Should You Wash Cannabutter for Better Tasting Edibles?

Generally speaking, the edibles you purchase from a reputable dispensary or online store taste great. Whether you want hash brownies or THC gummies, you can expect a pleasant flavor. However, when you create edibles at home using cannabutter, the process doesn’t always go smoothly.  Inexperienced cannabis bakers, in particular, find that homemade edibles fall far short of store-bought standards.

The main issue relates to the cannabutter itself. Sometimes, you’ll find that your creation is green, has a gritty texture, and tastes awful. Fortunately, the process of washing your cannabutter can solve many of these texture and flavor problems. Let’s find out more.

Why Do My Homemade Edibles Taste Horrible?

The most likely reason is due to the marijuana you use to create the cannabutter. Cannabis contains salts, chlorophyll, and other inert compounds that are absorbed into the butter. The result is an unpleasant tasting product.

Fortunately, it is relatively easy to wash out the bad-tasting material from your cannabutter. THC isn’t water-soluble, so your edibles won’t lose their potency as long as you’re careful with the temperature range.

However, it’s inadvisable to add water to your butter until you’ve already strained out the cannabis. Otherwise, you’ll restrict the THC absorption process, leading to more salts, chlorophyll, and other unpleasant things absorbing in the butter.

How to Wash Your Cannabutter

Here’s an easy step-by-step guide to washing your cannabutter.

1. Melt your cannabutter in a pot and ensure the mixture doesn’t go above a maximum temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal range is between 212 and 230 degrees.
2. Add the same amount of water to the pot as its cannabutter content. For instance, if you have 400ml of cannabutter when it is melted, add 400ml of water. Stir for a minimum of 30 seconds to remove the unwanted material.
3. Place the melted mixture into the fridge until the water has separated from the butter and the butter is solid. Don’t make the mistake of placing the mixture in the freezer to try and speed up the process. All you’ll succeed in doing is ruining the consistency of the cannabutter.
4. Once the butter is fully cooled, you’ll notice it floating on top of the water. Drain the water, and benefit from delicious and clean cannabutter.

While washing your cannabutter can help the taste and potency, going through several cycles can damage its quality.

You can repeat the above steps as many times as you like until you get the desired taste. After the first attempt, you’ll probably find that the butter has a lighter texture and flavor. Put it through another cycle, and it may become harder and perhaps have a slightly nutty flavor.

The cannabutter also has a higher THC potency when you wash it a couple of times. That said, don’t overdo it by washing your cannabutter multiple times. With too many wash cycles, the quality of the butter deteriorates.

Why Not Clean Your Cannabis Before Cooking?

There is another way to enjoy clean-tasting edibles. You can ‘wash’ your marijuana before you even make the cannabutter. When you try to make it with unwashed plant matter, the process involves adding butter, oil, and water. Then you allow the mixture to simmer. However, this process adds burned terpenes, flavonoids, and chlorophyll to the mix.

It is often said that getting your marijuana wet is a bad idea. However, you MUST expose it to water if you want to clean it.

Bear in mind that flavonoids, terpenes, and chlorophyll tend to burn off between 100 and 212 degrees. They leave behind a nasty burnt taste. This is why you get the same ‘weed’ taste regardless of the strain you use in your cannabutter. The process of cleaning your marijuana flower eliminates this problem and gives you fresher-tasting cannabutter. Here’s how you do it in a step-by-step fashion.

Clean & Blanch Your Cannabis

1. Weigh your buds, break them apart and place the stems and pieces in a French press.
2. Soak the material for up to three days, making sure you change the water twice a day.
3. Press the plunger up and down to ‘agitate’ the material. Change the water if you see any bubbles during this process.
4. Once the water runs clear, move the buds to a tea strainer.
5. Place the strainer in boiling water for approximately five minutes.
6. Immediately transfer it to a bowl of ice water for 60 seconds. This ‘shocks’ the marijuana and marks the end of the cleaning process.

Drying & Decarboxylating Your Marijuana

1. Begin the drying and decarboxylation process of removing excess moisture from the bud by using a salad spinner to spin out the water.
2. Break the buds apart, and place them in an oven that’s preheated to 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Tightly cover the buds with foil to reduce the marijuana scent, and leave it in the oven for an hour.
4. Let it remain in the oven for an additional five minutes when the time is up. This ensures that any steam inside settles.
5. Once you remove the foil, make sure the bud is totally dry. Allowing any residual moisture to remain will leave an herbal taste in your cannabutter. If the plant matter isn’t fully dry, cover it with a paper towel and leave it at room temperature overnight.

Infusing Your Cannabis

Weigh your buds again once they are cleaned and decarbed. You’ll notice that they are significantly lighter. What was once 14 grams will likely weigh 6-10 grams now. Calculate the potency of your cannabutter by noting the weight of the bud and its THC percentage. Now, it is time to make your edibles!

1. Pick the fat you want to infuse with cannabis. For best results, choose a high-fat oil (like coconut oil) or butter.
2. Put the clean bud into a French press and add the fat. If you’re using a solid oil or butter, melt it first.
3. Push the plunger down to the top of the oil line and immerse the press into a pot of water. Slowly bring the water to a boil.
4. Allow the bud to steep in the oil for four hours or in butter for three hours.
5. Finally, push the plunger down the full way and put the cannabutter into a storage container. Refrigerate and enjoy! You can keep it in the fridge for up to two months.

Final Thoughts on Washing Cannabutter

Whether you want to wash your cannabutter is a matter of personal preference. However, those who go through the process enjoy the fresh taste and say it massively improves their enjoyment of edibles.

It is a relatively simple process that requires little more than your cannabutter, water, heat, and a little patience. If you have a French press, it is worth trying to clean your marijuana buds before creating cannabutter. Doing so removes the bitter-tasting compounds that can otherwise make your edibles taste unpleasant.