What is Decarboxylation?

Arguably the most important skill you need to learn when cooking with cannabis is how to decarboxylate. In this guide, HashDash offers you a walkthrough on how to do so, answering important questions about this process along the way.

What is Decarboxylation?

Decarbing is arguably the most important thing to learn how to do when you’re first starting out making your own cannabis-infused dishes from home. Decarb is short for decarboxylation, and it basically just means heating up your cannabis to a point that releases carbon dioxide, activates beneficial cannabinoids like CBD, and makes THC psychoactive.

Decarbing means that a home cook will apply low and slow heat for several hours. This process converts the non-psychoactive cannabinoid THCA into the THC that consumers know and love. If you don’t decarb your edibles at home, their potency will be very minimal if existent at all.

Decarboxylation: A Cannabis Chef’s Best Friend

To get the most out of your cannabis edibles, you will need to understand the science behind decarboxylation. Decarbing will help you get the highest medicinal value from your cannabis.

The cannabinoid THCA is non-intoxicating, and when heated up to proper temperature, THCA converts into THC. THC, of course, is the delightfully euphoric cannabinoid everyone knows and loves. This same holds true if you are cooking with cultivars that are CBD-dominant, like Charlotte’s Web, for instance.

Perhaps the biggest risk newbie cannabis chefs face is that decarbing can cause a loss of some signature terpenes. These terpenes give each cannabis cultivar its distinct flavor, smell, and medicated effect. The best way to ensure you will maintain your terps is to add equal parts decarbed material and fresh flower to your cannabis kitchen creations.

The Easiest Way to Decarb at Home

There are different ways to perform the decarboxylation process, but for newbies, we recommend using your oven at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. The ingredients are simple. All you need is your cannabis, a baking tray, and aluminum foil. Each oven is different, so be sure to keep a close eye on your cannabis as it’s in the oven and adjust the temperature if necessary.

• Preheat your oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and put the rack in the middle position. This will help ensure your cannabis decarbs evenly.
• Put a piece of aluminum foil on your baking sheet, then spread your cannabis evenly on the foil. Don’t break it up too finely, or you run the risk of burning your material. Place another sheet of aluminum foil on top.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, but be sure to keep a close eye on the material. When you take it out, it should be golden brown and lightly toasted.
• Let cool for about 30 minutes before handling. When it’s cool, put your cannabis in a glass jar for future cooking.

If you smell your cannabis burning, or it browns too quickly, remove your material from the oven immediately. It’s also a good idea to invest in a thermometer if you plan to do a lot of cooking with cannabis at home — or any cooking for that matter.

As is the case with improving any skill, practice makes perfect. If you feel like you are struggling to get your infused recipes “just right” you can purchase some innovative products that will do the hard work of infusing for you.

What We Learned: What is Decarboxylation?

Learning how to correctly decarb is the most essential skill to learn when cooking with cannabis. Here’s what we learned in this chapter:

• Decarb is short for decarboxylation meaning to heat up your cannabis to the point that releases carbon dioxide.
• This release of carbon dioxide activates beneficial cannabinoids like CBD and makes THC psychoactive.
• The decarbing process converts the non-psychoactive cannabinoid THCA into THC.
• A good method to preserve cultivar terpenes is to add equal parts decarbed material and fresh flower to your cannabis dishes.
• For newbies, using your oven at 225 degrees Fahrenheit is the most common method to perform the decarboxylation process.
• If you smell your cannabis burning, or it browns too quickly, remove your material from the oven immediately.
• Invest in a thermometer if you plan to do a lot of cooking with cannabis at home.

You’re almost finished with our Cooking with Cannabis Guide! Ready for the final chapter? Answer the question below and let’s keep learning!