Recipe: Cannabis Infused Shea Butter
A few times a year, I find myself with an accumulation of “bud trim” (pieces left behind when breaking up buds). When I prepare flower for consumption, I dispense this trim into a pint sized wide mouth mason jar. Once it’s full I usually infuse a fat like coconut oil or butter in order to cook or bake. It’s a good way to utilize the trim, while flexing your emulsion muscle (Science!). This time around, I decided to make a Shea butter topical with said accrued trim.
Aside from relieving general aches and pains, cannabis topical can be an extremely effective anti-inflammatory. It can also be used without experiencing a typical high. Because the topical doesn’t penetrate beyond skin layers, the effects are localized to the application site.
Shea butter is a common ingredient in lotions, moisturizers, and other skincare products. I’ve used it on my hands during the winter, and as a general massage lotion when working with tight muscles. It’s absorbed well by the skin (to the deepest layers of skin, compared to other oils), which makes any greasy side effect minimal. I considered doing a blend with other mediums such as cocoa butter, bee’s wax, or petroleum jelly but decided to stick with one for the first go. The Shea butter was acquired from The Vermont Soap Company; it’s organic and specifically filtered in order to remove any remnants of latex, which occurs naturally in the shell of the Shea nut.
The procedure for this infusion is straightforward and requires very little space and equipment. What you’ll need most of, is time. The extraction process is low and slow, and requires frequent monitoring… definitely not a “set it and forget it” situation. Make sure temperature can not only be observed, but also kept as consistent as possible. During this lengthy extraction period, gather a vessel or vessels in which the finish product can be stored; it’s handy to have these ready before straining the infused butter.
o cooking vessel (extraction) – Slow cookers, a.k.a. Crockpots, are ideal. If you’re on a stovetop, try to use thick stainless steal cookware.
o digital thermometer (instant read preferred)
o container for straining
o Shea butter – enough to fully submerge
1) Pre-heat Oven to 220° F
2) Prepare Cannabis for Decarboxylation (This step allows for the active ingredient to become, in fact, active - see link): Since the trim was already broken up I didn’t need to alter the consistency of shape or size. If I were adding flower to the mix, it would be broken into popcorn size pieces.
3) The Aluminum Envelope: Prepared cannabis goes on a sheet of aluminum foil, and is neatly folded closed (a clean fold will help later during transfer). The envelope goes on a cooking tray, and into the oven – for 40 minutes.
4) Melt the Shea: In a small saucepot, the butter melts on low (preferably the “simmer” burner at its lowest setting).
5) Add Decarbed Cannabis to Cooking Vessel (after the cannabis rests for 10-15 minutes)
6) Add Melted Shea to Decarbed Cannabis (just enough to fully submerge)
7) Set it, and Don’t Forget It: The butter / cannabis mixture is heated to 190°F; this is when the 3 hour timer starts.
8) Temperature Monitoring: During those 3 hours, the mixture maintains a temperature range of 185°F to 210°F. Temperature is checked in multiple spots; mixture is stirred occasionally to avoid pockets of inconsistent temperature.
9) Gather Straining Supplies and Storage Containers
10) Strike Oil: At the 3 hour mark, the oil strains through cheesecloth into a container, and poured into storage containers.
11) Rest and Cool: The strained oil is allowed to reach near room temperature, before briefly cooling in order to completely solidify. Once the butter is solid, it can be stored airtight in a cool dark place (not refrigerated).
Variations and Intended Use
To modify this recipe, essential oils can be added to enhance aroma. Vitamin E extract would also be an appropriate addition. If I wanted to make a blend with other mediums, as mentioned above, I would choose one to infuse and mix the others with the infused oil.
To get an idea for the effects of the finished product, start by trying a small amount. I found this topical to be effective on tight muscles and tendons, and to relieve joint inflammation.
This is probably the part where I should mention that I’m not a doctor, far from an expert, and that this isn’t medical advice. This is a recipe share with some background information and brief testimony.
Thanks for stopping by. Here are some links regarding terms and products mentioned:
https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/what-is-decarboxylation
https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/what-are-cannabis-topicals
Organic Shea Butter - Vermont Soap Co.
https://shop.vermontsoap.com/product-category/shea-butter/
Use of Shea Butter as Transdermal Osmosis Promoter
https://liquidflower.com/use-of-shea-butter-as-transdermal-osmosis-promoter/
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