Decarboxylating your cannabis is an essential part of the edible making process. It sounds complicated, but is extremely easy and there are many ways you can do it at home. Today, we will be showing you how to decarb weed using an oven. If you do not have an oven, don’t worry! Scroll to the bottom of this page for tutorials on how to decarb weed without an oven.

Keep reading to understand what decarboxylating is, and why we need to do it to make strong edibles. To jump straight to how to decarb your weed – click on the “jump to recipe” button above.

Looking for a machine that can decarb perfectly every time? Check out the LEVO II Oil Infuser. Not only can you decarb with it, you can also make cannabutter, gummies, and even tinctures with it (plus loads more things).

What is cannabis decarboxylation?

It is a chemical reaction that converts THC-A into THC, and CBD-A into CBD. “Decarboxylating” activates the THC and CBD in cannabis so that it becomes bio-available. Without activating the THC and CBD in your cannabis, you cannot get those desired medicating and intoxicating effects we all know and love.

When you smoke or vaporize weed, the high heat automatically decarboxylates it before you inhale. This is why you do not need to decarb before smoking or vaping. This is also why you can use AVB (already vaped bud) for edibles and not need to go through the decarb process first. Vaporised cannabis is already decarboxylated.

If you ate a raw cannabis bud, it wouldn’t produce any intoxicating effects because the cannabinoids have not been activated. However, if you ate a properly decarboxylated cannabis bud – the chances are you will feel some psychoactive effects from it. This is because the THC and CBD in it are now activated and can bind to your cannabinoid receptors.

THCA & THC Chemical Structure - Before & After Decarbing Cannabis

Typically, decarboxylation is achieved by the use of heat. However, it also happens slowly over time when cannabis is being cured. With that being said, the decarboxylation that occurs during curing is very minimal. We still highly recommend you decarboxylate cured buds before cooking with them.

Factors that can affect the decarboxylation process

There are many factors that can affect the decarboxylation process of your cannabis. It is important that you only use decarb tutorials as a rough guide because of this. Decarboxylation guides can give you the suggested time and temperature for decarbing your weed, however you may need to adjust these depending on certain factors:

  • Age, freshness, type, and moisture content of your cannabis
  • Type of tray or oven dish you are decarbing your weed in
  • Quantity of weed you are decarbing

Fresher weed generally has more moisture in it than older stuff, and requires longer in the oven to properly decarb. If you have old super dry weed, it will decarb quicker due to the less moisture in it.

Decarbing weed in an oven tray may be quicker than decarbing in a glass or ceramic oven dish. It can take over 10 minutes for the inside of a ceramic dish to reach the same temperature as the preheated oven.

The quantity of cannabis you are decarboxylating can also affect how long you need to decarb it for. If you decarb 3.5g of buds, it will be decarboxylated much quicker than a whole tray of buds. The cumulative moisture from a whole tray of buds will mean you need to decarb for longer or at a higher temperature.

Considering all of these factors that can affect your decarbing process – the best way to make sure you do it right is to use temperature and time charts as a loose guide. Don’t be afraid to check on your weed while it’s decarbing. If you’ve had it in the oven for longer than the guide tells you but it still doesn’t look done, put it back in for a few minutes then check again.

What should my weed look like after I decarb it?

Weed Before and After Decarboxylation (Decarbing)

Properly decarboxylated cannabis will have a different appearance than before you decarb’d it. If your cannabis hasn’t changed to a darker green or golden brownish colour by the time you are finished decarbing, it might not be fully decarboxylated yet. Do not worry though – you can simply put it back in the oven until it is done. We recommend checking it every 5 minutes to ensure it does not burn.

How to decarb weed in oven

How To Decarb Cannabis
Print
5 from 13 votes

How To Decarboxylate Cannabis In Oven

Decarboxylating your weed is an essential step in making super potent cannabis edibles. Use this easy to follow guide to properly decarb your cannabis using your home oven.
Prep Time10 mins
Active Time35 mins
Total Time45 mins
Keyword: Decarb, Decarbing, Decarboxylation
Cost: Nothing

Equipment

  • Baking tray or oven dish
  • Foil (optional – helps preserve terpenes)

Materials

  • Dried Cannabis Buds, Shake or Trim (desired amount)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 240°F (115°C).
  • Weigh up the amount of cannabis you want to decarboxylate.
  • Break apart or crumble your cannabis and remove any unwanted seeds and stems.
  • Spread the cannabis into an even layer on a baking paper lined tray or dish. If you do not have baking paper, you can put the cannabis directly on the tray/dish.
  • Cover the tray/dish tightly with foil then put it into the pre-heated oven and bake your weed for 25-35 minutes.
  • Half way through baking, give your cannabis a little shake to mix it around and evenly decarb. Try not to remove the lid while doing this if possible.
  • After 25-35 minutes in the oven, check on your cannabis to see if it's ready. It should now have turned slightly light brown'ish and be very dry. If it is not yet done, put it back into the oven until it is done. Check on it regularly to ensure it does not burn.
  • Remove your cannabis from the oven and let it cool down with the cover still on. Let the vapours and aromas settle back into the herb before you take off the cover. Once cooled (5-10 minutes), your decarbed cannabis is now ready to use.

Notes

Home ovens can have unreliable temperature readings so we recommend using an external oven thermometer with a probe for better temperature readings. 

Can i decarb weed without an oven?

Yes you can! If you do not have an oven available, do not worry – there are other things you can use to decarb your weed.

How To Decarb Weed In Microwave Oven

Here are a few alternatives to using an oven:

  • Microwave
  • Glass jar in boiling water
  • Rice Cooker
  • Crock Pot

Affiliate Disclaimer: this page contains affiliate links which we receive commission on.