Beginner Infusion Technique: Mason Jar
Easiest, fool-proof method. All you need is a mason jar and an oven.
By Christina Wong
Photo Credit - The Clever Root
For beginners, I recommend the mason jar method as the easiest fool-proof process. It keeps the cannabis smell at a minimum, and doesn’t require you stirring over a stove for 4 hours. If you have a mason jar, and an oven that goes down to 170°F you can do this at home. The entire process takes ~4 hours, not including brownie baking time.
RECIPE REFERENCE: To help illustrate the directions, the amount of cannabis flower (grams) and oil (U.S. cup) referenced below is exactly the amount needed to make Low-Dose 5mg Pot Brownies. Ready? Let’s go!
STEP 1: Gather Materials
Choice of Oil (vegetable, coconut, ghee)
Glass mason jar for Infusing
1 box of store-bought brownie mix, makes 9 large brownies in a square 8”x8” or 9”x9” pan
Cannabis flower (0.25g of dried flower with ~20-25% THC / quarter-sized amount)
STEP 2: Decarboxylate / Activate THC from Cannabis Flower
OK you’ve got flower, now what? Before infusing, you must do something called “decarb,” which is short for “decarboxylate,” the flower to activate the THC.
Decarb / Decarboxylate / Activate means heating the flower to a specific temperature between 240°F and 295°F to convert the THCa molecule to THC.
Preheat the oven to 240°F.
Place coarsely crumbled flower in a small pint-sized mason jar and seal with a metal lid and ring.
Place the mason jar on a baking sheet in the oven for 60 minutes.
Using oven mitts, shake the mason jar every 20 minutes to evenly heat all the flower.
After 60 minutes, remove from the oven and place on a heat-safe surface to cool until safe to handle. The crumbled flower should and smell lightly toasted.
STEP 3: Infuse Cannabis into Oil
This is the exciting part where we get the weed into the food.
Decrease the oven temperature to 170°F.
Pour ½ cup oil into the mason jar with the decarbed flower. Shake lightly to mix evenly.
Place the jar into the oven on a baking sheet and bake at 170°F for 2-3 hours.
Remove from the oven when done and cool to room temperature.
Store your infusion in a cool, dark place, or refrigerated, until ready to use in your recipe.
STEP 4: Make Pot Brownies
When cooking and baking with THC-infused oil, you’ll want to reduce the baking temperature to 340°F to prevent THC burnoff. THC will start to degrade when heated above that temperature.
Follow the instructions on the back of your brownie box mix.
Set the oven temperature to 340°F and increase baking time to compensate for the lower temperature.
Spray an 8 by 8-inch or 9 by 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a sheet of parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together brownie mix, other ingredients listed (eggs + water), and 1/2 cup of cannabis infused oil until well-combined and no dry brownie mix streaks remain.
Pour the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the brownies are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 35 minutes if you’re using a metal pan, a glass pan will need to bake longer.
Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting and serving. Sprinkle flaky salt on top of the brownies for an added sweet and salty crunch.
Store in an airtight container.
