How to Make Edibles Using Cannabis Concentrates

Cannabis concentrates are the fastest growing product sector on the cannabis market. Concentrates range from BHO wax to live resin to more refined and terpene-rich extracts. Due to their unrelenting potency, cannabis concentrates make for an effective ingredient in a variety of high-potency edibles.

Before you can make wax edibles, you must first infuse the concentrate into a butter or oil that you can cook with. Cooking with concentrates is similar to cooking with the whole cannabis flower, but there are a few minor differences. Keep reading to find out how to make high-potency wax edibles using cannabis concentrates.

How to decarboxylate cannabis concentrates

As with any process involving the preparation of cannabis products for making edibles, the first step you should take is to learn how to decarb concentrates.

Decarboxylating concentrates is easy, but optimal decarboxylation techniques differ depending on the type of concentrate you’re using. Decarboxylation converts the non-psychoactive acid-based THCa compound into the active THC compound that induces euphoria and cerebral effects.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind about when you decarb wax:

• Use a low and slow decarboxylation method to retain more of its cannabinoids and terpenes.
• Lightly heat your concentrates for an easy transfer from their container to the decarbing surface

How to decarb wax

Decarbing wax requires a baking sheet or oven-safe pan, parchment paper and an oven thermometer. Preheat your oven to about 200-250º F and place the oven thermometer on the shelf you will be placing the baking sheet to check the temperature.

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and add your BHO concentrate in the center of the parchment paper. Allow your concentrate to heat for about 20 to 25 minutes. Just keep an eye on it, so it doesn’t get hot enough to degrade the extract.

When the BHO concentrate has completely melted and is bubbling like crazy, it’s time to take it out and let it cool for a few minutes.

How to decarb RSO

RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) is a full-spectrum and potent extract. Decarbing RSO requires RSO, a large pot, cooking oil (such as sunflower or canola oil), stirring utensil, tongs and a thermometer. Start by filling the large pot about a quarter full with cooking oil. Place the glass or silicone container (with the RSO inside) inside the pot with the cooking oil.

Heat the pot’s contents on medium-low heat (about 200º F), all while breaking the bubbles that rise to the surface. Use your thermometer to check the temperature. When the heat reaches 200º F, turn off the stovetop and remove the pot from the heat source.

Wait a few minutes until the pot has cooled down and the bubbles have diminished to take out the concentrate container with your tongs.

How to decarb kief

Kief is a solventless type of cannabis concentrate that’s basically a collection of trichome heads. To decarb kief, gather some kief, a baking sheet, parchment paper, a spatula and an oven thermometer. Preheat your oven to about 200º F and use your oven thermometer to check when the temperature is spot-on.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread your kief on top of the parchment paper in an even layer without creating a cloud of kief. When the temperatures are optimal, place your baking sheet inside the oven and leave it for about 15 to 20 minutes. Afterward, remove the baking sheet and let it cool.

How to make cannabutter with concentrates

Cannabutter is a versatile and potent version of regular butter. Cannabutter can be used for pasta, baked goods, popcorn, coffee and more.

Ingredients

To begin, you need about gather the following supplies:

• One gram of concentrate
• Parchment paper
• Oven-safe dish
• Saucepan
• Two teaspoons of liquid or powdered soy lecithin
• Dabber
• Torch or lighter
• Oil or butter.

Directions

Before adding the concentrate into the butter or oil, you’ll need to determine the dosage of your high-potency edible. One gram of concentrate can contain anywhere between 60 and 95 percent THC, and is typically used for every cup of butter or oil. We’ll discuss how to dose edibles in a separate section below.

1. Always decarboxylate your extracts first.

As detailed above, we recommend decarboxylating the cannabis concentrate in the oven to activate the cannabinoids and get them ready for consumption.

2. Let it cool.

After the concentrate has been decarboxylated, let it cool inside the oven slowly for a few minutes. Once cooled, move the concentrate into the freezer for about 10 minutes. Freezing the concentrate for a few minutes allows you to more easily remove it from the parchment paper using a dabber or another scraping tool.

3. Infuse the THC butter with your concentrate

After scraping the BHO concentrate off the parchment paper, it’s time to infuse your concentrate into butter.

To begin the infusion process, heat the THC butter in a saucepan over low heat until the butter begins to melt or show some steam, but without boiling. Transfer your concentrate using a dabber or other kitchen utensils into the heated butter or oil. You can also lightly heat the utensil with a lighter or torch to melt the concentrate into the saucepan. Gently stir the mixture to ensure your concentrates quickly become well-distributed into the warm butter. After a few minutes, you extract will be fully mixed with the butter and ready to be used in a recipe.

Note: Rather than using butter, many cannabis cooks recommend using coconut oil instead due to its high-fat content. Cannabinoids bind to lipids.

3. Optionally add lecithin to improve the effects

Once all of the concentrate has been melted into the mixture, optionally add two teaspoons of liquid or powdered lecithin into the butter. While not necessary, the lecithin is thought to improve the absorption of THC into the bloodstream. More THC in the bloodstream means a more potent and extended experience.

That was easy, wasn’t it? This butter or oil infusion can now be used in a wide number of recipes for appetizers, entrees or desserts. Concentrates deliver a subtler cannabis flavor than using cannabis flower-infused butter or oil.

How to dose edibles made with dabs

Cannabis buds require a much greater amount of material to work with than cannabis concentrate due to the difference in potency. A recipe may call for one ounce of cannabis flower for every pound of butter, but the recipe changes when you use cannabis concentrates.

When dosing edibles made with wax, consider the potency of your concentrate. Let’s say your concentrate tests at 75 percent THC, which means you have about 750mg of THC to work with per gram. For a recipe that makes about 20 cookies using one cup of butter, each serving would have about 37.5mg of THC if you use the entire gram of BHO concentrate.

Cannabis edibles made with marijuana concentrates are to be approached with caution, especially by first-time users. Edibles made with cannabis concentrates have a significantly higher potency than edibles made with just the flower. A standard dose for edibles is 10mg THC in many states. Adjust the recipe to your liking.

When consuming cannabis edibles made with concentrates, new users should start off with a small portion or dose and wait between one to two hours to gauge the effects. Don’t consume more before you can assess the effects on your body. Gradually increase the dose to achieve your ideal experience.

Benefits of using concentrates for edibles

Traditionally, you’d heat up some ground-up cannabis flower in your oven, slow cooker, or stovetop, but now you get to work with the increasingly potent cannabis concentrates. There are plenty of benefits of using concentrates for edibles compared to cannabis flower in terms of potency, flavor and ease.

Higher potency

Potency wise, cannabis concentrates feature insanely high cannabinoid levels reaching up to 90 percent THC and CBD. All that power can be infused into nearly any food or meal. Concentrates also can deliver a wide range of terpenes into an edible or meal.

Reduced herbal flavor

Cannabis edibles used to have the lingering grassy flavor of weed, but cannabis concentrates eliminate that problem. Instead of working with grams of dried and pungent herb, you can use the concentrated version without the plant material for a less pungent edible.

Wax edibles boast almost no cannabis odor. Remember to label your cannabis edibles to avoid accidental consumption.

Increased convenience

Cannabis concentrates also offer an unparalleled level of convenience and ease over working with cannabis flower buds. Concentrates can be applied on a smaller-scale instead of cooking up an entire cannabutter batch for a big batch of edibles.

Cannabis butter or oils infused with concentrates can easily make homemade edibles. Infuse your creation into a wide range of products such as honey, stews, pies, and the list goes on. For more information on concentrates, extraction processes and dabbing, visit our dabbing resources page for guides, tutorials and other educational cannabis articles.