How To Decarboxylate Hemp Using The Mason Jar Method
Learn how to decarboxylate hemp to activate CBD for the perfect infused recipes.
Before we begin, I’d like to mention that raw cannabis from the root to flower, to seed, leaf, and stem – the entire plant in its natural state is amazing medicine and can play a role in keeping us well.
The one thing that defines whether you are using hemp or its more potent form is the level of THC present in the cannabis plant.
In order to be considered legal hemp in the US, it must contain less than .3% THC. That’s it… So yes, hemp/cannabis – same beautiful flowers, just more or less psychoactive.
Now, there are many methods to follow, anyone can experiment to find what’s best for their kitchen, but the mason jar method is the one I’ve found to contain most of the odor.
The Mason Jar Method
NOTE: *length of time for hemp/CBD is a bit longer than for cannabis/THC activation.
For This Method You’ll Need:
- mason jar with lid
- 7-28g raw cannabis (modify the amount to your needs)
- grinder (or do it by hand)
How To Decarb:
- Grind or hand-break your favorite cannabis strain into a mason jar.
- Place a lid on the jar and place it in the oven for 60-90 minutes at around 220-245°F (105-120°C).
- Remove the jar from the oven and allow the jar to cool down and the material to settle before opening the lid.
- Decarbed cannabis should be able to crumble easily with fingers and have a brownish color and strong smell.
TIP: *A homemade foil pack, covered baking sheet, or pyrex dish can also substitute for a mason jar.
What Exactly Is Decarboxylation?
In simple terms, decarboxylation is the process of heating up cannabis/hemp to a specific temperature over a certain amount of time to activate the THCA or CBDA compounds into their active forms of THC and CBD.
Raw cannabis is automatically decarboxylated when smoking because of the intense heat from combustion. However, when you’re speaking of medicinal benefits, that flame and cherry can damage or burn out some of the other supporting cannabinoids in the process. It can also happen slowly and gradually over time.
When infusing recipes, you may want to take the extra step of decarboxylation first if you want the activated form of your meds to be present.
Although raw cannabinoids have their own special qualities, without decarbing, the infusion first, THCA and CBDA will likely remain in their inactive acid states. This also means that THCA will not produce the same psychoactive effects as when THC is active.