Winter Pantry: 6 Kief-Infused Ingredients to Hack Edibles

Winter is the perfect time to hunker down and whip up some homemade edibles. And with the cold weather arriving, cannabis cooking aficionados should be thinking of stocking their cannabis pantry to hack the edibles making process.

These six infused ingredients — coconut milk, kief no-salt seasoning, gluten-free baking flour, kief-infused honey, strawberry compound butter, and vegan bone broth — are among the most versatile essentials to making easy meals and quick bites, and use one key ingredient: kief.

Kief is a potent concentration of THCA made from the accumulation of trichomes and can be collected from the bottom of your grinder or purchased from a retail location. Since kief is more potent than regular flower, less of it is required to infuse ingredients and get the desired effects.

Decarboxylating Kief

Before you get started, you will need to decarboxylate your kief before diving into some of these great cannabis hacks. I should note that there is a wide range of different temperatures in which to decarboxylate cannabis. The time and temperatures outlined below aim to get the most out of your THC while preserving as much of the terpene profiles as possible.

The cannabinoid content in trichomes (kief potency) is dependent on the amount of cannabinoids in the trichomes. It’s impossible to have an average because flower has a different percentage of cannabinoids.

As far as dosage for these recipes go, assume that 1 gram of kief is approximately 500 milligrams of THC, but keep in mind that its entirely dependent on the strain used to acquire the kief. Most of these recipes use 1 or ½ gram of kief, but if you’re looking for smaller doses, halve the portions of kief to ½ or ¼ gram.

Ingredients

• 1 gram kief

Materials

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or aluminum foil

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, or 104 degrees Celsius.
2. Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or foil.
3. Evenly sprinkle kief onto the sheet and place in the oven, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
4. Pull the baking sheet from the oven, and allow to cool completely.

Kief No-Salt Seasoning

This product is essential for your spice cabinet and incredibly easy to make. Use as a seasoning to add flavor to dishes — scrambled eggs, French fries, or stews — and about 10.4 milligrams of THC per teaspoon. This recipe will yield 24 teaspoons. Suggested strain is Hash Plant for its spicy, kushy, earthy flavors.

Ingredients

• ½ gram decarboxylated kief
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) paprika
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) chili powder
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) onion powder
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) cumin
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) garlic
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) oregano
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) black pepper
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) lemon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) red pepper flakes

Materials

• Mixing bowl
• Tablespoon
• Glass jar for storage

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients together until the kief is evenly distributed.
2. Place in glass jar. Store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.

Coconut Milk

This infused coconut milk is perfect for adding some kick to your coffee or tea, or using to bake dairy-free desserts. This recipe makes 16 cups, or 3.79 liters, with approximately 15.6 milligrams of THC per cup (237 milliliters). Suggested strains include Chocolope or Chocolate Haze for their citrusy, chocolatey flavors that complement the creamy, coconut flavors.

Note: Use or consume the coconut milk within three to four days after infusing.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon (128 fluid ounces, or 3.79 liters) full-fat coconut milk
• ½ gram kief

Materials

• Cloth strainer
• Double boiler
• 4 quart (32 ounces, or 1 liter) glass containers
• Tablespoon
• Ice, optional for chilling after cooking

Directions

1. Set double boiler to a low heat
2. Add the coconut milk and kief. Gently stir with a spoon until its well mixed.
3. Allow mixture to a low heat for 1 hour. Monitor to make sure the sides do not scald. A skin or raft will form in the center of the milk as the cannabinoids infuse.
4. After an hour, place the cloth strainer over a container of choice and strain the coconut milk to separate the remaining kief.
5. Drink warm or chill in an ice bath before placing the coconut milk into the fridge. Be sure to stir the coconut milk before serving.

Gluten-Free Baking Flour

This is a great substitute for regular flour if you crave, cookies, breads, pie crusts, you name it, and have gluten-free restrictions and a taste for kushy goodness. This recipe makes 2 ½ cups at approximately 200 milligrams of THC per cup. Suggested strains include OG Kush or Bubba Kush for their dank, earthy notes.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (192 grams) brown rice flour
• ½ cup (76 grams) potato starch
• ¼ cup (36 grams) white rice flour
• ¼ cup (28 grams) tapioca flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 1 gram decarboxylated kief

Materials

• Mixing bowl
• 20 ounce (or 600 milligrams) flour container
• Tablespoon for mixing

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until fully incorporated.
2. Place in an airtight jar and store in a cupboard.

Kief-Infused Honey

When you need a dash of sweetness and buzz to the mix, drizzle this kief-infused honey on yogurt, fruit, or biscuits; or eat a tablespoon to ease a sore throat. This recipe makes 68 tablespoons, or 1 liter, at roughly 7.4 milligrams of THC per tablespoon. Suggested strains include Vanilla Kush or Cotton Kandy Kush for their sweet, floral flavors.

Ingredients

• 32 fluid ounces (946 milliliters) honey
• 1 gram decarboxylated kief
• ¼ cup (75 milliliters) vegetable glycerin

Materials

• Cheesecloth
• Mason jar
• Mixing bowl
• Slow cooker
• Small hand towel
• Tablespoon

Directions

1. Mix the vegetable glycerin and kief in a sealed mason jar.
2. In a slow cooker, place a folded towel in the center and fill with water halfway. Place the mason jar on the towel in the water and warm on the lowest setting for 24 hours.
3. After 24 hours, pour the warm glycerin into a bowl. Remove the water and wipe down the crockpot.
4. Place the glycerin through cheesecloth, separating the kief, into the dry slow cooker.
5. Add the honey and stir.
6. Warm for 15 minutes on the lowest setting.
7. Pour into a clean, sterilized mason jar and cool fully at room temperature before capping.

Strawberry Compound Canna-butter

This infused butter is the perfect way to elevate your basic, everyday bites by spreading on toast, bagels, muffins, or other pastry items. Makes 168 teaspoons, or 794 grams, with about 3 milligrams of THC per teaspoon. Suggested strains include Tangerine or Strawberry Cough for their fruity, candied notes.

Ingredients

• 16 ounces (454 grams) unsalted sweet cream butter
• 1 cup (152 grams) macerated strawberries
• ½ cup (118 milliliters) raw honey (non-infused)
• 1 gram decarboxylated kief

Materials

• Cheesecloth
• Double boiler
• Wooden spoon
• Glass jar, ramekin, or other container

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a double boiler and bring to a boil.
2. After 1 minute drop the heat down to low. Add the kief and stir.
3. Cook for 1 hour on the lowest setting.
4. Strain your canna-butter through cheesecloth into a bowl of your choice. This will separate the milk solids from your canna-butter.
5. Pour your clarified canna-butter into a glass jar, ramekin or container of your choice and let it cool at room temperature until it solidifies.
6. Scoop into a bowl and stir in the macerated strawberries and raw honey until fully combined.
7. Place your compound canna-butter in a ramekin and serve as a spread. You can also roll into a log and slice the butter as needed.

Vegan ‘Bone’ Broth

You can sip on vegan “bone” broth when you are sick, or use as a stock for soups and sauces. This recipe makes 16 cups, or 3.79 liters, with about 15.6 milligrams of THC per cup. Suggested strains include Critical Kush or Special Kush for their complex earthy, kush flavors.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon (3.79 liters) filtered water
• 1 cup Mirepoix (½ cup chopped sweet onion, ¼ cup chopped carrot, and ¼ cup celery roughly chopped)
• 1 head of garlic with top cut off
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme, sage, bay leaves, parsley, rosemary bundled in cheesecloth and tied)
• 2 parsnips
• 4 large portabella mushrooms caps
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 inch (5 centimeter) piece of kombu
• 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) olive oil
• ½ gram kief
• ½ teaspoon (8 grams) whole black peppercorns
• Himalayan pink sea salt and black pepper to taste

Materials

• Colander
• Large stock pot
• Range
• Wooden spoon

Directions

1. Place all ingredients, except salt and pepper, into a large stock pot.
2. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer.
3. Allow to simmer for 3-4 hours on the lowest temperature.
4. Season the broth with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Strain the broth through a colander into glass jars. Use within 5-7 days and store in the refrigerator. You can also place the broth into a zipper storage bag and freeze for future use.

Jessica Catalano