3 Ways to Decarboxylate Cannabis With a Mason Jar for Edible Weed Infusions

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Are you looking to make your first weed butter, cannabis oil or THC and CBD infusion? Well first it’s best you learn to decarboxylate cannabis with a mason jar. We welcome you with open arms on your adventure! Come learn how to decarb cannabis with a mason jar.

Creating edible cannabis infusions is rewarding in more ways than one.

By now, you’ve probably noticed most ‘How to make weed butter’ recipes call for decarboxylating your cannabis.

Every time I type the word decarboxylate I still think it’s made up – and perhaps it is. So no worries if it sounds overly technical. It’s not difficult and is an essential step to making weed butters and oils.

There is a great cannabis cultural debate about the need for decarboxing (aka. decarb) your weed. A tale as old as time.

We are pro-decarbing at BeTheHippy. Mostly because we find it helps us with consistency in our recipes. Also, we just love cooking and we always go the extra mile.

Why Do We Decarb Weed for Butter

Decarboxylation is a necessary step for us to enjoy the psychoactive effects of the cannabinoids we consume.

Have you ever noticed the ‘A’ in THCA or CBDA on your labels? Probably never gave it too much thought because at that point, the cannabinoid has taken effect.

The ‘A’ in the cannabinoids stands for Acid – this is the inactive state of your cannabinoid. If you don’t convert the THCA to a THC, you’ll never feel the good times flowing.

So, how does one convert the THCA to a simple THC?

Welp, decarboxylate your marijuana my friend!

Yup, that’s one of the reasons you hear about it so often. Without this step, your Endocannabinoid Systems receptors will never reap the benefits of this nutritional plant.

Why Use a Mason Jar to Decarboxylate for Cannabis Butter

The smell my friends! We love using the mason jar technique primarily for the reduction of smell.

If you live in an urban area or an apartment complex, this becomes an essential “ingredient” to your cannabis infusions.

Also, we find we get a good consistent heating when using these methods. The end product is just better in our opinion.

So we have three ways we like to decarboxylate our hemp, marijuana and cannabis plants (yeah, they are all the same but we like keywords) with a mason jar.

  • Mason jar in the oven
  • Mason jar in a pot of water
  • Mason jar in an Instant Pot – crazy right?

Use an Oven and Your Mason Jar to Decarb

Mason Jar Cannabis Decarboxylate
Jesse Milns/Leafly

One of our preferred methods for decarbing our cannabis for edibles. We love the consistency. We love the limited chance of accidentally burning your cannabis. We very much love the limited odor that comes from this method.

Living in a complex in a busy city forces us to find creative way to make our edibles without telling the neighbors we are a bunch of hippies.

Equipment and Ingredients

  • 1/2 ounce Cannabis
  • Mason jar with lid
  • Baking tray
  • Kitchen towel
  • Oven glove
  • Grinder

Instructions

  • Set your oven between 220 and 240 degrees Fahrenheit with a middle positioned rack.
  • Break or grind up the cannabis to about the size of a grain of rice. Put it into the mason jar and lightly screw on the lid.
  • Wet the kitchen so it’s nice and damp and and fold it twice. Lay it over the baking sheet then put the mason jar on the towel. The damp towel will help anchor the jar and reduce scorching from directly touching the baking sheet.
  • Place the baking tray in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 60 minutes. Every 15 minutes, carefully remove the mason jar from the oven with the oven gloves and give it a gentle shake to disperse the cannabis evenly.
  • Remove the jar from the oven after 60 minutes, and let cool for 30 minutes before storing or cooking.

How to Use a Pot of Water to Decarboxylate your Cannabis

Doible Boiler Mason Jar Cannabis Infused Decaboxylate
Sensiseed.com

Using a mason jar with a pot of water to make cannabis infused edibles is similar to using a double boiler, except without the smell.

The trick here is to make sure you get the right amount of water to heat the mason jar but also keeping the mason jar from floating around.

We will sometimes add protection to the bottom of the pot to keep the heat from directly touching the jar. Either a small metal rack or a towel submerged into the water works for this trick.

Note: Make sure you place the mason jar with cannabis in the water before you begin to heat it. This will limit the chance of cracking the jar and help slowly and evenly decarboxylate your cannabis.

Equipment and Ingredients

  • 1/2 ounce Cannabis
  • Mason jar with lid
  • Pot with boiling water
  • Kitchen towel or wire rack
  • Oven glove
  • Grinder

Instructions

  • Break up the cannabis to about the size of a grain of rice. Put it into the mason jar and lightly screw on the lid.
  • Fill a pot around the halfway mark with water. Place on the stove top on low to medium heat. Make sure the height of the water level is not going to cover over the jar.
  • Place the jar in the pot of water before it heats up. Note that boiling water is between 200 – 215 (depending on altitude) which is the perfect temp to avoid burning off the cannabinoids
  • Bring the water to a low simmer with the jar in place for up to 90 min. Do not let the water evaporate while decarbing.
  • Remove the jar from the pot after 60 – 90 minutes, and let cool for 30 minutes before storing or cooking.


Decarb Cannabis with a Mason Jar in an Instant Pot

Decarboxylate-Mason-Jar-Instant-Pot
Action 2 News

Technology is fun and we love our Instant Pot! Should have gotten the biggest one for how much we use this for cooking after a busy day.

Using the pressure cooker to decarboxylate your weed for edibles is quick, easy and limits the odor. Could barely even tell we were activating our cannabis.

This method is very similar to using a pot of water or even a double boiler, but it cuts the time in half.

Note: Make sure you have a solid mason jar for this to avoid cracking in the Instant Pot. Leave the lid loose as well. Pressure can build within the jar and it’s not as easy to “burp” the mason jar in the instant pot.

Equipment and Ingredients

  • 1/2 ounce Cannabis
  • Mason jar with lid
  • Instant Pot with water
  • Wire rack for Instant Pot
  • Oven glove
  • Grinder

Instructions

  • Break up the cannabis to about the size of a grain of rice. Put it into the mason jar and lightly screw on the lid.
  • Place the jar in the Instant Pot and fill to around the halfway mark of the jar with water. Make sure the height of the water level doesn’t cause the jar to float.
  • Close the lid and seal to the pressure cooker and set on high for 40 minutes.
  • Release the pressure manually when the cycle is complete. (Careful! The steam will be hot.)
  • Remove the jar from the Instant Pot , and let cool for 30 minutes before storing or cooking.

Disclaimer: this information is not medical advice and is purely for entertainment and education purposes. In no way do we condone the use of cannabis or it’s bi-products without the consent of your medical professional as well as abiding by your state and country laws.

bethehippy

Your no-nonsense, sometimes witty, cannabis knowledgeable hippy from the Midwest, hanging around Chicago these days. Learning the ins and outs of the cannabis world while learning to blog. In hopes that our lives become a little more… relaxed.

This Post Has 51 Comments

  1. Michael

    So, i’m an old stoner from the 70’s and want to help my lungs heal by switching to edibles and tinctures instead. I’ve researched just about every article on decarbing and was wondering if the oven method could be done in a convection oven (circulates hot air). Mine takes a few minutes to reach the desired temperature but it can be set using its digital display up to 500 deg F. My question when using the convection oven would be how much longer should I leave the jar in the oven and since the usual baking temperature is typically 25 degrees F less than given in most recipies, should I do the same with the decarbing temperature?

  2. Storm

    I use the decarb in water method. It works perfectly. After the decarb, I put the oil in the same jar and infuse for 30ish minutes again in the water bath. I use a very low boil for the water. Water boils at 212 degrees and prime decarbing is at about 220 to 225 so a slow boil works perfectly. Strain and its ready to use. Easy peasy and no smell, until you open the jar 🤣

  3. Rob

    Is there a “cold” method for evaporating the alcohol?

  4. Lori McGinn

    I have always decarbed my weed on a pan, no jar. I will try this. I never make butter from the weed, I just throw the ground decarbed (coffee grinder) into my cookies or brownies. Cutting a whole step. My edibles are very strong. Also, I do make canna butter in a small crock pot, I use that in coffee and on crackers. I also get little capsules to fill with very fine ground decarbed pot. I use that as a sleep aid, or pain relief.

  5. OB

    I followed the oven method. No stink. But tbh the plant material looks the same and even still smells wicked pungent. How do you know when it’s properly decarbed?

    1. Jimmy Burds

      It will have more of a brownish tint to it,atleast it has in my experiences

  6. Larry Ohgee

    When decarboxylating flower do the terpenes of a sativa or indica get lost? My question does strain really matter when making a tincture or butter or are you basically going to get thc activated and not feel the difference between indica or sativa as you would when smoking, vaping etc?

  7. aigy

    I haven’t yet found a ratio of herb to oil. Any leads on that for me?
    First time decarbing. Rare smoker. Hoping the edibles to be a smoother experience. Chronic pain is a bitch.

  8. Effie

    How lightly are we wetting this towel? Like get it all wet and ring it out or just put a little on it?

    1. bethehippy

      We like to get it wet and ring it out. Don’t want it sloppy dripping wet. Just wanna make sure we have no dry spots on the towel.

      Stay groovy!

  9. joe

    I ground my leaves to a powder, then thought I should decarb first? I never decarb before and it always works, but I would like to try – would it be ok to decarb powdered weed with mason jars in boiling water? Would the heat kill it if it’a all powder? Thanks!!

    1. DAW

      I would like the answer to that also. I ground mine into a powder too. Was that a mistake?

  10. Brenda H.

    Hi there this is my first time here, Im an old girl from the 70s and all these new ways to do you pot is a bit confusing for me, i am wondering if i take 28g of trim and 2c of MCT oil can I decarb and infuse in mason jar in my instant pot at the same time or do i need to decarb first and add oil later then put into inst. pot?

    1. bethehippy

      Welcome Brenda! Happy to have you.
      The ole decarb debate as old as time they say (and by they… I mean us). The purest would say you MUST decarb. But to be honest, people do find success in mixing the decarb step with the infusion step. There is no real reason you can’t do it, especially if it makes your life a little easier. You may not extract all the cannabinoid-goodness, but you will still be able to get a good portion without decarbing first. We would suggest infusing for a bit longer if you go this route, just to make sure you get as much as you can.
      As usual, give it a try and see if it works for you. We are all about experimenting here.
      Stay groovy out there!

      1. Amy

        I’m wondering this myself. Does the decarb have to be a dry heat, or can you decarb in oil in the pressure canner for the recommended time?

  11. Tim

    My husband suggested we smoke some of the decarbed pot. OMG, it was so much better!

  12. Beverly

    Can i reuse the same mason jars over and over, or should I use a new jar each time?

    1. Robert

      Reuse. Mason jars at certain stores times of the year are like gold.

  13. Michael

    Nice article !

    Cheers

  14. Ivyscissor

    Hi. Can I use these methods to Decarb when making a tincture? Or are these methods specifically for using when making butter or edibles?

    1. bethehippy

      You can for sure use these methods to decarb for any infusion method. Go ahead and pick which decarb makes most sense for you and then go ahead and make that tincture.

      Stay groovy!

  15. Julie

    Hello. Can you put 2 mason jars, with loose lids, in the Instant Pot at one time (with 1/2 Oz in each)?

    1. bethehippy

      Shouldn’t be an issue. Let us know how it works out!

    2. Dale

      Did you have a problems. I was told the jars can’t touch.

  16. HoodooHippie

    Back in the 70s I used to sautee my weed.. in fact usually used ditch weed… in butter for about 30 minutes. That was before anyone cared about the smell. Haha! I would just add all of the butter and sauteed weed to my brownie mix. They were pretty fudgy and very earthy… they were also very effective! Oh, the good ol” days.

    1. bethehippy

      You truly are a Hippie my friend! How the times have changed indeed.

      Stay groovy!

    2. Smith Penny

      Please explain how you do this. I have a friend in extreme pain. Malignant rectal tumour..I have cannabis growing here. I need to know how you did yours as it sounds like something that could help him

  17. David Huggins

    Does weed decant itself when smoked from the pipe or rolled????

    1. bethehippy

      Hey there David,

      I assume we mean decarb and not decant (as we are not drinking wine in this one – which is rare for us :)? Yes, lighting up a bowl, pipe, blunt or joint “decarbs” the cannabinoids when the flame hits. We are just using heat to activate the cannabinoids on the leaves.

      Stay groovy

  18. Eileen

    I have been using your mason jar in the oven technique and it works very well. Is there any reason to leave the lid on (or to take it off, for that matter) after I take it out of the oven to cool? I typically decarb one day and then make butter the following day.

    Thank you! This has been so helpful.

    1. bethehippy

      Hey there Eileen! Glad it’s working for you and thanks for coming to hang out. No difference either way, I tend to just unscrew the lid to let it cool a little quicker. If I’m afraid of the smell, sometimes I’ll leave the lid on. Otherwise, it’s personal preference I believe.
      Light up, breath out and stay groovy!

  19. Jennyduzit

    Hi, if I’m only using 3.5 grams should the amount of boil time be less?

    1. bethehippy

      Nope. We stick to the same time no matter the amount of product. Activating the cannabinoids would only need more time if they were jammed into a jar and the heat wasn’t evenly distributed. This is why with some techniques, we suggest gently “shaking” the jar to mix them up to get that even heat.

      Thanks for asking.
      Light up, breath out and stay groovy!

    2. Ruthann

      Good question. I am awaiting my half oz to cool. Made sure to followed precisely. Going in for crockpot method next. I have a MBM, also but I am just not always satisfied. So it time to explore!!!

  20. Heather

    Hi,
    I’m newer to cannabis in general, but I find it helps sleep and seizures. What type of weeds do you buy
    to make indica or sativa. I only eat edibles. Will decarbing/ cooking with it be cheaper than edibles at tge dispensatory? Thabnks in advancem

  21. Ashley

    Hey there, I’m making cannabutter for the first time in a crock pot and I completely skipped the Decarboxylate step. I’m wondering if the final product will still be good to consume (get me high)?

    1. bethehippy

      Hey Ashley,

      Only one way to find out, give it a try :)! It’s actually a bit of controversy in the extraction world. Some say you have to decarb. Others swear by doing them together as long as enough infusion time (couple hours or more) is allowed. You should be fine, more than likely you just didn’t extract (or activate) all the Cannabinoids (THC) as you would have if you decarbed first.

      Let us know the outcome and stay groovy out there!

  22. Cap'n Dave

    I decarb and infuse in one step using a pressure cooker.
    I have done this many times and it works very well with minimal amount of fuss. I just wrap up my herb (I’ve used fresh trim very successfully) in some cheesecloth and tie up the corners to make a nice package. Place it in the pressure cooker with plenty of water and however much butter or coconut oil (half pound or so) and seal it up. Bring up to pressure and lower heat to medium and let it go for about an hour. The temperature inside will come up to about 220 degF which turns out to be a good decarbing temperature.
    After about an hour, turn off the heat and let the pressure drop normally. I then squeeze the herb package and discard it. Let the pot cool overnight in the fridge and in the morning, there will be a lovely layer of solid butter on the top. Lift it out and store. The remaining liquid can be discarded.
    I much prefer this method over regular decarbing and infusing in a pot of butter. I find the taste to be smoother and less like burnt leaves. My cookies and banana bread are delicious!
    Enjoy,

    1. bethehippy

      Far out, Cap’n Dave! Haven’t tried that method before. We’ll put it on the task list. Thanks for sharing and especially for the detailed steps!
      Stay groovy out there.

      1. KP78HippyChic

        I just accidentally did this while extracting in my pressure cooker. Had a bad seal (brand new one!) on my jar so it leaked out all my butter and sunflower lecithin…A LOT! I was horrified when I opened the lid and saw everything floating! I put it all in the fridge overnight and scraped off the top layer this morning and stored in a new jar. Could not bring myself to discard the remaining water. Took a shot and OMG. Do Not throw out the water! I’m making ice cubes for later use. lol

        1. bethehippy

          Wowza KP78! That’s how penicillin was discovered, pure accident. We’ll have to toy around with ideas for this. You should start a little business around cannabis ice cubes!
          Stay Groovy!

    2. Ida

      I save the herb and put straight into baked goods, Italian dressing, coffee grounds or smoothies. It is still good, especially if you use medicinally, just not as potent.

  23. Francine

    Does it matter what size mason jar? You indicate 1/2 oz weed, but that mason jar looks like a medium sized one.

    1. bethehippy

      I tend to use a 12 or 16 ounce mason jar depending on the amount of product I’m decarbing. I find keeping below the halfway mark of the jar is best for me, I want to make sure there is enough air to heat up in the jar. This makes it easy to “roll” the jar during the process to make sure it’s an even decarb (not a necessary step but it makes me feel better). I do it gently as to not break the trichomes.

      Hope this helps and stay groovy!

  24. Jim

    Thanks for the info!
    I’m wondering if one could decarb & infuse into oil in one step using a mason jar & the Instant Pot.
    Grind cured well dried bud, toss it into a mason jar, add oil, seal & set temp, pressure & time.
    I’ve always wondered if decarboxylating & then infusing, even if the infusions are done on low heat for a few hours, further oxidizes the cannabinoids due to the extra time to complete the 2-step process.
    Any thoughts on this?

    1. bethehippy

      Hey Jim,

      Fun question, the age ole decarb vs. non-decarb tale as old as the plant itself…

      To be honest, I’ve skipped the decarb step in my life and, yeah, it worked pretty well! Rule 1 of edibles – in our opinion – is to test it out and find what works for your endocannabinoid system. If you receive the therapeutic effects you are looking for… then have at it!

      For us, we took note from the good people at Ardent Cannabis (see test results) who have some interesting findings.

      On the other hand, infusing 1 gram of Velvet Purp flower into one ounce of coconut oil without decarbing first results in a good infusion rate BUT NOT a good decarboxylation rate. You can see in the final oil, there is only 24.38 mg of active THC per ounce of oil. The vast majority of it is still in the THCA acid form (over 165.85 mg per ounce of oil). That means that only 13% of the cannabinoids in the oil have been decarbed, with 87% still in the acid form.

      A few things to note

      1. Each cannabinoid/terpene decarbs and oxidizes at different temperatures,
      2. dry heat helps convert your CBDa into an active CBD; liquid heat may not convert it as much as extract the CBDa (which is A-OK if that’s the medicinal cannabinoid of choice)

      Hope this helps. Come back if you find any new info. New findings are showing up daily in the land of cannabis!

      Stay groovy,
      BTH

      1. Acey

        Hey decarb seems very important. I’d love to get beyond set times as ovens and methods vary. Wouldn’t it be better to compare weight before and after to get a percent reduction range? I guess water content before would be the variable that’d vex me next. I’ve seen 325 for five minutes. 220 for 60. Cook til it’s a shade of brown or lightly burnt? I’ve only myself to blame cause I’ve been doing this for years and can’t make a science out of it. Just was hoping my betters could do better.

        Thanks for the help.

      2. OldHippy68

        I decarb in the pressure cooker while making ghee on the stovetop, when the decarb finishes I then pour the ghee over the weed in the jar and back in the cooker for another 45 mins, cool to a temp that is safe to pour into your storage container after straining through cheesecloth. It makes a solid all purpose infusion. My usual ratio is 1 1/2 oz of flower, 2 g of kief to 1 3/4 lbs of ghee in a qt mason jar. My ghee chocolate chip cookies are amazing, tasty and could paralyze a Yooper moose

  25. Alena

    Great post.

  26. Kailee

    Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to this
    blog before but after going through a few of the posts I
    realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely happy I stumbled upon it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!

    1. bethehippy

      Thanks for stopping in! Glad you stumbled our way. Stay groovy!

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