Every year when Valentine’s Day rolls around, discussions turn to natural aphrodisiacs, whether it be chocolate or oysters. Alas, most of this talk is all hype—the truth is, oysters aren’t nature’s Viagra, they just look vaguely vaginal.
The good news is that when it comes to putting us in the mood for love, cannabis is the genuine article. Aside from stimulating all the right parts of your biggest sexual organ (we’re talking about the brain, calm down), our sensual friend Mary also has a soothing side when used topically.
So how to apply this knowledge?
Our imaginations at Sous Weed turned immediately to infused homemade personal lubricant. We all know that THC is fat-soluble, and fats are great at lubricating, so medicated lube just seemed obvious.
That being the case, we opted to use some of our favorite fats, coconut and avocado oil, and went tropical with mango massage oil and pineapple lube. But before things get slippery, it occurs to us that some of you might be leery about applying tropical fruits on your most delicate bits, and we’re happy to put your fears to rest.
First off, sugar isn’t fat soluble, so spoilage isn’t an issue. A more pressing concern is that tropical fruits contain enzymes that can be used to tenderize meat (gasp!), but here again, there’s nothing to fret about: these enzymes aren’t heat stable and will be fully denatured (inactivated) by the infusing process. Phew!
It’s also important to note that oil-based lubricants are not for everyone. If you’re using oil-based lubricants with condoms, the latex may weaken and break. Not so fun.
With that out of the way, you just need to get cooking before things get steamy.
For that, we turn to our favorite infusion technique: sous vide. This means placing decarbed cannabis, fat and aromatics in a zip-sealed bag and cooking in a precise temperature water bath, thanks to a gadget called an immersion circulator, which ensures optimal THC extraction with no risk of overcooking.
With the right tools at your disposal, we give you these recipes for romance, to make your V-Day truly magical.
Avocuddle Lube
Makes: 8 oz
Ingredients:
• 8 oz avocado oil, cold-pressed (or substitute with virgin coconut oil)
• 1/2 oz ground cannabis, decarbed (add more or less depending on your desired potency)
• 2 oz dried pineapple with no additives or sugar, optional*
Directions:
1. First you need to decarb your ground cannabis to activate the THC. Wrap the ground cannabis in foil and place in the oven at 310ºF for 10 to 18 minutes. You know it’s ready when it starts smelling like a Christmas tree.
2. Set your sous vide water bath to 85ºC (185ºF).
3. Pour the avocado or coconut oil in zip seal bag and add the warm, decarbed trim. Seal the bag using the water displacement method and place into the water bath to sous vide for 4 hours to fully infuse.
4. After 4 hours, gently remove bag from water bath and let cool.
5. Strain out the cannabis and solids with a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth and discard.
6. Keep the oil in a cool dark place.
*The dried pineapple adds a warm tropical scent to lubricant and tastes quite nice. Sugar does not dissolve in oil so no worries about yeast infections!
Spiced Mango Massage Oil
Makes: 8 oz
Ingredients:
• 4 oz virgin coconut oil, cold-pressed
• 4 oz avocado oil, cold-pressed
• 1/2 oz ground cannabis, decarbed
• 1 1-inch piece ginger, thinly sliced
• 1 stick of cinnamon, broken in half
• 2 oz dried mango, papaya or jackfruit with no additives or sugar
Directions:
1. First you need to decarb your ground cannabis to activate the THC. Wrap the ground cannabis in foil and place in the oven at 310ºF for 10 to 18 minutes. You know it’s ready when it starts smelling like a Christmas tree.
2. Set your sous vide water bath to 85ºC (185ºF).
3. Pour the avocado oil, coconut oil, dried fruit and aromatics in zip seal bag and add the warm, decarbed trim. Seal the bag using the water displacement method and place into the water bath to sous vide for 4 hours to fully infuse.
4. After 4 hours, gently remove bag from water bath and let cool.
5. Strain out the cannabis and solids with a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth and discard.
6. Keep the oil in a bottle in a cool dark place. Warm slightly by placing bottle in hot water before use.
