Mason jar decarboxylation (or decarbing) has become an increasingly popular method for cannabis edibles creators. The mason jar decarb method arguably produces infusions with greater flavour and potency than a traditional decarboxylation does.
Decarboxylation is necessary for making cannabutter, cannabis oil, and other edible infusions. The mason jar decarboxylation method is ideal for those who want less smell while making cannabis infusions, as well as a self-contained decarbing process.
Decarboxylation, or decarbing, is an essential process in making cannabis edibles. Cannabis is not psychoactive in its raw form and this process ensures that valuable cannabinoids, such as Delta-9 THC, are properly activated. In addition, the process of decarboxylation also prepares cannabis for bioavailability, a process that allows cannabis to have an effect as an edible substance.
Learning how to decarboxylate cannabis will become an essential foundation in any cannabis consumer’s knowledge.
Usually, all that is needed to decarboxylate cannabis in a mason jar for infusions and edibles are cannabis buds, a mason jar, a baking tray/dish, a conventional oven, and high-quality parchment paper.
Cannabis affects everyone in a different way, it is important that you know your own tolerance to cannabis edibles. If you need to explore more about cannabis “flower to oil ratio”, click here.
What is Decarboxylation?
Decarboxylation is the scientific process that takes place when cannabis is exposed to heat.
In scientific terms, decarboxylation refers to a reaction of carboxylic acids that remove a carbon atom from a chain of atoms present within a plant such as cannabis. When heat is applied to cannabis, it will remove a carboxyl group from the THCA cannabinoid (non-psychoactive) and creates the psychoactive Delta-9 THC. Decarboxylation also occurs when cannabis is smoked or vaporized.
Mason Jar Decarboxylation: Decarbing for Cannabis Edibles
- Preheat Oven to 240 degrees Fahrenheit (115 degrees Celsius)
- Grind up your cannabis flowers
- Be sure not to over grind, a coarse grind is recommended
- Place ground cannabis into a mason jar and very lightly screw the lid on
- Line your baking tray/dish with parchment paper
- Now, place the mason jar full of cannabis on its side on the baking tray/dish
- Once the oven has heated to 240 degrees Fahrenheit (115 degrees Celsius), place the cookie tray into the oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
- After the first 30 minutes, flip the mason jar (using an oven mitt) onto the other side to ensure an even decarboxylation
- Set the timer for another 30 minutes and place the mason jar back onto the baking tray/dish
- After the second 30 minutes has elapsed, turn the oven off but leave the cannabis inside for another 30 minutes
- Remove from oven and let your decarboxylated cannabis rest for at least 15 minutes before using it in a cannabis infusion.
Storing this final product in a dark, dry, and cool place will ensure the decarboxylated cannabis stays fresh, as well as potent.
If you need to keep it in the kitchen cupboard for longer than a few days, the mason jar decarboxylation method is ideal.
Also, using the same jar you decarboxylate in for oil, butter, or other infusions may add valuable terpenes to your final infusion.
Decarboxylation: Other Methods of Decarbing For Cannabis Edibles
Sous-Vide: Sous-vide decarboxylation takes place at a lower temperature, usually 204 degrees Fahrenheit (95 degrees Celsius) than regular decarboxylation. Sous-vide cooking involves vacuum-sealing food (cannabis in this case) within a bag and cooking at a precise temperature in water. The advantages of sous-vide decarboxylation include consistency, less mess to clean up, and results that are impossible to achieve with any other method. Cannabutter or cannabis oil can also be infused using this method.
Vaporization: After vaporizing dried cannabis, a consumer is left with brown, often brittle, cannabis flower material. Before throwing this material away, take a minute to reflect on the process of decarboxylation. Vaping dried cannabis achieves a very similar result, depending on the temperature of your vaporizer, and this ‘waste’ material can be used to infused butter, oil and more. The maximum temperature you should operate a vaporizer at if you want the use ‘Already Vaped Bud’ in cannabutter or cannabis oil is 440 degrees Fahrenheit (227 degrees Celsius). At higher temperatures, combustion begins to occur and the cannabis flower material is no longer useful for cannabis infusions. Vaped cannabis is often high in a cannabinoid known as CBN, a potent sedative. Using vaporized cannabis in infusions or edibles may have a different effect on the consumer than traditionally decarboxylated cannabis.
Traditional Decarboxylation: The easiest, and perhaps most popular, way to decarb cannabis is by using a traditional oven. Our method for easy cannabis decarboxylation can be found here. This method is highly recommended for those who are just beginning their journey into cannabis edibles. The mason jar and sous-vide methods are recommended for those with a little bit more experience with cannabis edibles and homemade infusions.
Machine Assisted Decarboxylation: The contemporary market for at-home cannabis cooking equipment has seen the release of many machines that can decarboxylate cannabis for you. Many of these machine’s primary function is to make cannabis infusions such as butter or oil, but, some of the newer devices will also decarboxylate cannabis for the consumer.
How to Decarboxylate Cannabis: What is a Passive Decarboxylation?
Passive decarboxylation involves infusing butter or oil with cannabis, as well as decarboxylating it at the same time. This method is ideal for those who want a one-step process, as well as giving a cannabis consumer the ability to (somewhat) pair terpenes and ingredients to create a synergy like no other. A passive decarboxylation using a mason jar would involve infusing the oil or butter and cannabis in a mason jar without decarboxylating the cannabis separately.
Passive decarboxylation can be achieved through all of the decarboxylation processes outlined above, however, this method is only advised for those who have consumed cannabis edibles before; the flavour of a cannabis infusion made with a passive decarboxylation is much stronger than an infusion that is made with a traditional, mason jar, or, sous-vide decarb.
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Thank you so much for ALL the information you gave us. I found out I can’t smoke so I’m changing to eatibles. This helps me alot. I’m treating anxiety/depression/bipolar.
No problem Donna, there is plenty more to come 🙂
After you decarb, then what do you do next?
After decarboxylation, cannabis is ideal to infuse into Butter (https://cannabisinformationinstitute.com/how-to-make-cannabutter-easy-cannabis-butter/) or oil (https://cannabisinformationinstitute.com/how-to-make-cannabis-oil/). Thank you for your comment Donna, I hope that you can find some relief with cannabis edibles
I am going to try this thanks for your knowlege
Thank you for commenting, please let me know if you noticed a difference. I notice that my infusions have a bit more flavour with a mason jar decarb
Im tryin the mason jar decarb process as we speak. Im going to make gummies is coconut infused or butter infused better ? I do have both.
For gummies I only use cannabis coconut oil, thanks for commenting JoAnne
Pardon me but do you think the process should be the same when decarbing kief?
Hi – thanks for your comment! We have several different methods for kief here: https://cannabisinformationinstitute.com/how-to-decarboxylate-kief-for-cannabis-edibles-kief-decarb-method/
Hope this helps you out, thanks for reading
Can I decarboxylate by placing a small mason jar containing cannabis into boiling water for 90 minutes?
Yes you can decarb that way – if you have a thermometer make sure the water doesn’t get over 95-97 degrees Celsius – don’t let the water boil, but small bubbles in the water are fine.
Thanks for your comment 👍
what does “lightly screw the lid on” mean? like how light should it be? wont that let the smell out?
This video should be able to help you out in terms of how tight the lid should be on: https://youtu.be/RTP99pKLx7o. Thanks for the comment 👍
how can u get the sticky terpines from the jar after i have been using the jar a few times?
You can use everclear alcohol and rub it off or you can infuse the oil inside the mason jar you used for decarbing and the oil will pick up the sticky terpenes from the sides
Would a 2oz Mason jar filled half way require the same time in oven or less time smaller batch?
Hey Jason, cheers for the comment. We have a full article for decarbing kief here if you want to check it out: https://cannabisinformationinstitute.com/how-to-decarboxylate-kief-for-cannabis-edibles-kief-decarb-method/
If you have any more q’s just drop another comment and I’ll get back to you
Can you decarb in a mason jar using sous vide instead of a bag? This would be ideal to then use the jar to do an infusion without loosing any materials left on the bag after decarbing. If so, what time and temp to you recommend?
Yes you definitely can do it that way. Here’s a method with no smell too:
https://youtu.be/fnVFCamgbss
https://youtu.be/fnVFCamgbss
I’m just getting ready to make my first batch of edibles and was curious how important the parchment paper is in the decarbing process?
It’s not required but we recommend it. You can also use foil if you like, just ensure the cannabis isn’t touching a hot metal oven tray and everything will go according to plan!
Thank you for your help. I think that I should have been a little more specific in my question, maybe not. Is the parchment paper necessary in the mason jar method
(Glass jar in a glass dish). Sorry for the confusion.
Oh I’m so sorry I should’ve read which article you were commenting on I though this was the regular decarb one. Anyways, I usually don’t lie glass on glass when it is in the oven, you could definitely use parchment paper or foil to separate the two pieces of glass. You can also just lie the parchment paper in the oven (on the rack) and do it that way if you don’t have a glass dish . Hope this helps!