How to Decarboxylate (Decarb) Cannabis

What is Decarbing (Decarboxylating)?

The word makes it all sound very confusing, but we promise it isn’t! All you need is good cannabis, heat, and time.

Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction that removes a carboxyl group and releases carbon dioxide. Cannabis flower, kief, and most concentrates contain THCA and CBDA, which won’t get us stoned. Decarboxylation, also called decarb or decarbing, removes the A and gives us THC and CBD. Those will get us high.

Our goal is to expose our weed to a low temperature and for the correct amount of time, so we don’t destroy any cannabinoids.

Be aware that using an oven or a crockpot for decarbing will make your place smell like weed. If that’s an issue, you might consider sous vide or a decarb/infusion machine.

How to Decarb Cannabis with a Home Oven

Oven temperature and temperature fluctuation are important. We highly recommend that you pre-heat your oven for a full 45 minutes to an hour to make sure it’s nice and toasty in there without the heating element coming on a lot. Use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven’s actual temperature is what you set it to. For example, my crappy oven cooks around 50 degrees higher than its setting.

Bud/Flower

1. Heat your oven to 240°F.
2. Pick out any large stems and seeds. Chop the remaining material into pea-sized pieces and spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 40 minutes. When finished, the product should be browned, toasty, and very fragrant.
4. Remove and allow to cool completely. Your cannabis is now decarbed and ready for consumption or infusions.

Kief, Trim, and Shake

1. Heat your oven to 240°F.
2. Sprinkle your material evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover tightly with foil.
3. Bake for 30 minutes. The product should be browned, toasty, and very fragrant.
4. Remove and allow to cool completely. Your cannabis is now decarbed and ready for consumption or infusions.

Concentrate

Not all concentrates need to be decarbed. Some are decarbed as part of their creation.

Concentrates that MUST be decarbed: shatter, wax, budder, crumble, hash and bubble hash, rosin, live resin.

Concentrates that SHOULD NOT be decarbed: distillate/clear, RSO, FECO, CO2 oil.

1. Heat your oven to 240°F.
2. Place your concentrate on a parchment-lined oven-safe baking sheet or container and cover tightly.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, or until it isn’t bubbling anymore.
4. Remove and allow to cool completely. Your cannabis is now decarbed and ready for consumption or infusions.

How to Decarb Cannabis using Sous Vide

If the smell is a concern, or if you want the most gentle way to decarb and preserve all your terpenes, then sous vide may be for you. The sous vide method involves sealing your cannabis inside an air (and water)-tight bag and submerging it in temperature-controlled water for a couple of hours.

There’s no need to break up your cannabis. Submerge your sealed bag in 200°F water for two hours. Released gasses may cause your bag to float, so you may need to find a way to keep it submerged. After two hours, remove from the water bath and allow to cool. It’s now ready for infusion.

Storing Decarbed Cannabis

Decarbed weed can be kept in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place for around a month. Or, you can freeze it in an air-tight container or freezer bag for several months until you’re ready to use it. Studies have shown that THC and CBD do degrade a bit over time, so it’s best to use your decarbed material as soon as you can!

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