Cooking with cannabis can be daunting for the average home cook, but one chef is showing how anyone with access to the herb can enjoy a medicated mashed potatoes and chicken dinner from the comfort of their own home through video tutorials, and a new cookbook.
Chef Jeff, who declines to give out his real name but goes by Jeff The 420 Chef, is sharing his curing and infusing methods in his new cookbook called The 420 Gourmet: The Elevated Art of Cannabis Cuisine. His unique methods result in cannabis butter and oils that are light in cannabis taste and smell.
“If I give them a cookie, they will eat for a day,” says Jeff, “But if I teach them how to make their own cannabutters and cannaoils, they’ll have a lifetime of enjoyment with cannabis.”
A new class of chefs
Jeff is setting out to give the average home cook the tools they need to responsibly enjoy infused snacks and meals.
“Understanding the ingredients you are working with, following precise guidelines and working with proper measurements are really all that you need to do it yourself and do it right,” says Jeff. In an industry that is still finding its footing, it’s important for industry leaders and innovators like Jeff to set culinary standards.
How much THC is too much?
Jeff is bringing his standards to the mainstream, making cooking with cannabis a surmountable feast — I mean, feat. I asked the 420 Chef why paying attention to dosing and measurements is so important.
“Responsible dosing is the key to an enjoyable edible experience,” says Chef Jeff. “It’s the responsibility of anyone cooking and baking with cannabis, home cooks and chefs alike, to ensure the edibles they make deliver the best experience possible.”
The chef is a firm believer that less is more. “Although many edibles manufacturers offer 50 mg, 75 mg, and even 100+ mg edibles, the standard dose of cannabis is, according to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, actually only 10 mg.”
The highly experienced chef recommends 10 mg as the standard dose; the perfect amount for a great experience.
Not your mother’s cookbook
From kugel to hummus, and matzo ball soup, Jeff’s recipes would make a Jewish mother proud. His lightening process is a must because it allows for a meals’ full flavor profile to come through. “It doesn’t matter if your herb is home grown, donated or if you buy it from a reputable dispensary, you still need to clean and process your bud before you make your key ingredient,” says Jeff.
It comes out June 28, but you can start making the butters (his pro tip is to infuse Kerrygold grass fed butters) and oils needed for the recipes today with his online tutorials.
