Decarboxylate the Cannabis FIRST … Always.

 Prompt by me ... research and writing by ChatGPT

Why Skipping This Step Leaves Potency on the Table

Here’s the blunt truth:

Most weak homemade edibles aren’t bad because of the recipe. They’re bad because the cannabis was never properly decarboxylated.

People assume that tossing raw cannabis into butter or oil somehow “handles it.”
It doesn’t — at least not reliably, not evenly, and not fully.

Let’s break down why.

What Actually Happens During Decarboxylation

Cannabis in its raw state is full of THCA, not THC.

THCA cannot activate your endocannabinoid receptors. 
Think key into a lock:

THCA fits into the receptor, but it can’t turn anything on.

Decarboxylation reshapes that key — THCA loses a carbon group and becomes THC, which finally can interact with CB1 receptors.

Without that conversion, you won’t get the effects you’re expecting.

Why Infusing in Oil Alone Often Fails

This is the part most people never understand:

1. Oil Temperatures Rarely Reach Decarb Temperatures

If cannabis is inside fat, it is insulated. Oil distributes heat gently and evenly — great for cooking, terrible for converting THCA into THC.

You can infuse all day at 180–200°F and still end up with a product heavy in THCA.

Heat needs to contact the plant matter directly for decarb to happen correctly.

2. Fat Protects Cannabinoids From Heat

This is the key insight worth an entire blog post:

Fat slows the rate of heat transfer into the cannabinoid molecules.
It stabilizes them. That’s normally great — it reduces degradation once THC is already formed.

But during decarboxylation?
It’s a problem.

Because:

• THCA trapped in the oil layer doesn’t receive enough direct thermal energy

• It decarboxylates slower

• And it often doesn’t finish before the infusion temp must remain low to protect terpenes

This is why lab tests on homemade edibles often show significant THCA remaining.

Not because the person did anything “wrong” — but because they skipped the one step that cannot be skipped.

3. Infusion Temperatures Are TOO LOW to Fully Decarb

Decarboxylation likes roughly:

• 220–250°F (104–121°C)

• 30–45 minutes depending on moisture and density

Infusion prefers:

• 165–190°F (74–88°C)

• 1–3 hours

Those ranges do not overlap.

Trying to combine both processes in one pot is like trying to bake bread at salad temperatures.

The Result: Weak Edibles, Inconsistent Batches, Wasted Cannabinoids

You can have:

• the nicest MCT oil

• the best hash

• the loudest flower

• the longest infusion time

But if the THCA never had a chance to convert before hitting the oil,
you will not get the potency you should.

And that’s why many homemade edibles hit like a sleepy herbal balm instead of a proper nighttime medicine.

The Correct Order (If You Want Full Potency)

Step 1 — Decarb the cannabis on its own

Spread cannabis evenly on a tray, or even better in a lidded dish.

• 240°F for 40 minutes (flower)

• Lower temp for longer if preserving terpenes

• Shake halfway for even heat

Now you have THC.

Step 2 — Then infuse into oil

Completely different process.
Here you’re just letting fat dissolve and carry the already-activated cannabinoids.

A low 160°F–180°F infusion is ideal because:

• Terpenes stay intact

• THC remains stable

• The oil doesn’t burn

• You get full extraction

But that only works after decarb.

Bottom Line

If you want strong, consistent, reliable edibles:

Decarboxylate the cannabis FIRST.
Always.

It’s the one step most people skip — and it’s the one step that makes the biggest difference.