As you take that first bite of that cannabis-infused brownie, you may wonder: are edibles supposed to taste like weed? Often, it can feel like you’re sacrificing taste when you’re looking to get high, but the truth is- you don’t have to.
There are alternatives to suffering through a dank, earthy edible just to get a nice high, but when it comes to procuring edibles without the weed taste, you have to know what you’re doing.
Why Edibles Taste Like Weed
Though it might taste like it, your edible does not get made by just tossing weed into a recipe. To activate the THC, you need to infuse your cannabis into a fat, typically by simmering it into the chosen fat—butter or oil, most commonly.
That infusion process can yield different results depending on the weed you’re using. Even the process itself is going to differ depending on if you are making your own edible entirely or using pre-made ingredients like extracts or distillate.
In the cannabis industry, most edible-makers utilize “distillate,” which is distilled cannabis without most of the weed taste, leaving only the pure THC or CBD molecules you want.
However, certain strains are going to have certain types of terpenes, regardless of the distillation process. Does your weed smell like citrus? That’s thanks to a terpene called limonene, which is also found in lemon peels. A green and earthy tasting edible gets its flavour from the chlorophyll in the trim, which will affect what sorts of results you’re able to yield.
Those terpenes are a crucial part of the equation when it comes to edibles, particularly how to reduce the weed taste in edibles.
How to Reduce the Weed Taste in Prepared Edibles
Professionally-made edibles are likely going to be more reliably dosed than making your own, so they’re better in the sense that it’s harder to take too much accidentally. If you feel like you have taken too much, make sure to check out our article on how to recover from cannabis edibles fast.
Even so, the cannabis industry has a long way to go as far as figuring out how to mask the taste of weed in edibles.
Some of this is a question of preference—one of the reasons you can taste weed in edibles is that many people actually want their edibles to taste like pot.
They prefer to have that mental note of when they are consuming cannabis and when it’s just a cookie.
Not all edibles mask the weed taste because people have different preferences. The best thing to do is to experiment where you can. Find edible brands that make foods you like and do a taste test to see if the flavour is to your liking.
If you’ve recently purchased an edible with a strong taste and don’t want to waste it, don’t panic. Try pairing the edible with something to help mask the taste—if it’s a beverage, water it down a little. If it’s a food, then seek out a nice, complimentary flavour.
How to Make Weed Edibles Taste Better
Marijuana has a dank, herbal taste to it. That’s just the truth, but there are a couple of foods and techniques that are just naturally better at masking that cannabis flavour. Something like a hearty pizza will cover the weed and taste a lot better than a delicate custard will.
If you’re in a pinch, try these tricks to hide the taste of weed:
- Chocolate: It’s a classic for a reason! The richness of cocoa helps offset even the most potent flavours, no matter what terpenes are at play.
- Ginger: Whether it’s gingerbread or steak with nice ginger butter, there’s an inherently forceful profile to ginger. It’ll help reduce weed taste in edibles if it doesn’t manage to overpower it entirely.
- Caramel: On that note, the sweet and fat combination of caramel makes it a perfect mask for weed flavours. With all that creaminess and flavour— in all its forms, liquid or solid — it is a great way to get edibles without a weed taste.
- Browned butter: If you’re using butter for baking an edible, try browning it on the stove before cooking. Just toss it in a frying pan over low heat until it turns a slightly darker colour. Let it cool, and you’re ready to go, hopefully with a nuttier butter to cover the taste.
- Heavy spices: Spicy food can work in harmony with the earthiness of weed. Even a more spiced dish—much like gingerbread with all its molasses and cinnamon—can make a perfect cover for that pot taste.
- Make it from scratch: Eschewing that box cake mix or Hamburger Helper will make your meal more complicated, but it’ll also help you more readily identify and remedy what your dish needs to make edibles that don’t taste like weed.
How to Make Edibles That Don’t Taste Like Weed
Theoretically, when you are cooking with cannabis, THC is THC—it’s going to get you high if it is correctly prepared and utilized in your food—but not all weed tastes the same. Depending on the strain you’re using, the plant itself will come with different flavour profiles—and, thus, be complemented better by different foods.
The trick to getting edibles that are less dank than others will come from really understanding what you’re cooking.
That may mean getting creative! While desserts like a brownie or a cookie are classic edible fare, savoury foods might play well (or, even, better) with the taste of your strain.
After all, there are plenty of savoury foods that use a lot of oil and fat that work just as well as a sweet. Mashed potatoes or mac and cheese, for instance, can pair well with herbs that will mask or complement the dank flavour of your kush.
Being aware of how the quantity and quality of the weed-infused fat you’re using can be helpful as well.
Experts recommend not skimping on your ingredients—good butter and good weed make good cannabutter.
[If you want to learn how to make cannabutter, check out our handy edible guide here!]
Even better, use the full flower instead of just the trim when making cannabutter or infused oil.
If you can, make your weed butter (or oil, coconut oil, or preferred fat of choice) as strong as possible, and then freeze it. From there, split the amount of fat the recipe calls for between cannabis-infused butter and plain butter. With this technique, you can keep the same potency level without sacrificing any taste in your cooking.
Conclusion
Edibles are a great way to use cannabis. Edibles are discreet, easy to use, and way better for your lungs and body than smoking.
But not everyone likes the taste of weed. Luckily, there are many ways to mask the weed taste, and if you buy or make edibles with distillate, there’s often little to no cannabis taste at all!
If you’re making your own edibles, it’s an excellent opportunity to get creative. Plus, making your own means you don’t have to worry about limiting yourself to low-dose THC edibles- which are the only edibles allowed in the licensed market.
If you’re unsure about where to start, contact our team at [email protected]. We’d be happy to steer you toward the right product, whether you’re looking for cannabis-infused cooking oils, extracts, or flower.
So get out there and find those perfect edibles today.
Bon appetit!
Featured image courtesy of Sherpa SEO
