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How To Decarboxylate Cannabis

Writer: Jamie Evans
Jamie Evans
Sep 21, 2022
2 min read


To unlock the ultimate healing elements of CBD and THC, you must decarboxylate your dry cannabis flower before integrating it into a recipe. Decarboxylation is a heating process that triggers the chemical reaction that releases the carboxylic acids from CBD and THC to fully activate cannabis. In other words, you are converting CBDA to CBD and THCA to THC.


While there are many approaches to decarboxylation, the method that I am most successful with exposes dry cannabis to heat between 240°F and 295°F (115°C–146°C) for 20 to 60 minutes. Heat for a shorter time at higher temperatures or for a longer time at lower temperatures between this range. For example, if you’re using a higher temperature (between 275°F and 295°F [135°C–146°C]), bake for 20 minutes max and be careful not to overcook. Overheating can degrade cannabinoids and terpenes!


To make this process easy, here's a decarboxylation technique that I've learned from professional cannabis chef Coreen Carroll of the Cannaisseur Series.


To decarboxylate cannabis properly:


Pre-heat your oven to 275°F (135°C). As your oven is heating, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Begin to break up the dry flower into pea-sized pieces with your fingers or scissors and spread the cannabis evenly onto your baking sheet. Once the oven is heated, simply put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and store in an airtight sealed mason jar until you’re ready to infuse it into a recipe.


If you’re planning to make a variety of recipes, you can decarboxylate large batches of flower and save portions of it for future use. Please note that if you use the oven method to decarboxylate, your kitchen will fill with very potent cannabis aromas, so if you’re worried about attracting unwanted attention from your neighbors, it might be best to use another method such as sous vide or a decarboxylation device (the Ardent FX works wonders).


Regardless of what method you choose, as you’re decarboxylating, do not exceed 300°F (150°C) at any time—the hotter you heat the cannabis, the more likely it is that you’ll diminish the precious cannabinoids and terpenes that are there.


To learn more about activation temperatures and boiling points, please be sure to pick up a copy of my book, The Ultimate Guide to CBD, or Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home. Happy cooking!



Photos By: Margo Amala and Add Weed // Unsplash

About the Author:

Jamie Evans is the founder of The Herb Somm and author of The Ultimate Guide to CBD: Explore the World of Cannabidiol and Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home. She is an author, entrepreneur, and writer specializing in cannabis, food, recipes, wine, and the canna-culinary world. In addition to her work in the cannabis industry, Jamie has over a decade of wine industry experience and is a Certified Sommelier. Having represented a wide array of organizations and wineries, she is best known for her literary work and producing high-end events. She was also named as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers in 2018. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @TheHerbSomm.

23 Comments


William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
Aug 24

La información está presentada de forma clara y resulta útil para quienes siguen los sorteos. Me gusta encontrar artículos que explican los resultados de manera sencilla. Para ampliar la consulta, también puede ser interesante visitar loteria nacional y revisar información adicional sobre diferentes sorteos y resultados.

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Amelia Florence
Amelia Florence
Aug 10

Learning about the precise science and low-and-slow kitchen methods involved in decarboxylating herbs was fascinating to read through while prepping in my kitchen. While waiting for my oven timer to go off, I took a quick moment on my phone to access my gepco duplicate bill and get my monthly utility payments out of the way. Balancing kitchen experiments with routine household tasks always makes for an efficient afternoon.

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Monkey Mart
Monkey Mart
Jul 23

The temperature warning immediately reminded me of the game Run 3: just a slight deviation of more than 150°C in temperature control is enough to send you tumbling into space! Both require precision, accurate timing, and intense concentration to avoid "failing" in the final seconds.

Like

Livora
Livora
Jul 16

Decarboxylation is definitely one of the most important steps when preparing cannabis for recipes because it activates the compounds that provide their intended effects. Skipping this process can significantly reduce the potency and overall effectiveness of homemade infusions. Understanding the right temperature and timing also helps preserve valuable cannabinoids and terpenes for better results. Interestingly, I recently came across cineby 4k while exploring different media platforms, though it’s completely unrelated to cannabis preparation.

Like

yaqian zhang
yaqian zhang
Jun 21

I was searching for a reliable Drive Mad unblocked version and ended up spending much longer playing than I originally planned.


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