The only way out is in: Homemade THC chili oil
The only way out is in is a human recommendation engine aimed at keeping our minds right inside when everything outside seems to be going wrong.
Seeking clarity in calamity? Consider the chili. In Ayurveda, it’s said to help with circulation, digestion, and easing chronic pain. It can also get you high. If only for a hot minute.
When you eat chilis, a chemical compound called capsaicin actually tricks your brain into thinking your mouth is burning. Your brain’s response? Hose that shit down with dopamine and endorphins. Yup, that “out of body feeling” that hits when you’re hitting the hot sauce is actually a momentary wave of feel-good chemicals trying to save you from a non-existent four alarm fire in your kisser.
Eating a hot cheeto isn’t exactly like smoking a blunt, but there’s at least one common chemical at play in both. When you smoke, THC actually stalls dopamine regulation in your brain, effectively turning on a fire hose of chill.
I’ve spent most of my isolation time in the kitchen, using new recipes and ingredients to escape from bad news and worse vibes. Over the past couple weeks, my kitchen experiments have centered around two key ingredients: chilis and weed. There’s nothing like a short-term chili high followed by the slow-release of THC. When the capsaicin kicks in, it jumpstarts the journey; a few hours later THC is there to keep your motor running.
Friday night, I pulled out some old home-grown Sour D, a jar of extra hot pickled cherry peppers, and some roasted garlic, and threw together a cannabis-infused chili oil to accompany a chicken, asparagus pasta. I started with Sous Weed’s Basic Stove Top Cannabis Olive Oil recipe and added a few extra ingredients. The result was a sweet, spicy, and slightly acidic dressing.
The weed did its job but the oil was lacking that mind-expanding heat. The next morning I threw some red pepper flakes in a pan and put the sauce back on the stove for another thirty minutes.
Mega hot mind expansion achieved.
Note: If you don’t have pickled peppers, you can use whatever dry or fresh chili you have on hand, but be mindful of the heat: no two peppers are exactly the same.
For precise dosage check out this handy calculator and remember to start low and take it slow. Edibles can take hours to kick-in.
Stay Spicy Cannabis-Infused Pickled Pepper Chili Oil
Serves: 48, 1tsp servings | 20(ish)mg / tsp
Ingredients
¼ oz decarbed cannabis flower
1 pickled hot cherry pepper (or 1 tbsp red pepper flakes)
2 cloves roasted or raw garlic minced
1 cup olive oil
Directions
Decarb your cannabis flower. (Here’s a guide from Leafly on decarbing at home and why it’s essential to cooking with weed.)
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in flower, chili, and garlic and cover. Simmer for an hour, monitoring and stirring occasionally to ensure the hot oil doesn’t boil or burn the other ingredients.
Strain oil with cheesecloth or sieve, discard solids, and let cool to room temperature.