#cookingwithmarijuana

This week’s featured zine, now on display at the IPRC zine library:

“Cooking with Mary Jane” by Nuqjatlh (1995). 

Hello readers,

I am back again with another post! After experimenting with chocolate chip cookies, we decided to apply the information we learned from the different and improved processes to another recipe. My boyfriend had done some more research on the decarbing and butter preparations and we have purchased some new equipment to make the processes concerning the butter more precise in ways that really had called for refinement over our past experimentation. For example, we bought a laser thermometer to get exact temperature readings when it really mattered, such as during the BHO decarb process. We have a very old oven, so we know that it does not disperse heat evenly or steadily. The recipe that he really wanted to eat was banana bread. I am going to include the recipe.

Banana Bread

Yields 1 loaf

3/4      cup granulated sugar

8      tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2      large eggs

4      ripe bananas

1      tablespoon milk

1      teaspoon vanilla extract

1      teaspoon ground cinnamon

2      cups all-purpose flour

1      teaspoon baking powder

1      teaspoon baking soda

1      teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan

Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

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The first step to using BHO butter in this recipe was to again clarify the butter. Remember that 1 stick of butter does not equal 1 stick of clarified butter, so you will need to clarify about 1 & 1/3 sticks to yield 1 stick of clarified.

The next step was to decarb the BHO. After our findings with the chocolate chip cookies revealed that the BHO/stick ratio needed increasing, we decided that in this recipe, which also calls for 1 stick of butter, we would see what kind of results come from doubling the BHO and using 2 grams. The method we used to decarb is as follows:

Bring the clarified butter to 250*F (or as consistently close to 250 as possible). Because of our oven, we had to play with it to find the right temp.

  (Clarified butter + 2 grams BHO + lecithin. The lecithin had just been added, but will dissolve)

Both grams of BHO were added directly into the liquid clarified butter and also 1 teaspoon of lecithin. Upon further research in this process, we discovered that the lecithin should be added in a ratio that is consistent with 1-3 teaspoons per 1 cup of butter/oil. Also, a couple experienced cannabis chefs had provided us with the same method for decarbing the BHO directly in the butter. As a rule of thumb when decarbing marijuana in any form (flowers, BHO etc...), 27 minutes at 250*F will complete the decarboxylization process, converting all THC-A into the active THC. The chefs told us this process would occur even when carried out while mixed in with the clarified butter at 250*F. We are experimental so we took their advice. This process was done on our stove top in a small saucepan. My boyfriend used the laser thermometer several times throughout the 27 minutes to maintain 250*F and adjust the stove settings, if necessary. Once 27 minutes was up, he re-measured the butter in a liquid measuring cup to be sure he still had 1 cup. He then mixed it in a ramekin and refrigerated it. As it was solidifying in the fridge he mixed it a couple times until it was too solid to whisk. When it became solid, he put it in the freezer overnight.

  (After freezing overnight)

In the morning, he took it out of the freezer and brought it to room temp on the countertop and prepared the banana bread recipe using the room temperature butter.

Results-

After the loaf was done baking, it cooled and he sliced 1/10 of the loaf to eat. He felt the first effects after 30 minutes and the peak was reached at the one hour mark. The peak lasted for 2 hours, this means it was its strongest and did not waver in strength over a 2 hour period. After that, there was a 3 hour period that was still strong, but wasn’t as mind-altering as the first 2 hours of the effects. He described the 3 hour period as “perfect for getting off the couch and finding something to do”.  Consider it this way: if the 2 hour period is 100%, the following 3 hour period is 85%, still enjoyable and desirable and definitely still high. The final stage lasts about 2.5-3 hours and is a very mild, gentle decline to 0%. This final stage would make for a great time to take a weed nap or head to bed for the night. These are the effects from a person who is a 7.5-8 on my scale. He reports that he is very satisfied and these are by far the best edibles we have made yet. We are interested in finding a better banana bread recipe to use, but it is by no means unsatisfactory. The butter is twice as strong and he ate more of it at once by cutting a 1/10 loaf piece, but 1/10 loaf = 3 cookies x twice the BHO = 6 cookies. He said he would rather eat 1/10 loaf of banana bread than 6 of the 1g BHO/batch chocolate chip cookies.