Master Decarb Thread

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MightyBeard

Active Member
Okay. Maybe this has been asked before, and maybe I just missed it in the last half hour of searching, but I'm wondering if there is a master thread for decarboxylation. I don't mean asking if you should decarb, but rather some collection of knowledge of how - temperature, time, tools, etc. I'm personally super curious about ideal temp and time (I know there's a lot of debate out there, some backed by science). I have two different decarb machines and their manuals each have different tables of ideal temps.

So, what is the consensus? What temp? How long? Oven or machine or does it matter?

Also, can we get this thread (or another if it already exists) pinned somewhere?
 
Everyone uses different numbers. I grind up flower and put it in a jar and bake in the oven at around 240 Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to an hour and this has always given good results for me. There is no odor in the house this way until you open the jar.
 
Rolling Green said:
Everyone uses different numbers. I grind up flower and put it in a jar and bake in the oven at around 240 Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to an hour and this has always given good results for me. There is no odor in the house this way until you open the jar.
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That's an interesting way to go. I don't think I've ever heard of doing in a closed jar. Does it ever have pressure problems?
 
I use a Pyrex dish with a lid: roughly chop with scissors and bake 110-120C for 60-90mins
First time I tried was on an open tray in a fan oven - mistake, stunk the place out and the bud turned to crisps
Having tried a few experiments, next run I'm going to add a few drops of water to help it bake/steam more evenly
 
When using mason jars, screw the lids on loosely so pressure can escape.

Having said that, mason jars are designed to keep a vacuum, not positive pressure.
 
Doctor Trevor said:
When using mason jars, screw the lids on loosely so pressure can escape.

Having said that, mason jars are designed to keep a vacuum, not positive pressure.
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When canning whether in a pressure-canner or a boiling water bath the pressure builds up in the jar as heat causes the water to start to boil and produce steam. It can be seen as a stream of bubbles coming from the edge of the link during boiling water canning methods. The temperatures inside a pressure cooker will end up getting higher than the boiling point of water as the pressure builds. Temperatures of 225 to 250 are not that unusual. It is these really high temperatures that process sterilize the foods. I hope that the buds being considered for a decarb stage are not soaking wet since dried buds will not build up much pressure--just have to worry about jars breaking because of the temperature of the glass.

True canning jars should say Mason on them. Those jars are made with a tempered glass and can handle the temperatures and pressure in canning. Avoid jars made with a regular glass like the old style Mayonnaise and mustard jars. Those do not seem to handle the temperature swings as well as proper canning jars.

Just looked up some basic info on canning jars and noticed that some of the Mason jar manufacturers are asking customers not to use the jars for heating and/or baking in an oven.
 
So the only reason I've been using a machine is because my oven is from the '70s and is a bit uneven/unreliable, which means I can't guarantee the temp will stay even close to level. But the machines all have adjustable times/temps. The problem is that their guides are WILDLY different. Whether that's because they operate slightly differently, or because they just have different styles, I don't know.

One says 220 for 30mins, which seems too low and too short. The other says 240 for 1:10, which seems right on temp, but maybe a little long? Oddly enough they come up with a pretty darn similar result either way - medium brown bud that's still a little 'damp' and smells a little 'smoky'.
 
MightyBeard said:
One says 220 for 30mins, which seems too low and too short. The other says 240 for 1:10, which seems right on temp, but maybe a little long? Oddly enough they come up with a pretty darn similar result either way - medium brown bud that's still a little 'damp' and smells a little 'smoky'.
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The boiling point of water is 212 F give or take a bit depending on the amount above sea-level. No matter what the temperature of the oven is set at and how hot it gets inside the buds will stay at 212F until all the water evaporates and then it starts to burn.

Think about that roast you might be putting in the 350F oven. It is cooked to a medium done when the internal temperature gets to 140 F.

Pick the temperature and time that gives the results you are happy with.
 
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