Guide to Making Cannabis Oils – Benefits and Instructions

Do you want to try making your own cannabis oil? If so, you’ll find that making your own cannabis oil is actually very easy to do. However, you’ll need to keep a few things in mind before making it. 

There are two main types of oil that you can try at home: CBD and oil for edibles. This guide will tell you how to make both and more about what these oils are intended for and how to best use them.

What is Cannabis Oil?

Cannabis oil, also known as hash oil, is made from the flower resin of the cannabis plant. This resin is removed in various ways, such as by steaming or boiling the resin. These extraction methods take the resin from the plant which is filled with cannabinoids. The cannabinoids are what give the cannabis oil its powerful health benefits. 

The Benefits of Making Your Own Oil

While you can easily find pre-made oil for use, there are plenty of benefits that come with making your own. 

It’s Purer

While cannabis oil that you buy might be pure, you don’t always know if that is true. Some brands might put extra ingredients into the oil, such as water, which means you aren’t getting a pure batch. By making your own, you can make sure that the oil you create is completely free and free from additives. 

You Get to Choose the Strain

Cannabis oil can be made with various types of strains that you may already have in your storage containers. When you make your own, you’re able to choose the type of strain you use for your own. This puts you in control of how intense its effects will be. Because of this, you can make sure the oil will work well for your needs. 

You Can Incorporate It in Various Things

When you make your own cannabis oil, you’re able to incorporate the oil into many different things. This includes mixing it into homemade creams, sprays, and edibles. The homemade oil will also be stronger and purer which can make your homemade concoctions even more powerful. 

Ways to Use Cannabis Oil

There are many ways you can use cannabis oil. Some to try include using the oil as:

• A spray
• For vaporizers
• As a tincture
• Mixed into a skin cream
• Baked into edibles

These are just a handful of ways cannabis oil can be used. You can use your imagination when it comes to incorporating the oil into different substances. 

Types of Strains to Use

You’ll find four main strains you can use when it comes to making cannabis oil. 

ACDC

ACDC will leave a big impact making it ideal for those who want powerful results. It also works well for helping reduce anxiety. 

Harle Tsu

This strain does contain a lot of THC, but it’s notable for helping to quickly calm you down. If you do decide to use this strain, you need to be careful as too much of it could be a problem. Because of this, it’s best to use only a small amount of Harle Tsu. 

Harlequin

Harlequin is ideal for those who want to make oil for pain relief. 

Charlotte’s Web 

As one of the most popular strains, Charlotte’s Web can be used for many different purposes, especially in skin creams and edibles. It’s often easy to find making it ideal for beginners to use.

CBD vs. Oil for Edibles

While it might seem like these two oil types are similar, they are actually very different from each other. CBD, which is also known as medical marijuana oil, is used to help treat many diseases and other health problems. It’s made in such a way that helps it to have a more calming effect compared to the oil for edibles. CBD is known to help reduce heart disease, PTSD, insomnia, and even seizures. CBD oil also has helped sometimes with healing skin cancers after putting some of it on the affected area.

Oil for edibles is a just another way for you to flavor brownies and other foods with a cannabis taste. It will mainly just let you get very high after consuming a food flavored with it. It can be soaked in many different types of oils and has an easier process for making it compared to CBD oils.

Making Oil for Edibles

To make oil for edibles you first need to decide whether you want to use dried or fresh cannabis. Below is more information about how to choose which one you should use for your edibles.

What Types of Cannabis Leaves Should I Use?

One question that many people have when making cannabis oil is what type of cannabis leaves should be used. Should it be dried? Can I use fresh weed? The answer to this is that they both can be used, but they both have their own ways of flavoring your edibles.

If you decide to use dry weed, you’ll want to make sure to vaporize it. However, if you use fresh weed, you’ll have to grind it and then prepare it before you can use it. While it involves more work, fresh weed can give you a stronger flavor and it’s fresh. Dry weed might be easier to use but it’s not as fresh and won’t be as strong as if you had used fresh cannabis.

How to Prepare Fresh Cannabis

If you decide to use fresh cannabis in your edibles, you’ll need to properly prepare it. You first want to collect the weed you plan to use. After doing so, you’ll need to grind it up. Often there are special cannabis grinders that are designed entirely to just properly cut up and grind cannabis leaves. However, if you don’t have one of these grinders, a herb grinder also works well.

To find the right amount of fresh cannabis to grind up for your edibles there’s a simple equation you can use. You want to use 1 part cannabis to every 2 parts oil. You can use this to help you measure out how much you want to make to help make sure the oil doesn’t turn out to be too light or too strong.

Related: don’t forget to use CO2 Regulators if you want to control every step of the process

After measuring out your desired amount of cannabis leaves, you’ll want to put them in a pan and let them simmer in the oil for about 3-4 hours. You want to make sure to occasionally stir the leaves around in the oil to make sure the oil is fully being flavored by the leaves and also so that the leaves don’t stick to the pot. When the 3-4 hours have been completed, you can then filter the cannabis leaves out of the oil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making Oil for Edibles with Dried Cannabis

The process for making oil for edibles with dried cannabis is similar to fresh weed. However, it’s a little simpler. To make this cooking oil you want to first make sure to vaporize the dried weed to help prevent it from being too strong in your food products. A good amount to use is about ½ ounce of cannabis for ½ cup oil.

Once you have vaporized the dried cannabis leaves, place them in a filter. Then, tie the edges of the filter securely to ensure the leaves remain contained during the soaking process. With the filter tied, submerge it in oil in a pan, allowing the leaves to steep and infuse the oil with their flavor. You then just need to turn the stovetop on to a low temperature and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Once the 20 minutes is over you can remove the filter bag and store the oil away.

Using a Slow Cooker to Make Edible Cannabis Oil

Besides a double broiler and pan, you can use a slow cooker to make edible cannabis oil. This method works similarly to the type mentioned above, except it takes a little longer. You want to use about 1 ounce of cannabis leaves to 2 cups of oil. After measuring it out, you want to let the leaves soak in the oil in the slow cooker for about 3 hours on a low heat setting. Be sure to occasionally stir the leaves around to help prevent them from sticking to the sides or not fully infusing the oil.

Once the 3 hours have passed, you can then turn the slow cooker off. You want to make sure to let this mixture sit and cool down for about 8 hours before you strain it. Once the 8 hours have passed you can then strain the leaves from the oil and then store the oil away. It’s a simple method, but is a little more time-consuming compared to the other ways.

Do I Have to Use Oil to Make This? Is There Something Else I Can Use Instead?

You can actually substitute oil with butter if you’d prefer that. You basically just need to make sure that you soak the cannabis leaves in a liquid so the cannabis flavor can absorb into it. So, if you prefer to use butter instead of some type of oil, you can just substitute it with the oil in the recipe above.

What Color Will the Oil Look Like?

Edible cannabis oils will have a greenish brown color. If your oil doesn’t have this color than it probably won’t have a very strong flavor or work well in your edibles. It will also have a nutty smell. If you detect these things in your edible cannabis oil, it’s been properly strained and boiled so you know it will work well.

What Type of Food Can I Use Edible Cannabis Oils In?

You can use edible cannabis oils in almost any type of food. While one of the most popular edibles to use it in is brownies, you can also mix it in cakes, pies, soups, and dressings. Cannabis oils can basically be used in both sweet and savory dishes and give the same THC effect in both. You can find plenty of recipes that include cannabis oils in them to help you know how to make a dish with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CBD Oil Making

If you’re looking to make CBD oil, here is a recipe you can use. Keep in mind though that CBD oil is a little more intricate so it’s important to pay close attention to each step.

To make CBD oil you first want to collect 1 ounce of cannabis. This can be fresh or dried but make sure it’s either vaporized or soaked fully before using it depending on the type you plan to use.

You can then take about a gallon of Ethanol alcohol and put that into a large pot. Once you do that you then sprinkle the cannabis into it and then freeze the pot for a few hours.

After freezing it for a few hours, you can then remove it from the freezer and strain the cannabis out of the alcohol. You then want to put the alcohol into a double broiler pan and let it boil for about 1 hour and 30 minutes at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Once that time is up you can then wait to let it cool off for a little bit and then store it away to use later.

Important Things to Keep in Mind When Making CBD Oil

It’s extremely important when making CBD oil (or any type of cannabis oil) that you use as many safety precautions as possible. Because CBD oil can be used with an edible alcohol, it can be very flammable. You need to constantly monitor it and make sure the oil doesn’t end up overheating. This could lead to it catching on fire and could possibly end up giving you major burns if it comes into contact with your skin. It’s important to be very diligent when making this oil (or any type) to help prevent this from occurring.

You also want to make sure you have a good ventilation system. The smell of the oil can be very strong and can be overpowering if the air circulation isn’t good in a room. Keep some windows open or have a fan running while making it.

Also, remember that CBD doesn’t have high THC levels in it. If you’re looking to get psychoactive effects with your oil you need to use the oil for edibles or another type. This oil is only intended to help give relief to pain and illnesses.

Types of Oils to Soak Cannabis Leaves In

There are quite a few different cooking oils that you can soak cannabis leaves in. One of the most popular types is olive oil. This is a healthy fat compared to other oil types and can help to make your edible food healthier. Olive oil is also great to use on skin, so if you decide to use it with making CBD oils, your skin will be safe with it on it.

Besides olive oil you also can use canola oil, vegetable oil, and coconut oil. Choosing the right one really just depends on your tastes but be sure to look at the health benefits as well. Keep in mind that if you use coconut oil your oil will have a slight coconut taste, so if you don’t want that it’s best not to use that type. Below is more about these different types of oils and some of their pros and cons. 

Olive Oil

As mentioned above, olive oil is one of the healthiest oil options to use when it comes to making this oil. Olive oil tends to be easier to use and lighter in taste which makes it ideal to use for cannabis oil. In addition to this, olive oil also contains high amounts of antioxidants and can reduce inflammation in the body. 

Canola Oil

Another type of oil you can use is canola oil. Canola oil is packed with Omega-3s and Vitamins E and K. 

Vegetable Oil

You could also make your CBD oil with vegetable oil. While the taste might be a little oily, vegetable oil is filled with Vitamin E which has been shown to help stop the development of cancer. It also tends to be the cheapest oil option. 

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a good alternative to the previous types, however, you need to keep in mind it can be a little strong. Because of this, your oil might have a slight coconut smell or taste. Coconut oil comes with numerous benefits which includes keeping your heart healthy and giving you energy.

Often this oil can be put into a spray bottle and squirted onto your skin. This can help make it a little faster and easier for you to apply the CBD oil on your body to help relieve it of pain or soreness.

Is Hemp Oil the Same as Cannabis Oil?

Hemp oil significantly differs from cannabis oil in composition and properties. Derived from seeds as opposed to the leaves and flowers used in cannabis oils, hemp oil contains minimal THC levels compared to its cannabis counterpart. Additionally, unlike cannabis oil, which develops a color when cooked, hemp oil does not exhibit any color change.

Is There THC in Cannabis Oil?

A common concern for many is whether or not there is THC in cannabis oil. This will depend on the type of strain you use. For instance, the Harlequin strain does have high amounts of THC in it compared to a strain like Charlotte’s Web. If you want to make sure to make an oil that doesn’t contain THC, it’s important to use a strain that contains little to no THC in it.

Utilization of Cannabis Oils

There are a few things to keep in mind when making and using cannabis oils. Below are some tips that you should remember.

Always Start Slow

If this is your first time using cannabis oils, you want to always start slow. Your body can go into shock if it suddenly starts to receive the effects from the THC in cannabis oils. You want to only use small doses and gradually build up to using more. This will help your body to adjust to the cannabis oil so it doesn’t become overwhelmed.

Always Withdrawal Slowly

If you’d like to slowly wean yourself off of cannabis oils, don’t immediately just stop. Just like with starting with using cannabis oils, you want to slowly withdrawal from it. This can assist in avoiding a shock to your system due to the sudden decrease in the usual intake of cannabis oils that your body is accustomed to.

Be Sure to Eat Something Before Consuming Cannabis Oils

It’s always important to make sure that you eat something before you consume anything with cannabis oils. If you eat a food that contains cannabis oil on an empty stomach, it will make you feel very anxious and lightheaded which will make it a very uncomfortable experience for you. This is a very important thing to keep in mind to make sure you consume it properly.

Don’t Consume It With Alcohol

If you have just consumed alcohol you want to stay away from using cannabis oils. Alcohol and the oil will create a very bad mix in your body and will only make you feel very sick. You need to wait until the alcohol is out of your system before consuming any cannabis oils.

Know the Effects Edible Cannabis Oils Have

As mentioned throughout this article, it’s crucial to keep in mind the side effects of edible cannabis oils. These oils will last about 4 hours with their THC so it’s important that you don’t overconsume edibles that contain it. Otherwise, the effects will be great and might be too overwhelming for some people to handle. Always check the THC levels in your edibles to make sure they won’t shock your body or cause you to have an uncomfortable experience with it.

Can I Sell My Cannabis Oils?

You can, but you need to make sure that you’re doing so legally. Many places still outlaw the use of marijuana and cannabis oils so it’s important to make sure that if you decide to sell it or use it publicly, that you are doing so legally.

Conclusion

Making your own cannabis oils can be a simple and fun process. While it does require you to pay close attention while making it, the results are worth everything. This guide will help you be well on your way to making some homemade cannabis oils that you can enjoy in edibles or use to help relieve pain.