabis. Cannabutter is an important ingredient to understand for two simple reasons: Cannabinoids easily bind to fats, making butter an ideal vehicle to infuse, and a wide variety of dishes can be made with butter. Infused butter can be used in baking, thrown into a low-heat pan to infuse savory foods, or even simply spread across good bread or toast for the most basic infused “dish” ever.
Making cannabis butter generally involves two key steps: decarbing the cannabis, and then infusing it into butter over a slow and low heating technique. There are a variety of well-known infusion techniques and devices, and we wanted to know which is the best? Which is the most effective at capturing cannabinoids? Which is the easiest and results in the best-tasting final product? We set out to get the answer once and for all.
Our Methodology
To find the best butter technique, we established a basic semi-scientific method:
Flower: We used the same trim, decarbed at once using a basic oven decarbing method for all batches to ensure consistent potency.
Butter: We used the same brand of butter with the same fat content for all batches.
Temperature + Time: Each method was infused at 180-degrees Fahrenheit for four hours.
Testing: We tested the final cannabutters at a professional cannabis lab to analyze cannabinoid content and terpene profile.
Dosing Hypothesis: Recipe Editor Christina Wong set out to dose our butters as follows:
1 tablespoon butter = 14g
Goal: 5mg THC per 1 tablespoon
16 tablespoons = 1 cup // 16 tablespoons x 5mg = need 80mg THC total in each batch
Assumed 20% THC in the trim, and 70% efficiency
Use 0.6g trim + 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter for each technique
In theory = ~84mg THC per 1 cup = ~5.25mg per 1 tablespoon
Techniques We Tested
We tried five common techniques to determine which was most effective:
Stovetop Method
Sous Vide
Oven Method
Instant Pot
Infusion device
The Rundown
Stovetop Method: This is one of the most classic and simple methods to infuse cannabis into butter, and just takes time, patience, and a mason jar.
How to do it: Combine 1 cup butter + 1 cup water; slow simmer in a saucepan between 160-200 degrees F for 4 hours
Pros: Easy and inexpensive materials
Cons: Mild odor, time, need to actively stir the mixture
Mason Jar in the Oven: Another classic and simple technique that allows you to really set it and forget it (set a timer so you don’t forget!).
How to do it: Preheat the oven to 240 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mason jar, combine 2 sticks melted butter with 0.6g of decarbed trim. Place the jar on a baking sheet and infuse in the oven for 2 hours.
Pros: Easy and inexpensive materials
Cons: Mild odor
Sous Vide: This technique sounds fancy but is essentially a slow and low-temperature water bath. You can also use sous vide device to cook succulent meats and other dishes that benefit from this low-temp approach, and there are several different devices you can choose from.
How to do it: We used a recipe from the sous vide master, Monica Lo, aka Sous Weed: In a mason jar, combine 2 sticks melted butter with 0.6g of decarbed trim. Fill the sous vide with water and turn on to 180 degrees F. Sous vide for 4 hours.
Pros: Fairly easy and smell-proof
Cons: Requires specialized equipment
Instant Pot: Your Instant Pot or crock pot can do more than just make a mean chili! Get double duty out of this common kitchen appliance by using it to slowly infuse your butter.
How to do it: In a mason jar, combine two sticks melted butter with 0.6g of decarbed trim. Fill the crock pot with water and turn on to 180 degrees F. Infuse for 4 hours.
Pros: Fairly easy and smell-proof
Cons: Requires specialized equipment, but it may be equipment you already have
Infusion device: There are quite a few infusion devices available in the marketplace, but for this experiment we only used one, the Levo II. This sleek countertop appliance is for the serious culinary cannabis connoisseur and also works to make infused oils.
How to do it: Place 0.6g of decarbed trim in the pod and add melted butter. Push buttons and set temperature to 180 degrees F and time to 4 hours.
Pros: Easy, fancy and odor-free
Cons: Requires expensive specialized equipment
The Results
In addition to sending our butters off to Quality Testing Lab, we evaluated them for flavor, texture and appearance. While still cooling, each butter immediately looked different, with minor variations in color, evaporation and the amounts of milk solids present.
Read below for the official ranking and results of these five techniques, presented in order from lowest to highest THC captured.
5. Infusion Device
TOTAL MG THC PER TABLESPOON: 1.23mg
Tasting notes: Slightly gritty, neutral in flavor, not super spreadable
4. Sous Vide
TOTAL MG THC PER TABLESPOON: 1.29mg
Tasting notes: Creamy, refined texture, fats evenly distributed
3. Crock Pot
TOTAL MG THC PER TABLESPOON: 1.58mg
Tasting notes: Creamy, very spreadable, slightly greasy
2. Oven Method
TOTAL MG THC PER TABLESPOON: 1.92
Tasting Notes: Super soft, almost melty, very spreadable. Most delightful on bread.
1. Stovetop Method
TOTAL MG THC PER TABLESPOON: 2.56mg
Tasting Notes: Slightly greasy and dry in texture.
So what’s the best butter?
Well, we must admit we were surprised by these results! The stovetop method is the best at capturing cannabinoids - but we didn’t love its dry, gritty texture. This type of butter would be perfect for baking and cooking - just don’t eat it plain. The runner-up in terms of potency, however, the oven technique, was spreadable and creamy and delicious, perfect for lazy Sunday morning croissants.
