Ask a Chef: Storing your infusions

I absolutely love cooking with cannabis. I especially enjoy being versatile with my edibles and creating both sweet and savory treats. The downside to this is if you don’t have access to a THC distillate, then you have to go through the long process of infusing cannabis flowers into your products. 

I have explained these processes in some of my previous articles. This process is not always conducive to your schedule and available time so here are a few ideas on what you can keep on hand for creating quick edibles or infusion dishes.

I enjoy using many different products for my infusions, any fat-based substance will work. If you are making any infusion you should make a double or triple batch and freeze the extra. I like to use a few ice cube trays lined with plastic wrap for easy removal. I like to use butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and even bacon grease works well for certain things. I will leave some of my trays plain and some of them I will add minced fresh herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary, or parsley. This way I can be versatile on my options. Once they are frozen just pop them out of the tray and keep them either in Tupperware with parchment paper in between the layers, in freezer bags or my favorite is vacuum seal bags. This also helps with having individual portions and specific doses ready to be used at a moment’s notice. 

The plain butter I like to use for making chocolates or rice crispy treats, for topping pancakes or French toast, as the base of my Alfredo sauce, or for dipping with crab or lobster. I like to drizzle it over popcorn and then add in cinnamon and sugar for a sweeter style. Also, I can use the herb butter over the popcorn and add Parmesan or cheese powder For a savory style. Toss in a little smoked paprika and you really have something special for movie night!! 

The herb butter is also nice with sautéed mushrooms or other veggies, seared with chicken breasts, on a baked potato, or just as a finishing butter over a steak. If you want to cook vegan or just dairy-free; coconut oil, olive oil, or bacon grease can also be infused and frozen. 

The herbed olive oil is a nice touch to go with warmed bread at the beginning of a meal. The coconut oil is nice to make vegan chocolates, but if you are making something vegan and you would like the butter flavor my favorite product is Earth Balance vegan butter. 

The bacon grease is nice for frying Lyonnaise-style potatoes or with just bacon and eggs at breakfast. My favorite thing to use the bacon grease with is searing bacon-wrapped shrimp for an appetizer. I like to pair this with a BlackBerry Coulis and finish with a red pepper CBD honey.

If you keep your vinaigrette simple it will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator. If you add ingredients such as minced shallots, garlic, or fresh herbs then it will be good for about a week.  I do not recommend freezing because the vinegar will separate and not resemble the product you started with, and the taste will be affected. 

I keep my recipes pretty simple. I use a 2 to 1 ratio with olive oil to vinegar. I usually use either balsamic, red wine, or apple cider vinegar, depending on the salad. 

So starting with a quarter cup vinegar, I add 1 to 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard, 2 to 3 teaspoons of honey or sugar depending on how sweet I want it. 

Then I add 1/8 of a teaspoon of salt, a few turns of a Peppermill, and the juice of half a lemon. 

Mix all of these ingredients together and shake vigorously in a mason jar with the lid on tight, or whisk everything together except the olive oil, then lastly add in the oil in a very thin stream while whisking. 

Whichever way you use you want to make sure the dressing is emulsified and does not separate once it sits. 

For storage and portioning I like to reuse small jars I happen to buy. Things like horseradish, capers, pinenuts, or fancy jellies all come in little jars you can wash (very well, with extra hot soapy water to get strong smells out) and then fill with a couple of tablespoons of your special vinaigrette. 

This also works well for special meal prep, and you can portion your dressing easily.

Of all the food I like to infuse, the one thing I have the most requests for would be my chocolate chip cookies. When I make these I like to do a triple batch, bake half and freeze the rest. Then when I have a busy week I can still accommodate fresh baked cookies on the fly! I use a small ice cream scoop with a release handle to keep things uniform in size and so the dosage is consistent. This also makes freezing easier. I line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and I use my scoop to measure out the rest of the dough and place it in the freezer for about an hour. Make sure there are small spaces between the cookies so they don’t freeze in one big lump. Once frozen, I put a dozen at a time in vacuum seal bags and keep them in the freezer until I have another request.

As with any and all edibles make sure every product that is THC infused is clearly marked and labeled, placed in a designated and safe place, and out of the hands of minors. Everyone should have positive experiences with this gift of medicine so enjoying responsibly is priority number one!!

Infusion cooking can be fun and adventurous and is absolutely not limited to the sweet dessert world. I hope you find these ideas helpful in developing your own creativity with your special recipes. Happy baking!

Sara Elizabeth Barber, a.k.a. The Pantry Mistress of Kansas City, Missouri, has been involved in cooking with allergy-friendly ingredients since 2010 when she discovered her own allergies to dairy, gluten, and eggs. Her ultimate goal is to recreate both gourmet meals and favorite comfort foods for those with specific food allergies or autoimmune disorders who have to extremely limit their diet. Working as a fine dining server at restaurants such as The Capital Grille and Eddie V’s Seafood and Steaks for over 15 years, she has developed very high expectations in the flavor profile arena. Living in Denver in 2013-2018, she started researching ingredients for the cannabis edibles department, since allergy-friendly edibles at dispensaries were not yet popular or easy to find. She has been involved in Meal prep services and short cooking segments on Facebook for clients with food allergies and aversions since 2018 and recently started offering in-home small private multicourse infusion dinners for clients. She hopes to reach more people she can help in this new exciting food forum.