# Which makes better cannabutter Double Boiler Method or Boiling Water



## LizardKing4200 (Apr 22, 2008)

Hey i was wondering your guy's opinions on these 2 methods of making butter. I know that the crockpot is probably the best- but dont want to go out and buy one. Ive done the double boiler method a couple times but was thinking about trying the boiling water way next time. Is there a difference in potency?


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## farway (Apr 24, 2008)

personally I'm a fan of the crock pot, but I think I've done the boiling water method long ago. As far as potency, crock pot kicks boiling water's ass. but I haven't done the double boiler so I'm not sure about that method. I would think it would be halfway between boiling water and crock pot though.


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## LizardKing4200 (Apr 24, 2008)

farway said:


> personally I'm a fan of the crock pot, but I think I've done the boiling water method long ago. As far as potency, crock pot kicks boiling water's ass. but I haven't done the double boiler so I'm not sure about that method. I would think it would be halfway between boiling water and crock pot though.


With the crockpot method- do you put water in with the butter? Also- how long do you cook it for? I guess i could throw 30$ for a crockpot if it makes a very large difference in potency . Also- does it smell very strong? Could i like put the lid on and eliminate the smell?


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## krzykatldy (Apr 26, 2008)

i use the crock pot method. i mix the butter, and water til melted then add herb, i leave it on low overnight, let it cool then put it into the fridge til the butter hardens. then i take out the butter and throw out the water and herb. if you grind up the herb in a coffee grinder to a powder the herb will settle to the bottom with the water and the butter not have too much herb in it. i have one of those crock pots the has the bowl that lifts out. you can get a crock pot and coffee grinder at a yard sale of thrift shop if you want to save some money. the smell? it's not too bad... but it does have a "herb-y" smell when cooking, there's not much you can do about it.
putting a lid doesn't help. i use my butter to make cookies and 2-3 cookies is a good dose. i also don't use "good" herb i use plant material that is not smokable i just use more (1 oz to 1# of butter)


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## farway (Apr 26, 2008)

I've never put water in with the butter in the crock pot. I'm sure either way is fine though. As for the smell, I haven't made cannabutter in a while, but I remember it smelling a lot. Not really a weed smell though, smelt kinda funny. But I live in an apartment building and no one has ever complained that they could smell anything, so I wouldn't worry about it.


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## LizardKing4200 (Apr 27, 2008)

right on, how much are crock pots?


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## krzykatldy (Apr 28, 2008)

you can get a crock pot for about $20 at a target or wal mart. try to get one that has a lift out pot it will make it easier to fit into the fridge to cool. i even found one at home depot for around $15 but that was around christmas.


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## LizardKing4200 (Apr 28, 2008)

cool thats less expensive than i expected


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## svBackstreets (May 10, 2009)

Last week my wife bought me a 1.5 quart Chefmate crockpot with temp control and removable pot for regular price of $10.97. At Target store.

Haven't used it yet.


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## stickyickys (May 11, 2009)

............what is it with people and the boiling water....

water IS NOT needed. get the crock pot/slow cooker. melt the butter....put in your trim/shake or bud, whatever you're using. go with about 1/2lb of bud or shake/trim for 5lbs of butter (or less just do the math - 1.6 oz per every LB of butter).....some people say simmer for 20 min, some say a day or two. make sure you keep it UNDER BOILING, go right around 190-200 degrees. 

really the longer you simmer the butter the better, not because you extract more thc/cannaboids but because you evaporate more of the non-fats/butter in the mixture, essentially making it more potent as you end up with slightly less liquid/solid butter.

this is how everyone i know does it and how i do it. butter is basically just fat...why would you want to add water to that for cooking?!?! the water does nothing except, imo and others i know, make it lesser quality than with just straight butter.

you could always try both methods....if you have 2 oz of trim/shake or bud split it up and do 1oz with the proper amount of butter and butter/water. just remember, when simmering the butter (and again time is up to you, i usually go about a day) keep it under 200. you can get a real nice slow cooker (albeit it made more for huge batches of butter, not small amounts) for 40 bucks at target. crockpots range from 15-40+.


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## bungagrow (May 16, 2009)

i'm guessing that water is used to keep the mixture from reaching too high of a temperature that would burn the oil/butter. what do you think?


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## stickyickys (May 16, 2009)

bungagrow said:


> i'm guessing that water is used to keep the mixture from reaching too high of a temperature that would burn the oil/butter. what do you think?



no cuz people are bringing the water to a boil anyway. you want to get a slow cooker/crock pot (preferably one with a temp setting) and simmer the butter around 190-200.


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## flipdoubt (Aug 7, 2009)

stickyickys said:


> ............what is it with people and the boiling water....
> 
> water IS NOT needed...
> 
> ...



Ok, I just *had* to register to address the above comments about using water when making your cannabutter.

First, it should be noted that, (from what I've previously observed _many_ times) this procedure has been done in a double boiler w/ the material left to simmer for about 1-2 hrs... (one of the reasons I initially came here was to learn other's opinions on cooking length, dbl boiler vs. crock pot, ratios, etc.)

Now I *could* be completely wrong here, but I believe it is worth noting in this thread. When comments like the one quoted above are made with SUCH staunch certainty, I feel obliged to share.

From what I understand, the purpose of using water when preparing cannabutter, is that while the fat-soluble goodies migrate into the heated butter, other, less desirable compounds, (NOT soluble in fat) will end up left in the water. This is then placed in the fridge overnight to allow the now THC-infused butter to separate from the gunk-infused water. In the morning there is a bright green "butter-frisbee" floating atop a quantity of dark, greenish-brown yuck water.

Omitting the water in your preparation process, keeps the aforementioned "yuck" in your final product.

This results in a far more palatable & overall *cleaner* end-product... especially if your starting material is of the low-quality, commercial, "brick" variety... which could contain pesticides, residuals from whatever was in the ground water, growing medium, etc.

The only problem I could possibly see with this method, is that you've only extracted the fat-soluble alkaloids, thus it is not the "full-spectrum" of plant alks in the butter. This would be a problem for me in-particular, if other CBNs & CBDs have an affinity for water, rather than fat... (though I'm pretty sure that all the goodies are fat-soluble only). 

Again, I am stating the above *as I understand it*. I am *not* stating this as fact, though from my research it does seem to make sense. However, if I am _at all off_ in my thinking or concept here, please, I would love to hear any feedback... as the whole reason I came to this board was to further educate myself on this process, specifically.

Thanks for all the good stuff you guys have shared on this board... (I've been lurking for some time now) figured it was high-time I registered & threw in my 2.

 Just Say *KNOW* 

-fd


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## flipdoubt (Aug 7, 2009)

bungagrow said:


> i'm guessing that water is used to keep the mixture from reaching too high of a temperature that would burn the oil/butter. what do you think?


I've heard that when straight boiling, adding water lowers the boiling temp of the other ingredients.

In my experience, a double boiler is preferred to straight boiling. That being said, I am gonna experiment with a crock pot on low settings, for a longer period on the next endeavor.

-fd


oh, and I'll be using water in there too.


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## Corwin (Aug 10, 2009)

I am by no means a guru of canna butter but the times I have made it have worked quiet well. 

I used 1 oz of plant material chopped fine and cleaned of large stems and seed(if any). I used the food processor and do it in batches. to this I add 1 stick 4oz of butter and a cup of water to a double boiler. This keeps the temps down below boiling. Cover and cook for 6 hours replenishing the water in the double boiler and in the butter as needed. Let the mixture cool to almost room temp (still warm) and strain through a fine net. I use the "footie" kinda of pantyhose(new of course). Just squeeze it all through there scraping it off the outside with a plastic card like a room key from your favorite no tell- motel. Put the liquids in the fridge and let it harden then you can lift the butter off the surface and use in your favorite recipe. 

I make brownies that little to no taste of "weed". I think it is because the chlorophyll taste end up in the water instead of the butter.

We cut this batch into 9 pieces and it made for a pretty intense 16 hour experience. Not bad for schwag.

Happy baking


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## actiq (Feb 17, 2010)

I am very sensitive to dairy products which has left me using vegan butter alternatives. I would like to share my knowledge about using vegan butter alternatives for those who also have this issue yet still love tasty treats.

I have been using the boiling in water method for quite a few years. Everything everyone has said appear to be true - both good and bad. Alternatively, I have just begun to use the double boiler method and have no complaints with the exception of final processing stages being more of a pain and the final product having a slightly stronger flavor.

*When using vegan butter alternatives* (say, Earth Balance) I highly recommend using the double boiler method as there are ingredients in the initial butter product which will be lost in the water while cooking when using the boiling in water method. While this does not decrease the potency, you will lose about 1/2 the butter. Ex: using the boiling in water method, I used 2 tubs of Earth Balance and 1/2 tub finely ground plant material (4:1). I boiled for about 6 hours, covering to diminish water loss but adding more water when necessary to maintain original level. After all processing stages were completed I was left with 1 tub of butter. As an aside, I use cheese cloth and not a metal strainer. In my experience using cheese cloth will also help in producing a higher yield.

That said, using the double boiler method has resulted in a higher yield for me, again when using Earth Balance butter alternative. The potency is just as good, if not a tad better, but the final stages of processing are a bit more intensive than the boiling in water method, e.g. you actually need to do something. Finally, the flavor of your final product will be much more pronounced when using the double boiler method. 

I will note, that after my initial experimental runs, I have gone back to using a 3:1 ratio (3 tubs of Earth Balance to one over-flowing tub [almost 1.5 tubs] of finely, finely ground plant material) and remain satisfied with flavor, yield, etc.

I should note that when using top quality hydro and the double boiler method,* for those who are very sensitive to chemicals*, those chemicals are left in, they are not boiled off, they are not removed, and you will eat them. Hence, there is a higher likelihood you will get a slight headache when consuming your final product. To counter this, seeing as how your final butter product is quite potent anyway, use 1/2 c Earth Balance and 1/2 "butter" for every 1 c called for in a recipe. You still won't be able to say your name, it will cut down on the butter taste you may not want in that vegan green tea cupcake you put so much heart into, and you will not get a headache. Alternatively, you could always just take your favorite painkiller and keep your baked goods wikkid strong.


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