If you’re a cannabis enthusiast, there’s no better way to fully enjoy your harvest than by turning your trimmings, lower-grade buds, and Shake & Trim into homemade cannabutter. Whether you’re an experienced edibles maker or just starting out, cannabutter is a must-try infusion for any cannabis lover.
This guide will show you how to make highly potent cannabutter, using simple ingredients and a method that will extract all the goodness from your cannabis trimmings. Let’s get cooking!
Why Use Shake & Trim Strains for Cannabutter?
Shake & Trim is a great choice for making cannabutter. These parts of the cannabis plant, including the small sugary leaves and lower-grade buds, are often overlooked but still pack a punch when it comes to cannabinoids like THC and CBD. If you’re looking to stretch your cannabis budget without compromising on potency, Shake & Trim strains offer a cost-effective and high-quality option. Weed Wholesale Canada provides an excellent selection of Shake & Trim that can be perfect for your cannabutter making.
When you use Shake & Trim, you’re utilising every bit of your harvest, ensuring no cannabis goes to waste. Plus, these trimmings are perfect for slow infusions like cannabutter, where you can extract the maximum flavor and potency from the material.
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
To make your own batch of potent cannabutter, you’ll need a few basic ingredients and tools:
Ingredients:
- 28g of cured Shake & Trim (preferably sugary leaves and lower buds)
- 14g of cannabis buds (select your preferred strain for additional potency)
- 250g of salted butter (higher melting point makes it ideal)
- 300ml of tap water (plus extra for evaporation during simmering)
Equipment:
- Cooking pot or pan (a sturdy one works best)
- Sharp knife or blender (for chopping or grinding your cannabis)
- Stove (or a camping cooker if you prefer to cook outdoors)
- Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer (for filtering)
- Storage containers (glass jars or plastic, whichever you prefer)
- Timer and patience (the process takes anywhere from 8 to 24 hours)
Step 1: Prepare Your Cannabis Material
Start by carefully chopping or blending your Shake & Trim and cannabis buds. This is a key step for maximizing the infusion process. When chopping, try to break the cannabis down into smaller pieces to help release the cannabinoids more efficiently. A kitchen blender works great for this, but if you’re up for it, a sharp knife will do just as well.
For your cannabutter, you can mix different strains of cannabis to create a more complex flavor profile. For instance, combining an indica-dominant strain like Cheese with a hybrid strain like Sherbet Queen could provide a balanced high with earthy and citrusy undertones. Weed Wholesale Canada offers a variety of strains that work wonderfully for making potent cannabutter.
Step 2: Melt the Butter
Before adding your cannabis, melt the salted butter in a cooking pot over low heat. Salted butter is ideal because it has a higher melting point, making it less likely to burn during the long simmering process. Add 300ml of water to the pot as well. This will help regulate the temperature and prevent the butter from burning, and it will also be important later on to extract the cannabinoids efficiently.
Step 3: Add Cannabis and Let It Simmer
Once the butter has fully melted, it’s time to add your prepared cannabis material. Stir it well to ensure the cannabis is evenly distributed throughout the butter and water mixture. Now comes the longest part of the process: simmering.
Simmer the mixture on low heat for anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. The low heat allows the cannabinoids to infuse into the butter, without burning them off. Stir the mixture every 30 minutes or so to keep things well-mixed. You may need to add a bit of extra water (around 50-100ml) every hour to prevent the mixture from drying out.
During the simmering, you’ll notice small bubbles forming at the surface. This is the perfect indicator that your temperature is just right—low, but enough to extract those precious cannabinoids.
Step 4: Filter and Store
Once your cannabutter has been simmering for the desired time (8 hours for a moderate potency, or up to 24 hours for maximum strength), it’s time to filter out the cannabis plant material. Use cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to separate the butter from the remaining plant matter. Be sure to press down on the cannabis to extract as much butter as possible.
Once filtered, pour the cannabutter into your chosen storage containers. You can use glass jars for a more premium look, or plastic containers for ease of storage. Let the cannabutter cool down at room temperature before placing it in the fridge. After a few hours, you’ll notice that the butter will solidify, leaving behind a dark brown liquid at the bottom. Discard the liquid, and you’re left with your potent, green cannabutter!
How to Dose Cannabutter
One of the trickiest aspects of making cannabutter is knowing how much to use. Dosing cannabis-infused edibles can be a bit of an art, and it’s always best to start slow, especially if this is your first time making or consuming cannabutter. A typical edible contains 10–15mg of THC for regular users, but for beginners, starting with a smaller dose is key.
To calculate the potency of your cannabutter, you’ll need to know the THC percentage of the cannabis you used. For example, if your cannabis has 20% THC and you used 30g of it, you would calculate the total THC content and divide it by the amount of butter you made. This will give you a rough estimate of how strong your cannabutter is.
Remember to be responsible with your dosage. The effects of edible cannabis can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to fully kick in, so wait before consuming more. You don’t want to end up overindulging and having a negative experience.
At Weed Wholesale Canada, you’ll find some of the best Shake & Trim strains for making your own cannabutter. Their selection is both affordable and potent, allowing you to get the most out of your trimmings. Whether you’re using a mixture of trimmings and buds or focusing solely on Shake & Trim, Weed Wholesale Canada’s products will help you create delicious and effective cannabutter without breaking the bank.
Conclusion
Making your own cannabutter at home is a rewarding and cost-effective way to enjoy the full potential of your cannabis harvest. Using Shake & Trim strains not only allows you to maximize your crop, but also gives you a fantastic base for creating potent, delicious edibles. So, grab your trimmings, follow the steps outlined above, and you’ll be enjoying your homemade, highly potent cannabutter in no time!
