3. Put the lid onto slow cooker and let cook on low for 8 hours. After 8 hours have passed, the butter will have a glossy, glass-like top coat.
4. Secure a cheesecloth over your preferred storage container and strain the butter.
5. Be sure that the weed butter is completely cool before placing it into the freezer. Leave it overnight in a freezersafe container.
6. Take the weed butter out of the freezer. With a knife, scrape the outside border, allowing you to pop out the entire piece. If it breaks, no worries; just be gentle. Flip over each piece to reveal and remove any excess moisture. The best way to do this is by either patting the butter with a paper towel or clean dish cloth, or by scraping with a knife.
7. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, slowly melt the moisture-free weed butter until liquefied, but not too hot.
8. Return the butter to a container to refrigerate or freeze for later use.
Infusion with Sous Vide Circulator
I’m a little late to the game, but sous vide is one of my favorite infusion methods. Clean, simple, with little dirty work. I was introduced to sous vide–style cooking last year by the cutest couple from Seattle, who not only have exquisite taste for gastronomy and its culture, but also know the joys of mellowing out with cannabis-infused food. They gave me a Joule sous vide circulator from their company ChefSteps and I was hooked. And it was hands-down the most futuristic experience I’d ever had with cooking. This is the perfect setup if you’re looking to infuse your weed butter, fat, or oil with garlic or other herbs.
Time: 4 to 5 hours Appeal: Easy cleanup Yield: 12 tablespoons
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
8 ounces clarified butter (page 38), melted butter, oil, or fat
20-ounce jar or plastic bag
water
½ ounce decarboxylated cannabis material (page 36)
sous vide circulator
large pot
cheesecloth
storage container of choice
WHAT TO DO
1. Dice your butter into large squares and place it into a 20-ounce glass jar or a high-quality sealable plastic bag.
2. Add about 6 inches of water to your pot, making sure your sous vide tool is fully submerged in the water bath. If using a mason jar, close it tightly but not too tight, or your jar may burst into the water.
3. Set your sous vide circulator to 185°F and place your jar or bag into the water.
4. When you notice the butter melt, after 2 to 5 minutes, open the jar or bag, add your weed on top of the butter, reseal, and place back into the water.
5. Let your butter or oil infuse for 4 hours.
6. Secure a cheesecloth over your preferred storage container and strain the butter. Seal and store, or use immediately.
If you don’t have a sous vide, use all the same steps, replacing a sous vide circulator with a slow cooker bath set to low for 6 hours.
Infusion on the Stovetop
If you have weed, butter, time, and a kitchen, you can make weed butter with this method. When it comes to ease, the stovetop infusion method is supreme. Perfect for folks who don’t have a lot of extra money to spend on materials but still want good relief from cannabutter. Grab some butter, weed, and a pot, and let’s get started.
Time: 4½ hours Appeal: Simplicity Yield: 12 tablespoons
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
½ cup water
8 ounces clarified butter (page 38), melted butter, oil, or fat
½ ounce decarboxylated cannabis material (page 36)
medium saucepan
wooden spoon
thermometer, optional
cheesecloth and/or metal strainer
WHAT TO DO
1. In a medium saucepan on very low heat, add the water and butter.
2. When the butter is melted, add the decarboxylated cannabis material. Mix well with a wooden spoon and cover with lid.
3. Let mixture gently simmer for 4 hours. Stir every half hour to make sure your butter isn’t burning. If you have a thermometer, check to make sure the temperature doesn’t reach above 180°F.
4. After 4 hours, strain with a cheesecloth or metal strainer into a container. Let the butter cool to room temperature. Use immediately or keep in refrigerator or freezer.
Bacon Canna-Grease
This might be the most exciting thing that you’re ever going to do with bacon. Which is hard to believe, because all things bacon-related are pretty damn exciting—so much so that there’s a rare cult-like type of veganism and vegetarianism that makes an exception for bacon. Whoa.
This infusion process sort of entails two steps. But I promise, it’s easy and worth it, because each involves you eating bacon in some form. You can use bacon canna-grease to roast potatoes, bake cornbread, cook mac and cheese, or make just about anything your fatty little heart desires. This can keep up to about one month in the refrigerator, or three months in the freezer.
Time: 20 minutes Potency per serving: 1.5 mg per tablespoon of grease/1 to 5 mg per slice Yield: 5 to 8 tablespoons of canna-grease; 8 to 14 slices
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
1 packet (8 to 14 pieces) thick-cut bacon
¼ ounce decarboxylated cannabis material (page 36)
oven
cookie sheet
mortar and pestle
salt shaker
glass jar or container
WHAT TO DO
1. Preheat your oven to 275°F and lay the bacon out on a cookie sheet.
2. Grind the decarboxylated weed into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Once it’s in powder form, put into a salt shaker or some sort of container that allows you to evenly shake out the weed.
3. Evenly sprinkle about half of the weed onto your pieces of bacon. Bake for 10 minutes, and flip over to sprinkle the remaining cannabis material onto the other sides of bacon. Bake for another 10 minutes.
4. Once your pan has cooled, strain the bacon, allowing the grease to collect in the pan. Strain the fat into a glass jar or container.
Suggested Additional Infusion Herbs and Roots
When infusing weed, especially with the slow cooker and sous vide method, you can add an herb or root of choice if you’re looking for some added flavor profiles. Here are a few I like to include during infusion (individually, or paired to your liking).
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Chives
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Mint
• Oregano
• Peppercorns
• Turmeric
Simply add a desired amount of herbs or roots to your butter before you begin the infusion process, and strain them out when you strain the weed.
Chapter Four
Cannabutters and Oils
Everybody’s got choices when it comes to cooking. However, the flavor and smoking point of your oil means a lot. Coming from a West African background, I like to stick to mostly coconut or sunflower oil in the kitchen. When it comes to Italian foods and some sauces, olive oil is best. And when you want that buttery biscuit, you better use butter (or lard, if you’re from the South). Here, I break down the many uses of my favorite cooking oils and what to choose when incorporating weed into your infusion or meal.
Classic Cannabutter
Butter has a bad rap and weed butter has swooped in to save its name. Despite having been demonized in the past, butter (especially from grass-fed cows) is actually pretty healthy. Cannabutter, a.k.a. weed butter, can go with almost everything, but I find that it complements baked goods, pastas, and rice dishes the best. Use a little or as much as you want to get the kind of relief or experience you desire.
Vegan Cannabutter, Margarine, and Ghee
Use vegan weed butter and margarine the same as you would regular butter. Add a slab onto pancakes, or even rice, for a creamier and more complex flavor. Ghee, essentially clarified butter (see page 38), is in a class of its own. It’s been recently hyped up by Westerners for its nuttier fl
avor—this is after 30 years of shaming it for its high fat contents. Ghee, originally from the Indian subcontinent, loosely translates to “sprinkle” in Sanskrit. So sprinkle, or spread, it on anything you want, or anything that calls for butter. And since ghee separates milk from fat, it’s essentially lactose-free, making it better than butter if you have to avoid dairy products.
Cannabis-Infused Sunflower, Grapeseed, and Canola Oils
Sunflower oil is the high-heat priestess, with a super-high smoking point of 440°F. It’s followed by grapeseed oil at 420°F (this is a coincidence), and canola at a cool 400°F—which isn’t cool at all. These types of oils are perfect to use for stir fries and fried dishes. Sunflower oil contains a small amount of pollen, which boosts its nutritional and THC-binding qualities.
Cannabis-Infused Coconut Oil
I love coconut oil. I use it topically on my skin and I cook with it. With nearly 86 percent of it containing healthy saturated fats, it’s both a healthy and vegan option. Coconut oil has a burning point of about 350°F, so feel free to sauté with it, but do not fry with it. Swap it for butter in sweet or savory dishes. It’s great for soups, stews, and baking.
Cannabis-Infused Avocado Seed Oil
Like the oil of the gods, goddesses, and other deities, avocado seed oil cures everything with a luxurious edge. Drizzle cannabis-infused avocado oil on toast, rice, or fish. Use it on your face for sun damage, psoriasis, or acne. Slather it on your hair as a hot-oil treatment to deeply moisturize afros and locks. Unrefined, cold-pressed, extravirgin avocado oil is best, as it’s known to be packed with vitamins B and C and to contribute to the prevention of heart disease and cancer.
Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil
Olive oil has made its way into our hearts and bellies for centuries. It’s the best canna oil for salad dressings, drizzling over soups (hot and cold), prepared food, pasta, sauces, or even your skin. It’s exceptionally high in oleic acid, which is known to burn fat, assist with weight loss, and help reduce high blood pressure. Olive oil also contains many antioxidants, including vitamin E, carotenoids, and oleuropein.
Chapter Five
Wake and Bake: Low-Dose Breakfasts
Morning Medicated Fruit Bowl
I’m one of those people who needs a couple hours in the morning before diving into a big breakfast. I recall dreadful moments as a child where I had to eat toast and oatmeal with a glass each of orange juice and milk in the morning. As I write this, I imagine all of those things curdling inside of my stomach. While I’m lucky to have been fed before school, it’s made me become a grown woman who prefers a breakfast that is light, yet nutritious. The added wake and bake benefit doesn’t hurt either. This medicated fruit bowl is healthy, pretty, and easy to make. Use any berries you’d like, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. What’s more, it’s packed with enough energy to keep you full and focused throughout the morning, with a healthy dose of THC to chill you the *bleep* out before tackling a potentially stressful day.
Time: 5 minutes Potency per serving: 15 mg Yield: 2 servings
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
1½ cups plain yogurt
1 teaspoon cannabis-infused coconut oil, or as desired
1 tablespoon chia seeds, nuts, or granola
1 handful berries
½ banana, sliced, optional
WHAT TO DO
1. Spoon out your yogurt into a bowl, mason jar, or large cup. Add your desired amount of cannabis-infused coconut oil.
2. Whip gently with a spoon or fork until evenly mixed. Mix in any seeds, nuts, or granola.
3. Top with berries and banana, if using, and enjoy!
Easy Cheese Cannabis Spinach Frittata
The word “frittata” always seems fancy, but really, it’s just a large omelet that you never have to flip—or is it a quiche without a pie crust? Either way, it’s one of the simplest breakfast dishes that can “wow” anyone. Feel free to stick to the recipe and use the ingredients below, or add whatever vegetables or cheeses that are already hanging out in your refrigerator—I used queso Oaxaca in this recipe. Into something more meaty? Add bacon, leftover sausage, or chorizo. You literally can’t really go wrong with a frittata.
Time: 25 minutes Potency per serving: 3 mg Yield: 5 servings
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
½ medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup spinach or other leafy greens
5 eggs
½ cup milk, dairy or nondairy
1 small tomato, sliced
1 teaspoon cannabutter or cannabis-infused olive oil
½ cup grated melting cheese
salt and black pepper, to taste
WHAT TO DO
1. In a medium pan over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes, letting them cook until transparent and your kitchen smells like heaven.
2. Add cannabutter or cannabis-infused olive oil and spinach or other green leafy vegetables and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Whisk the eggs with milk and pour evenly over the veggies.
4. Spread the cheese over the eggs like it’s a pizza, placing the sliced tomatoes similarly.
5. Cover the eggs with a lid or plate for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat, or longer if you like your eggs extra crispy at the bottom. The eggs will puff up, signifying that they’re done.
6. Remove the lid, slice into six slices, and enjoy!
Simple Stoney Hash Browns
Everyone loves hash browns (I hope you’re not the exception), but not everyone knows how easy they are to make from scratch. This can be dangerous, because once you do, you’re going to have them all the time. Hash browns are the staple comfort breakfast food. Luckily, because these are dosed with cannabis, you might only have them on those slow and lazy Sunday mornings.
Time: 30 minutes Potency per serving: 7.25 mg Yield: 2 servings
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
1 pound (about 3 large) potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cannabis-infused olive oil or cannabutter
salt and black pepper, to taste
WHAT TO DO
1. Shred the potatoes with a cheese grater. Be careful with your fingers. The bigger the potatoes you use, the better. Once grated, season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Add the olive oil and cannabis-infused olive oil or cannabutter to a medium pan or skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the shredded potatoes evenly and let them cook until you see the bottom start to become crisp, about 8 minutes.
4. Flip with a spatula. (The skillet should be greasy enough for you to do a pan flip if you wanted—trust me!)
5. Let cook for about 5 minutes, until the hash browns have reached preferred crispiness.
Fluffy Medicated Blueberry Mini-Cakes
I know what you’re thinking—really Mennlay, weed in pancakes? Yes and let me tell you why. These fluffy, buttery, and maybe a little too rich pancakes will be a weekend game changer. These are not everyday pancakes so save it for a special Saturday homemade brunch with your best friends. Or maybe a sleepy Saturday treat after a long week of work. Just try them and you’ll see what I’m talking about. I made a blueberry sauce with the leftover blueberries, but feel free to keep it old school with maple syrup or agave nectar.
Time: 30 minutes Potency per serving: 2.5 mg per pancake Yield: 12 pancakes
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
2 cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter, plus more for greasing
2 teaspoons cannabutter or cannabis-infused canola oil
4 eggs
2 cups cream or yogurt
2 cups fresh blueberries
WHAT TO DO
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sug
ar, and salt.
2. In a small saucepan, melt 1 teaspoon of plain butter plus the cannabutter or cannabis-infused canola oil over low heat just until they become a liquid, not letting them boil.
3. Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients. Gently mix with a spatula.
4. Add the eggs and cream or yogurt, and beat gently until the mixture is free of clumps. The batter should be wet, but not too watery.
5. Add half of the blueberries and gently mix, being sure to not crush them.
6. Place a large skillet over medium heat and grease with a generous amount of butter so the pancakes cook without sticking.
7. Using an ice cream scoop or measuring cup with a spout, pour out your disks of pancakes. They should be 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
8. Cook until you see small bubbles/holes, about 2 minutes, then flip. Cook for another 2 minutes. Continue until batter is done.
9. To make the blueberry sauce, mix the remaining blueberries with water and heat in a saucepan until a sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Elevated Avocado Toast
Before you roll your eyes at this millennial snack, know that I’m an elder millennial who lives in Mexico—how could I not add this recipe into the mix? Enjoy as a breakfast or snack that is packed with vitamins B and C and all the good fats, and it has a nice drizzle of cannabis avocado or olive oil for extra goodness. This is a perfect edible for on the go, a nice mellow morning vibe, or a snack to help with any ailments or pain from the day.
Time: 3 minutes Potency per serving: 14.5 mg Yield: 1 serving
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
1 avocado
2 slices of bread, toasted
The Art of Weed Butter Page 5