Many years ago I read something after much research and embarked upon trials and found my best method. The key being in what I read was the time to heat and infuse....22-24 hours... Never over 24 or you'd start to degrade the THC. (This info lodged in my brain and I've never forgotten). It's so long ago I have no idea the complete full research or where I read the info that finally seemed to make the most sense and now wish I could! Because it was tried and true, and strong all while utilizing way less material than other recipes I'd read and ALWAYS was a longer cook time. Anybody doing it faster was certainly wasting more material and needing to ingest more than with mine.
I'd like to see what I read previously and compare and interpolate in trying to adapt and utilize some of the newer information I keep up on reading regarding extraction. I've found myself feeling like lately every time is an experiment again, even though I'm trying to stick to my one method!
But I used to use water in my crockpot, now sometimes I try not to.... Only to then think it wasn't as good so then next time I'll return to with water again (repeat)...I've started clarifying my butter.... I've started adding lecithin...
I read the new ideas like badkat and as noted in this thread about decarbing first before extraction, the freezing method, etc etc all the different variables.... And then I think about how to incorporate and maybe improve my tried and true. Hence how I've ended up feeling like every time is still a new time because I haven't worked it out quite yet as some info confuses me! And of course I'm a terrible scientist changing too many variables at one time to really isolate
I say all that to postulate about your test results and get feedback on some things I've concluded, and then some questions I still have remaining... And hopefully informative discussion ensue!
I have never decarbed first in an oven.
I believe (and have read other support) decarb can happen during extraction. I know it to be true otherwise my butter would never work... And it always does.
Did you consider for the 2nd batch results that the THC was down and CBN increased because you surpassed the point of conversion of thca to THC that the THC then started to turn to CBN? I would believe you decarbed and extracted/bonded in the 18 hours already. Question would be.... Could it have gone longer and you get more conversion to THC ? That you weren't at 70% yet (the point where THC to CBN dramatically speeds up)?
Did the additional decarb step post 18 hours heating ensure you went beyond 70% and therefore more rapidly were converting THC to CBN than the remaining THCa was being converted to THC?
I look at the chart and it supports to me the 22-24 hour cook time because of the lower temperature associated with that amount of time. The gentle steady path of the curve at lower temperatures suggests an equally less drastic curve for when THC starts converting to CBN (as can be seen with those that do show the decline in THC conversion above).
My latest experiences:
Last time I returned to water in my crockpot. Decided fuck ghee the water will evaporate out eventually on it's own (yes I now know other reasons not to think that's the only concern!), Put in my material, put in my lecithin and set to go 22 or 23 hours.
Yes I freaked out when in continuing to read wanting to perfect I came across SEVERAL mentions of NOT putting lecithin in if using water method until AFTER straining out water (what?!?! I've done it before no issue...I think?)... That the lecithin would bond the water to the fat and thus all my goodies as well. I thought it was going to be a loss.
Much to my surprise, and no I'm not quite sure how or why, everything was as strong as expected. I salvaged it somehow.
I did however notice the bubble action I had also read about being an indicator of decarb state, but mostly at first because I thought of... shit! this is because I put the lecithin in when I shouldn't have!
At about 21 hours I noticed significant change in the bubbling. I was hesitant though...I know I'm good with 23 hours... Is it too soon to pull it? Is this really the bubble production I'm supposed to be paying attention to in the first place? Or is this bubbling only because of the lecithin?
I think I let it go one more hour at which point I said ok this is really still/not bubbling looking as compared to before I'm going to pull it out now.
It was good...I was pleased. Considered it stressful success with maybe a little luck in the salvage.
Next time I'm convinced again no water. It's a bad evil. And I'll wash it AFTER extraction a couple times maybe even (been doing more reading!!)
*Note: LOTS of questions about this washing method!!! Save those for later!*
And I'm definitely going to the trouble of a ghee again.
So...crockpot, ghee, material, lecithin... GO! It will be a long 23 hours...
Except....I notice again the bubble action similar to before.... Ok guess it's just the lecithin increasing this activity and nothing to do with the water. DATA NOTED! lol
However...I notice this bubbling seem to significantly change, also like before, but maybe not quite as still, and oh shit... I'm only at... Wait....4 hours?!? Is that right?
What do I do? Am I supposed to pull it NOW??? Is decarb peaked? What if I haven't gone long enough and don't get all THC I can? But what if I'm now just turning to CBN????
I borrow a digital thermometer and decide to check the temp I'm my crockpot... Because does this ghee actually get hotter than when the water is there, too? Afterall in the old days the water was used to help with temperature control... My crockpot has low high warm.... But what temp is it getting to exactly? And does it cycle? How consistent is the temp and what is it making this ghee temp?
Worse... I got different reads at different spots in the pot. Even more worse, I was getting reads near 250 (f)! Oh shit... Looking at the chart, 4 hours in, if this has been the case, I'm well surpassed the time. The bubbles make sense /are corroborated by these temps!
But it's not uniform at this temp.... What effect is that having?
Essentially...I found myself in conundrum and having to determine what to do.
Too many questions! Too many unknowns! Not a very well defined experiment!!! Lol
Let's discuss all this about this bubble production...
Can I watch the bubbles in my ghee and material and that's the decarb action? And use it's activity to judge when it's complete or peaked? Everyone talks of a hot oil bath and then I get confused about WHERE and WHICH bubbles are they watching?
Am I correct in thinking I can watch the bubbles in my crockpot to visually see peak of decarb?
Back to the experiment...
Well I ended up going a few more hours... like maybe 7 or 8 because I went to bed. I may have decided to put it on warm so at least it may be lower temperature? Can't remember.
But having done a test comparison and I'm going to say this batch is not as "strong" which ultimately I think it's less "high" as in head high, but increased body effect /sedative.... Which would make sense if I've got more CBN and less THC if it's because I should have pulled at the bubbles changing.
But I don't know if that's actually all true.
I think I want to repeat this last time exactly and do just that... Pull at the bubble change and see how they compare. Same material same everything else.
I need to go ahead and get some testing really of my product!
I also noticed your test results didn't show THCa %... Which would help to provide more detailed picture in seeing what could be responsible for the change of results in your 2 batches.
Someone on here said they think 180 for bonding to fats. But I still haven't seen anything regarding how long does it actually take to bond???
The other informative person on here that believes also in the long slow cook, would say the amount of time bonding is best with long times.... But he loses me however when it comes to the temps AND having pre-decarbed for the exact reasons I questioned about your 2nd batch having higher CBN.
This all confuses me as well since he seemingly has had lots of success.
But 18 hours after decarb????
Maybe it's the kind (effect) of edible we're going for as the end result?
I saw you had a subsequent post with more results that were improved.... But you didn't mention what you did differently and changed for that batch! Would you please share the adjustments you made to your process and why you think your results were better?
Thanks!!!!
