How to Decarb Hemp Flower

Nowadays, there is hemp almost everywhere; it can be found in flowers, concentrates, oils, and even edibles. The latter has become incredibly popular in recent months, as they combine the powerful effects of CBD with the delicious taste of the food chosen. For this reason, you can not only buy edibles in dispensaries; many recipes with hemp flower have been shared on the internet so that all consumers can enjoy a delicious snack with their favorite hemp strain. This has turned into common practice, since the FDA doesn’t have any regulatory procedures regarding hemp edibles: they are not legal, but many companies sell them. As a result, plenty of CBD edibles can be found to be low-quality and dangerous for your health, which is why consumers often prefer to cook their own edibles and avoid any risk. However, to cook with hemp it is not enough to just chop a flower and add it to the recipe. By just doing this, you are wasting your hemp flower and its benefits. In order to activate the cannabinoids that are in this plant, it is necessary to decarb the buds so that the CBD makes its work. Looking for some hemp flower to decarb? We've got you covered.

What is Decarbing?

Decarboxylation or decarbing is the process by which cannabinoids are transformed from their acidic form to their activated form. When hemp flowers are heated, CBDa - which has also been shown to have beneficial properties - is transformed into CBD, releasing the carbon contained in the molecules. This way, the cannabinoids release all their therapeutic effects. On the other hand, it is important to remember that hemp flowers not only contain cannabinoids but also terpenes, molecules present in plants and herbs that are responsible for generating the aromas and flavors of each strain. For this reason, decarbing hemp flowers should be done at the right temperatures in order to ensure that both cannabinoids and terpenes are preserved. Because raw and cured hemp flower doesn’t contain high CBD levels, since it is in its acidic form CBDa, not decarbing it before consuming is a mistake that many new users make. In this article, we will show you the essential steps for decarbing hemp flower and get CBD working for whatever purpose you have in mind.

How to Decarb Hemp Flower

The most common way to decarb hemp flower is using your oven. Although there are many different versions among consumers about the temperature to use, the recommended is 250 F, since it is a low temperature that, even if it takes longer, is what will ensure that the terpenes and the CBD of the flower are preserved and reach their highest level of activation. To decarb your hemp flower using an oven, follow these simple steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 250 F.
2. Break the buds up. For this purpose, you can use a grinder or your fingers. Make sure you have very small pieces, since it will make the process much easier.
3. Spread the chopped flower on a baking sheet, creating a thin layer, and take it to the oven.
4. Bake for 45 minutes. Check on your ground hemp flower from time to time and “stir” it to cook evenly.
5. When the hemp flower has turned brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool. If it crumbles easily between your fingers, you have decarbed your hemp flower to perfection.

If you don’t want the smell of hemp flower all over the place, you can place your ground hemp flower into a mason jar and lightly screw the lid on. For this method, you will have to leave the flower cooking for about 60 minutes, always checking on the jar and shaking it from time to time using oven gloves to disperse the flower evenly. You must take into account that the more you leave the flower cooking, the better it will decarb. Some consumers like to wait up to 2 hours for the buds to cook since it will increase the CBD and terpene levels. For this reason, don’t expect your cooked hemp flower to achieve a 15-20% CBD content unless you use methods that require special equipment. So now that you have decarbed your hemp flower, it is time to use it to create not only delicious recipes, but also tinctures, infusions, and even topicals. There are several recipes on the internet that will help you create your very own hemp flower product.

• Infusions: the best way to add decarbed hemp flower to your food is to infuse it into butter, coconut oil, ghee, or any other type of oil. For this purpose, heat both the decarbed flower and your oil or butter for about 30-60 minutes.
• Edibles: once you have your infused hemp flower, you can add it to your recipes to cook or bake. However, you can also mix the flower without infusing it first, but it will not have as high absorption rates as with the infused flower.

The most popular hemp flower edibles include cookies, brownies, chocolates, and energy balls. The good thing about a decarbed hemp flower is that you can get creative and come up with amazing ideas.

• Tinctures: making a CBD tincture from scratch is a fun way to get your daily dose of CBD while adding the exact terpenes and flavors you want. To make your own CBD tincture using decarbed hemp flower, you will need food-grade alcohol and just a few weeks. Find out more about making your own CBD tincture here.
• Topicals: as you may already know, CBD is a great cannabinoid for the skin. This is the reason why making your own hemp-infused balm with your decarbed hemp flower is a great way to have an effective topical to give your skin the nutrients it needs.

Decarbing hemp flower is an easy but extremely important task that will guarantee you a great final product, whether it is hemp coconut oil or some chocolate chip cookies. Make sure you use high-quality hemp flower to give your recipes the best flavors and benefits you can get. At Botany Farms, our craft cannabis has been specially selected to deliver you all the great effects of CBD. If you want to make your own edibles, take a look at our CBD strains to give them a special touch.