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Safe cooking temperatures

Ipsissimus

Member
I've ran into my fair share of ppl who think eating weed sucks - and I suspect much of it is caused by accidentally vaporizing the goodies. After doing some research into vaporization temperatures, I learned that what I thought was safe was in fact, not.

As is often the case, there was also a fair amount of conflicting data, and much hearsay. I thought I'd start a thread to share some of my findings, and encourage further discussion.

THC is only one of several important cannabinoids.

?-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
Boiling point: 157*C / 314.6 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Euphoriant, Analgesic, Antiinflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiemetic

cannabidiol (CBD)
Boiling point: 160-180*C / 320-356 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Anxiolytic, Analgesic, Antipsychotic, Antiinflammatory, Antioxidant, Antispasmodic

Cannabinol (CBN)
Boiling point: 185*C / 365 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Oxidation, breakdown, product, Sedative, Antibiotic

cannabichromene (CBC)
Boiling point: 220*C / 428 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Antiinflammatory, Antibiotic, Antifungal

cannabigerol (CBG)
Boiling point: MP52
Properties: Antiinflammatory, Antibiotic, Antifungal

?-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (?-8-THC)
Boiling point: 175-178*C / 347-352.4 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Resembles ?-9-THC, Less psychoactive, More stable Antiemetic

tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)
Boiling point: < 220*C / <428 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Analgesic, Euphoriant



Terpenoid essential oils, their boiling points, and properties


ß-myrcene
Boiling point: 166-168*C / 330.8-334.4 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Analgesic. Antiinflammatory, Antibiotic, Antimutagenic

ß-caryophyllene
Boiling point: 119*C / 246.2 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Antiinflammatory, Cytoprotective (gastric mucosa), Antimalarial

d-limonene
Boiling point: 177*C / 350.6 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Cannabinoid agonist?, Immune potentiator, Antidepressant, Antimutagenic

linalool
Boiling point: 198*C / 388.4 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Sedative, Antidepressant, Anxiolytic, Immune potentiator

pulegone
Boiling point: 224*C / 435.2 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Memory booster?, AChE inhibitor, Sedative, Antipyretic

1,8-cineole (eucalyptol)
Boiling point: 176*C / 348.8 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: AChE inhibitor, Increases cerebral, blood flow, Stimulant, Antibiotic, Antiviral, Antiinflammatory, Antinociceptive

a-pinene
Boiling point: 156*C / 312.8 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Antiinflammatory, Bronchodilator, Stimulant, Antibiotic, Antineoplastic, AChE inhibitor

a-terpineol
Boiling point: 217-218*C / 422.6-424.4 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Sedative, Antibiotic, AChE inhibitor, Antioxidant, Antimalarial

terpineol-4-ol
Boiling point: 209*C / 408.2 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: AChE inhibitor. Antibiotic

p-cymene
Boiling point: 177*C / 350.6 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Antibiotic, Anticandidal, AChE inhibitor



Flavonoid and phytosterol components, their boiling points, and properties


apigenin
Boiling point: 178*C / 352.4 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Anxiolytic, Antiinflammatory, Estrogenic

quercetin
Boiling point: 250*C / 482 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Antioxidant, Antimutagenic, Antiviral, Antineoplastic

cannflavin A
Boiling point: 182*C / 359.6 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: COX inhibitor, LO inhibitor

ß-sitosterol
Boiling point: 134*C / 273.2 degree Fahrenheit
Properties: Antiinflammatory, 5-a-reductase, inhibitor

Then on wikipedia: CBD 206.3 °C[6], CBN 212.7 °C[7], THC 149.3 °C[8]

I always had thought that if I stayed below 350F, I'd be fine, but it seems that THC vaporizes @ 300.74F! Leaving CBD and CBN - no wonder some pot food just makes me sleep!

There are many sources that cite BPs between 300-350F. Good reason for playing it safe and staying at or below 300F imo.
 

micropro

Member
Very Indepth!

I've found 275degreesF give me good consistency and potency in my goodies.

Unfortunately, all the pot cook books i find give cooking temps 350-450. That's terrible to pass this poor information!
 

grumio

Member
One thing to keep in mind when considering these boiling-point temperatures and baking temperatures is that air is a very poor conductor of heat. For example, you can stick your bare hand into a 350 f oven with no problem at all. Stick your hand in a pot of boiling water - a mere 212 f - and you will get badly burned.

What's important is the temperature that the baked stuff reaches, and that's a function of time, mass, density, shape, etc, as well as oven temperature.

Sticking something in a 400 f oven doesn't instantly heat it to 400 f.
 

Ipsissimus

Member
Thanks guys, glad you liked.

Grumio brings up a good point. I'd imagine baked goods stay below boiling temperature internally until they "set". Of course, the surface touching the pan, and the exposed surface reach outside temperatures quickly.

Melted chocolate gets super hot - It would be cool to use a meat thermometer and bake some brownies to really see what temps are reached.

Liquids do transfer heat well - The most common mistake is heating up oil/butter in a pan, without a water bath. Temperatures of 400+ are quickly reached.

Also, don't forget when you open your oven there is an exchange with the outside air and theres less radiant heat, especially w/ electric ovens. You will get burned :)
 
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cool post.
dont you need higher temperatures to properly bake things though?

I was under the impression that when making, say cookies, when cooked the chemicals do vaporize, but get trapped in the dough since most of it isnt exposed to air.
 

Endo

IcMag Resident Comic Relief
Veteran
very cool post. good to know for making butter, i usually steep my trim in hot water and then add the butter. good to know that heat is not going to make it go bye bye. and with the oven thing. i have never had a problem. with anything cooked under 350 degrees. and you can certainly make brownies and cookies at those temps and lower. 300-325 seems good. and though it takes longer to cook. it wont burn as easy.

a+ posting.
 

Lil 'o Me

Farm hand
Veteran
Yea, great info! I always bake my cookies and brownies at 350 degrees. Never had a problem with loosing potency. However. I tried a recipie that called to be baked at 400 degrees, and had lost some potency. I figured 400 would be too hot.
 

Ipsissimus

Member
thanks for all the positive feedback!

cool post.
dont you need higher temperatures to properly bake things though?

I was under the impression that when making, say cookies, when cooked the chemicals do vaporize, but get trapped in the dough since most of it isnt exposed to air.

you need higher temperatures to bake some things, yes. I wouldn't bake these things :)

Most baking is done at 325f-375f, so they're easy to adjust..brownies are usually higher though. there's not much water content in brownies, and much fat, so it rises above 212F once it "sets". I'd imagine the crunchy outside bits match the oven air temperature (my favorite part), with the temperature approaching 212 towards the center, if it's gooey.

Also, why do you think cookies smell good? The gases are escaping! Otherwise you'd burp a lot eating them :) To get the goods, you'd have to crush the cookie in bag, and then inhale the air...also, I swear I've gotten high from opening too-hot ovens and breathing in all the fumes while baking pot food, which corresponds with the theory.

The biggest cause of screwed up butter/oils? When making it, heating the butter/oil in a skillet without water. :wallbash:
 

Ipsissimus

Member
Oh and I used to think that the people who couldn't get high off pot food just hadn't tried MY food. After reading several threads, I'm convinced there are a few people who simply cannot. If this is because of a metabolite problem, or a digestion problem, etc., I dunno, but in some cases it ain't the food that's lacking.
 

Haps

stone fool
Veteran
I have to dispute the temps on thc in your date. All of my extensive testing shows that data to be wrong. I agree that some terps boil off at 325, but thc does not. I suggest testing will prove this to you.
H
 
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