Ask a Stoner: Can I Make Edibles in the Microwave?

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Dear Stoner: I'd like to make edibles the right way but don't have the patience. Will microwaving edibles or butter kill the THC?
Sarah

Dear Sarah: Making infused butter and cooking oil on the stove doesn’t take more than thirty minutes if you’re in a rush, but for generations raised on minute burritos and TV dinners, I can see how daunting that looks. There’s more than rustic reasoning behind the stovetop, though: Microwaves don’t heat liquids and solids evenly, so your infused oils and melted chocolate bars will probably burn in some areas and be undercooked in others. Still, microwaves are very much an option if you’re really short on time.

click to enlarge

Flickr/Joe Strupek

Microwaves usually don’t get higher than 220 degrees Fahrenheit, using electromagnetic radiation to cook molecules instead of direct heat. The food or liquid that you’re infusing with THC or CBD is likely to burn or degrade before the cannabinoids do, so the microwave will get the job done despite the results lacking in taste and texture. But stay limited to single servings, because the more stuff you put inside the microwave, the longer and less even the infusion process will be.

Send questions to [email protected].