Recipes
“All oils go rancid; vinegar gets better with time,” he says. “I started infusing vinegar because it was another way to create more vehicles to carry full-spectrum cannabinoids into the body. Vinegar is widely used in many everyday recipes. It can make simple foods sparkle and a great dish extremely memorable.”
Acid Test
Experimenting with cannabis-infused vinegars
Pacific Northwest-based cannabis chef Sebastian Carosi is a fan of cannabis-infused vinegars. Obsessed is probably the more appropriate word, and the world should be grateful for his dedication. Over the past few years, Carosi has tinkered with dozens of infusions that would make Willy Wonka look like an amateur: viognier vinegar, hemp and hops vinegar, chamomile vinegar, madrone bark vinegar, heirloom apple cider vinegar, green tea vinegar and more—all infused with that one special ingredient. That’s right: cannabis.
Why vinegars? As far as immune-boosting infused staples go, vinegar is one hell of an ingredient. It’s high in acetic acid and can work as a powerful agent against harmful bacteria. Vinegar has been scientifically proven to help lower blood sugar and cholesterol, regulate blood pressure, support weight loss and fight diabetes. It’s often an important ingredient for those battling leaky gut syndrome, osteoporosis, and general sinus and cold symptoms. Add in all the inherent benefits of cannabis, and it’s basically a superfood.
Cannabis can be used in most any recipe, but the shelf life on homemade vinegar runs circles around infused oils—plus it offers way more versatility and flavor in the kitchen as an acid powerhouse. It’s tart, acidic and used to brighten many of our daily foods. Carosi has been tinkering with vinegar since the ’90s.
“All oils go rancid; vinegar gets better with time,” he says. “I started infusing vinegar because it was another way to create more vehicles to carry full-spectrum cannabinoids into the body. Vinegar is widely used in many everyday recipes. It can make simple foods sparkle and a great dish extremely memorable.”
His cannabis vinegar-roasted young hen recipe, for example, is based on the old-school recipe for Amish vinegar chicken, which he describes as “wicked tangy and super sticky, but downright delicious.” Cannabis-infused vinegars can be used in salads, glazes, pickling and desserts. The applications are endless.
Even at its most basic, making the infusion is an act of simple fermentation: drop a little decarbed flower into vinegar, then set it and forget it. “For me, the benefits are fairly self-evident: If you grow cannabis (or purchase from a reliable source) and make the vinegar (or purchase from a reliable source), then together you now have bragging rights over a 100 percent homegrown, full-spectrum cannabis vinegar that is delicious.”
Of course, with all infused edibles there’s the big question: How will it hit you? For recreational users, the answer is not much. You’ll have to increase the dose substantially to get a THC percentage that packs a punch. But for medical users, low-intake users or those who just want to have a manageable, regulated approach for a multicourse infused dinner, this is one ingredient that should be in everyone’s pantry.
3 Ways to Infuse Vinegar
Carosi’s tried-and-true DIY infusions
For a basic infused vinegar, each method calls for 56 grams cannabis and 4 cups of vinegar. Tip: “If you’re using vinegar as a source of beneficial bacteria, try not to heat it,” says Carosi. “Too much heat will destroy many of the beneficial elements of a well-crafted and properly fermented vinegar.”
Crock-Pot Method
- Decarboxylate your cannabis using a standard oven, canning jar or specialty machine method.
- Place decarbed flower into a canning jar with vinegar.
- Fill a slow cooker with 3 inches of warm water. Place the jar in the center and cover with lid. Set the temp to warm and leave it on for at least 12 hours, refilling the warm water as needed.
- Remove the canning jar from the water bath. Let it sit at room temperature for one week.
- Strain and enjoy.
Botanical Extraction Tech Method
- Using a specialty infusion device like MagicalButter or LEVO, fill the device with all of your ingredients. Set it and forget it.
- Strain after the cycle.
Mother Nature’s Method*
- Decarboxylate cannabis using a standard oven, canning jar or specialty machine method.
- Place decarbed flower and vinegar into a canning jar.
- Set on a windowsill for a month. Strain and use.
*Results won’t be as good as with some of the heated methods, but this is a reliable—and the oldest—method.