By: Loren Lee Chiesi
In the world of mainstream cannabis, stems are the often-ignored, mostly overlooked part of the marijuana plant.
Because of their lower levels of bioavailable THC (the high-inducing chemical compound in marijuana) and gritty texture, they don’t grind well for joints and can clog up pipes and bongs with residual resin.
Yet, discarding stems is a waste of an incredible asset. Here are some simple, creative ways to repurpose your marijuana stems and invigorate your weed repertoire.
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In order to get the most out of your stems, you’ll first need to decarboxylate your trees.
Decarboxylation is the process of heating up the THC compounds in the stems in order to activate the chemicals that get you high.
Luckily, it’s easier to do the decarboxylation process than it is to spell it. Simply spread out your stems on an aluminum foil-covered baking sheet and bake the stems at 125°C for 30 minutes (turning the stems over at 15 minutes) until they become toasty and aromatic.
Once you’ve decarbed your stems, they are ready to be repurposed into other cannabis creations.
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Keep in mind that THC bonds to fats that are then metabolized in our bodies, giving us the body-high of an edible.
So, when making stem-infused edibles, avoid using fat-free or reduced-fat butters and oils, as they will dramatically decrease the potency of your end product.
Use high-quality, organic butter and oils to limit the amount of chemical additives in your stem-infused creations.
1) Mediterranean Cannabutter
Cannabutter is cannabis-infused butter. Just like traditional butter, cannabutter is a versatile condiment.
You can add it to toast, incorporate it until sauces and soups, or even bake with it. To make my favorite Mediterranean-style cannabutter, you’ll need:
-An empty glass jar, 3-6 grams decarbed stems
-100 gms butter (1 stick)
-50 ml of oil olive
-1 tbsp. of sage
-2 tbsp. basil
-1 tbsp. rosemary (fresh herbs are best if you have them on hand, but dried will work very well, too.)
Instructions:
-In a small saucepan, simmer the butter until completely melted, but not boiling.
-Once melted, add herbs, stems, and olive oil.
-Simmer for 30- 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning the delicate herbs, until the liquefied butter takes on a dark, evergreen hue.
-Take off burner and cool for 3 minutes.
-Strain the herbs and stems from the butter using cheesecloth or a tight mesh strainer.
-Transfer the cannabutter to the glass jar and refrigerate; cannabutter will last refrigerated for about 30 days.
2) Happy Tincture
Essentially, a tincture is a plant extract dissolved into ethanol and used for medicinal purposes. To make a happy tincture with your stems, you’ll need:
-Alcohol
-Decarbed stems
-Rind of two lemons
I suggest using a clear, unflavored, non-sugary alcohol like vodka or gin. You do not need to use your top-shelf liquor; plastic jug spirits work just as well for the purpose of this tincture.
Instructions:
–Fill a glass mason jar (or a spirit decanter) ¾-full with vodka and add 4-5 gms of decarbed stems and the diced rinds of 2 lemons (Meyer lemons are my go-to, but any lemon will do the trick).
-Let the stems and peels soak into the alcohol in a cool, dry cabinet (away from heat and sunlight) for 3 weeks.
-Check on the progress of the tincture daily, giving it an occasional shake-up to help the stems and rinds infusion into the ethanol.
-After 3 weeks, you can transfer the tincture to a tinted glass dropper jar for convenient portability.
To use the tincture, add 2 droppers full of happy tincture to water, cocktails, tea, and even sorbet for a little mood lift.
Generally speaking, it takes 10-20 minutes to start feeling the effects of the happy tincture. Just like any other edible, hold off on ingesting additional tincture before the effects kick in; experiment slowly until you find the dose of happy tincture that works best for your body.
3) Hazy Enhanced Oil
Perhaps the most user-friendly recipe on this list, this weed-enhanced oil requires very few ingredients, little preparation, and low culinary skills.
Instructions:
-Start by selecting a base oil; my favorites are grape seed oil and extra-virgin olive oil.
–Fill a mason jar ¾-full of your desired base oil.
-Add 4-5 gms decarbed stems.
-Shake oil and stems vigorously for 1 minute.
-Let sit in a cool, dry place for two weeks to allow the THC infusion into the fats of the oil; shake the mixture daily to assist the enhancement of the oil.
-I like to add a few sundried tomatoes, green olives, whole garlic cloves, and capsicum peppers to give the oil an extra zing.
-Drizzle this oil as a dressing for salads, a condiment for pizza and pasta, as a dip for bread and vegetables, or to garnish soups and sauces.
-I think it pairs perfectly as an additional seasoning to avocado toast.
-Store in a tinted jar or cool, dry cabinet away from sunlight to prevent the oil from going rancid; if properly stored, it can stay shelf-stable for up to four months.
4) Stem Spice Blend
On its own, the flavor of stems is akin to sandy dirt. However, when it comes to spice blends, just as many other things in life, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
This earthy, stem-spiced blend is well suited to savory dishes. Use it to jazz up sauces, as a pizza garnish, add to the brine of pickled vegetables, on eggs, in soup broths, and even as a rub for marinating meats and vegetables.
To make this spice blend, you’ll need:
-2 tbsp. sea salt
-2 tbsp. ground black pepper
-30 gms of nutritional yeast
-Several different dried herbs.
My herb preference is to use 4 gms of decarbed stems, 2 tbsp. of dill, 4 bay leaves, 3 tbsp. oregano, 1 tbsp. garlic powder, and 1 tbsp. onion powder.
Instructions:
-Add all herbs, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast to the food processor.
-Blend until all herbs are finely ground and evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
-Store the spice blend in the glass jar in a cool, dry cabinet.
-Use liberally as a food garnish for up to a year.
Feel free to riff on this spice recipe. Include your own favorite herbs and spices and make substitutions for your own taste preferences.
If you are sitting on a pile of lonely, leftover stems, give them a second glance and test out these simple recipes.
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Loren Lee Chiesi is a writer who focuses on using cannabis for health and wellness.