Quote Originally Posted by melodious fellow
If the graph from the journal of chromatography that I posted a link to is correct, 325 for 25 minutes is too much and will reduce potency.

Thanks for posting this great article on decarboxylation.

The graph I posted implies that the best method is 252F for 30 minutes, with potency reductions after 30 minutes, but this article here says 248F for 60 minutes. So I think I will try 250F for 40-45 minutes next time.

Regarding the coconut-oil extraction, I still think if you are "frying" the herb and it is turning brown, that is gross and means the oil is too hot and is reducing potency. I fucked up coconut oil like that the first time I tried it. Now when I make canna-coconut oil, after 2 or 3 washes with water, it is a beautiful light sea green color. Since all of the cannabinoids we want to extract are soluble in coconut oil at room temperature anyway, why not just cook it longer at a lower temperature (like 100C) and end up with a much cleaner, prettier, tastier product with no chance of reduced potency
Oh yes! That part of the tutorial, when I wrote 325 was safe for 30 minutes, was before I saw those graphs. I wrote all that up a few months ago, it could use some updating. I never did get around to posting a technique on how to decarboxylate in the oven. However, I've completely changed my own personal oven decarb method, while my microwave method still stands.

Decarboxylating in the oven:

Decarb at about 250F for about an hour, or 220F for about 2 hours, until the bud actually changes color (kief will change color faster) and I found a dramatic increase in potency. I tested it at 250, 220, 200, and 170F for .5, 1, and 2 hours and 250F for 1 hour produced the best smoking high and edible high. I use a cover to completely cover the cannabis, and I inhale the evaporated terpenes half way through the decarboxylation process (30 min) by just inhaling the aroma after I open the plate. (don't burn yourself, don't inhale your herb) There is no significant loss in cannabinoids and the terpenes are arguably not apart of the high, you can extract and use them with a distiller and then do a higher temperature extraction to get mainly cannabinoids. This is a method I read in a patent and this is why I believe 250f is a safe temperature to decarboxylate when your bud is finely ground and in a enclosed environment. There must be a small color change (not a significant browning, but a darkening) in order for the decarboxylation to have occured completely. Lower temperatures leave lots of CBDa undecarboxylated, and require longer incubation times. Higher temperatures decarboxylate more CBD but degrate more THC into CBN. 250F for 1 hour is a safe temperature to decarboxylate, while 221F for 2 hours is also a safe and reccomended temperature for maximizing THC, but not CBD.

No man, frying the herb and it turning brown does not mean you're reducing potency. Enough heat and fry time is neccessary to infuse the cannabinoids into the fat. There is no loss in potency, because fat lubricates the cannabinoids very well. It's the same reason why decarboxylation doesn't happen to a significant degree once the cannabinoids are infused into a lipid. 100c is not hot enough to extract, and you'll get a less potent product. If you are not frying it until brown, you're not making the oil as potent as you can and you're essentially tossing cannabinoids. Next time you do a low simmer, try to refry the "spent" green material. When you get high off it, you'll see why you have to fry until dark brown, anywhere under the smoking point of the fat, and preferably under 350.

I know everyone likes to have a certain way of infusion, and everyone thinks heat is a big no no. Most people think heat is bad, and decarboxylation is iffy, yet most people fail at edibles and feel it's a waste of cannabis. When in fact properly decarbed and cooked cannabis is the most efficient consumption method. But this is a paranoid delusion that's been passed along online, it doesn't actually happen in practice. My described method makes the most sense and has produced results.

Paleo