Decarboxylate(ing)

Decarbing is very important! Helps it bind with the lipids easier and that means it's more potent. 240
For 40 mins is the best time according to other posters. I've used 230 and 235 with good results as well. If you cannabis is older don't decarb as long unless you want to sink into the couch like the anti weed commercials. Cheers

 

If you don't decarboxylate, bottom line is you're throwing away money! You can get more than 10 servings per GRAM of herb so an eighth could be turned into 3 dozen brownies


To give you an idea of what works, I've used 275 F for 15 minutes, 250 for 25, and 212 F for 3-4 hours. The time stretches way out at lower temps.


Another way you can decarboxylate at very low temps (212 F) is to put the bud in sealed jars or containers that are suspended above boiling water in a covered canning pot . I have good results leaving the bud in the jars for 3-4 hrs. The advantage of this method is lower smell compared to the oven method.


Since the temperature is low, more terpenes which would otherwise have evaporated are maintained. And the lower the temps, the more margin of error you have if you misjudge the time.



To give you an idea of what works, I've used 275 F for 15 minutes, 250 for 25, and 212 F for 3-4 hours. The time stretches way out at lower temps. All of the above are effective at converting THCA to THC to give your edibles maximum effectiveness.


There are two ways to tell if you've gotten it right. If you're like me you save a small nug at least from your edible batch to smoke. Compared to the uncooked nugget, the buds should have turned to a more toasted tobacco brown color, but just barely.


The other clue is the aroma. Before being put in the oven, your weed still had all the pleasant terpenes that give each strain their distinct smell. After a proper decarboxylation the floral, pine, and astringent odors are replaced by medicinal, funky ones. It's not as good for sure, but a sign that you've succeeded!

 

I agree decarbing is a very important step a lot of people don't do. Although with the brownies you described, I would probably have to eat 3 or 4 for decent effects as my edible tolerance seems to be pretty high.

 

If you are reading a recipe that doesn't recommend to decarb, it's a bad recipe and you should follow a different recipe. It's that simple.

 

You're right in having to take three or four to get a powerful effect. Even so, when making capsules, I shoot for having 1/10th of a gram per serving. It makes it easy to dial in the effects, depending on what I'm trying to achieve.


.1 gm Good to do pretty much anything, while still feeling slightly medicated
.2 gm: This is a good level, you're feeling high but still feel comfortable in all situations
.3 gm: Staying home and chilling out, very high but not panicky
.4 gm: This is about the max I would ever take at once, but it is really too much. Any more and the effects are unpredictable.
.5+ gm: To be avoided unless you want to take a 4 - 6 roller coaster ride of THC induced panic, crawling on the floor, tachycardia, visual, auditory, and sensory distortions.


IF the decarboxylation is done correctly, you can get 3-10 servings per gram of bud, of course depending on the dose strength you want. I rarely smoke any more, and my lungs and sinuses appreciate it.