Yields about 5 cups.
This low-tech, low-stress method of infusing oil requires just the simple physical effort of using a potato masher to press sugar leaves into water and oil. This process of simmering the cannabis in water softens the plant material, making it easier to strain later, and pulls out chlorophyll and terpenes that can mess with the oil’s flavor and color. Cannabis flowers make for a stronger oil and sugar leaves for milder fare. Andie Leon of The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook infuses her favorite cultivars, Sour Diesel and Kryptonite, when she can find them grown organically, but it’s more important to her that the cannabis be organic.
Make no mistake; this oil is potent. A little goes a long way.
Ingredients
- 1 cup spring water
- 8–10 ounces organic cannabis trim, finely ground
- 5 cups organic coconut, grapeseed, or extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cheesecloth
- Airtight glass jar
Directions
- In a large pot, combine cannabis and water.
- Over very low heat, press down on cannabis with a potato masher to extract a dark brown liquid. Simmer until water evaporates, about 5 minutes maximum.
- Add oil and simmer at very low temperature for 4–5 hours.
- Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place over a bowl, wide-mouth jar, or measuring cup. Twist cannabis with cheesecloth, squeezing out every last drop of oil. Compost cannabis solids.
- Transfer oil to a clean clear or dark bottle or jar with a lid or cork. Label with the type of oil and date. Store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
