Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, family, and of course, indulgent food. Why not add a modern twist to your traditional dishes with cannabis? Infusing your dinner with cannabis not only elevates the meal but also provides an interactive and memorable experience for adult guests.
1. Understand Your Audience
Before you decide to have a cannabis-infused Thanksgiving, ensure all your adult guests are comfortable with the idea. Always label infused dishes clearly and have non-infused options available.
2. Choose Your Cannabis
There are two primary types of cannabis: THC (psychoactive) and CBD (non-psychoactive). Decide in advance if you want your dishes to have psychoactive effects or merely provide the medicinal benefits of CBD.
3. Decarboxylation is Essential
Before adding cannabis to your dishes, it needs to be decarboxylated. Decarboxylation activates the cannabinoids, making them more potent when consumed.
- Preheat the oven to 220°F (105°C).
- Break the cannabis buds into small chunks.
- Spread them evenly on a parchment-lined baking tray.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Your cannabis is now ready to be infused!
4. Making Cannabis-infused Butter or Oil
Most recipes will call for either butter or oil. Here’s how you can make them:
Cannabutter
- Melt 1 cup of butter in a saucepan with 1 cup of water.
- Add the decarboxylated cannabis (7-10 grams).
- Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours.
- Strain and refrigerate.
Cannaoil
- Heat 1 cup of coconut oil or olive oil in a saucepan.
- Add the decarboxylated cannabis (7-10 grams).
- Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours.
- Strain and store.
5. Cannabis-infused Thanksgiving Recipes
1. Cannabis-infused Stuffing
Ingredients:
- Traditional stuffing ingredients (bread cubes, onions, celery, broth, etc.)
- Cannabutter Directions:
- Replace half of the regular butter with cannabutter in your usual stuffing recipe.
2. Cannabis-infused Gravy
Ingredients:
- Traditional gravy ingredients (turkey drippings, flour, broth, etc.)
- Cannabutter Directions:
- Prepare your gravy as usual and stir in a desired amount of cannabutter just before serving.
3. Green Bean Cannabis Almondine
Ingredients:
- Fresh green beans
- Slivered almonds
- Cannabutter Directions:
- Sauté green beans and almonds in cannabutter until cooked.
4. Mashed Pot-Cannabis-toes
Ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Milk or cream
- Cannabutter Directions:
- Mash potatoes and mix with a blend of cannabutter and regular butter.
6. Dosage is Key
The golden rule: start low and go slow. It’s easier to have more later than to deal with an uncomfortably intense high. A standard dose of THC is 10mg, but new users might want to start with even less.
7. Pairing Cannabis Strains with Food
Much like wine, different cannabis strains pair better with different foods.
- Turkey: Opt for a strain with earthy notes, like Girl Scout Cookies.
- Desserts: Fruity strains like Blue Dream enhance the sweetness.
8. Safety First
- Never serve infused dishes to minors.
- Always label cannabis-infused dishes clearly.
- Remind guests to avoid driving after consuming.
9. Enjoy Responsibly
The combination of good food, family, and the relaxing properties of cannabis can make for a memorable Thanksgiving. However, remember the effects of edible cannabis can take 30 minutes to 2 hours to kick in. So pace yourself and enjoy the day!
10. Non-infused Options
Always have traditional, non-infused dishes available for guests who prefer not to partake.
This guide is intended for informational purposes only. The consumption of cannabis and cannabis-infused products should be done responsibly, adhering to all local regulations and laws.
