A Guide To Decarboxylation For Beginners
Posted on September 01 2022
The process of decarboxylation may sound intimidating, however, it’s actually very simple. Decarboxylation is necessary to activate certain molecules in your dry herbs and ensure that you can reap the full benefits when you cook them into edibles. Otherwise, you may find that you are just consuming cookies, soups, or other edibles with some dried herbs added into the mix!
If you are new to decarboxylation, read on to find out more about it and some best practices to follow.
Preparing Your Herbs for Decarboxylation
It’s not necessary to grind your herbs before starting the process of decarboxylation. However, you should break it down into smaller pieces. This can easily be done by hand and should not take more than a few minutes.
Next, your oven should be preheated to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. You do not want to bake your herbs for too long or at too high a temperature, as this can make your herbs dry out or has the opposite effect of making them too potent.
Starting the Process of Decarboxylation
There are two main methods you can use to start the decarboxylation process at home. Keep in mind that the smell of your herbs baking may permit your house. Neither of these methods are better than the other, and the one you use will come down to your personal preference.
- Oven Bag
The first way you can carry out decarboxylation is with the use of an oven bag. After you have broken down your dried herbs, place it inside the bag and tie your knot on top. Next, place this bag on a baking sheet and place the entire tray in the oven.
Let your herbs cook for half an hour at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. You can check when your herbs are ready because they should turn golden brown. Once ready, simply remove from the oven and you can now start using your dried herbs in your edibles.
- Baking Sheet
Another way to carry out decarboxylation is using a baking sheet. All you need to do is spread out your dried herbs on the baking sheet to ensure that they are able to cook evenly. Similarly, let them bake for 30 minutes at 250 degrees. You will want to be careful not to let it bake for too long, as this can turn the molecules you want to activate into something else entirely.
Just like with the previous method, check that your herbs have turned a golden brown before removing them from the oven.
Finding the Best Way to Store your Dried Herbs
Congratulations, you have successfully completed the decarboxylation process, and your dried herbs are now ready to be used in your edibles! Now, you may be wondering how to store any excess herbs you may have. The best solution for this are airtight metal jars. Make sure that you screw the list on tight and place them in a dark, cool and dry place. Under the right storage conditions, your dried herbs should be able to last up to a few months!