How to Decarb Herbs: A Beginner's Guide
Decarbing (short for decarboxylation) gently heats dried herbs to activate their natural compounds before you infuse them. Skip it and your butter or oil will be much weaker. Here is how to do it with a machine or your oven.
What You Need
- ¼ to 1 oz dried herbs
- An Infusion Buds decarb machine, or an oven-safe dish with a lid and an oven thermometer
Machine Method
- Break the herbs into small, even pieces. A coarse grind works best; avoid turning them into powder.
- Place them in the strainer basket without packing them down, and close the lid.
- Run the Decarb setting. On the IB Mini, that is 250°F (121°C) for 90 minutes. The IB Pod's Decarb preset is 225°F. Check your manual for your model.
- Let the herbs cool with the lid on. You can then add butter or oil right in the basket and start infusing.
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 240°F (115°C) with the rack in the middle. Use an oven thermometer, since oven dials are often off.
- Spread the herbs in a single layer in an oven-safe dish and cover it.
- Bake about 40 minutes without opening the oven.
- Let the herbs cool completely with the cover on before using.
Tips
- Decarbed herbs should look light golden-brown and feel dry. Dark brown means they were overheated.
- Higher temperatures need less time, and lower temperatures need more. Keep it low and slow.
- A machine with a sealed lid keeps the smell down far better than an oven.
Storage: Use decarbed herbs right away, or store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to a few weeks.
