do you wait to cure for edibles?

[dustydundee]

Obviously there is a reason to cure when you are smoking the bud, but does curing time apply if you're making edibles? I like to make canna butter, but I always wonder if waiting to cure matters or if I should just make the butter right after drying? thoughts?

[golfnrl]

IMHO I think it's dealers choice. Curing may not really be necessary but it will make the weed smell better and taste better. I think that would carry over to edibles a noticeable amount. The curing process removes the hay smell and allows the terpenes in the cannabis to mature and the trichs to get a little brittle. For edibles though the weed needs to be decarboxylated, right? It's a good question.

[Bluey]

I've used some pretty rough weed to make butter without seeming to impact the final result.

I'm sure the heating of the plant and absorption of the fats in the butter plays a part in the process and the final baking of the product will get the THC right where you want it.

I make sweets mostly, cookies, cake, muffins, etc...branching out now though

[OldManGrower]

I believe that curing definitely increases the potency of weed. Assuming that is correct, then all weed products should benefit from this process. Again, what' the rush?

[Allenpro]

There is lots of "bro science" that says curing and decarb can lower the THC % but its very small amounts and like you said, whats the rush. I dont think the FDA has made a ruling on that, lol

[dustydundee]

not so much an issue of rushing, rather trying to understand why. My understanding of the curing process is that is what essentially breaks down the plant matter to where it smokes smooth, so it makes obvious sense to cure weed that you intend to smoke. I do both, make edibles and smoke, but strugglng to see why it would make a difference on edibles, since you have to decarb it anyway. i guess only one way to find out.

[Allenpro]

Let us know what you find out.

[Bluey]

I used to dry my plants by hanging the entire plant upside down. It was a slow process and took quite a few weeks minimum to well over a month or even two. Drying is the start of the curing process.

I only ever used leaves to make butter and it was accepted back then that the organic material had to be dry to get the butter absorbed by the leaves so it would bind with the THC and other compounds prior to extraction.

I am also of the mindset that the drying & curing, when done correctly, improves the outcome. Better flavour, improved effects and the breakdown of some of the harsher compounds.

For the best results I'd cure as usual.

[Allenpro]

I have never harvested just for edibles and when I do make edibles I use keif so there is no plant matter to deal with. The keif is always from cured buds. Honestly if its not worth the effort to cure I toss it out

[Gingerbeard]

I'm with golfnrl's first sentence about dealer's choice.
Since most folks do not want to taste or burp weed from edibles, curing weed for flavor for edibles is moot.
I would like to replace 'curing for potency' with 'curing for enhanced entourage effects.' I mean, what is potency in weed? Is it potency from potential THC? Is it limonene potent? High potent or medicinal potent? CBD potent?
Some folks like a live rosin as it is supposed to be the best way to preserve terpenes. Some folks like a well-aged temple ball where terpenes have done whatever terpenes do after being well aged. Each is a different experience.
But what do I do? I decarb resin from dried-enough weed.