Using up fan leaves - iso extraction vs cannabutter?

[Transcendence]

I've made cannabutter plenty of times from bud, and iso a couple times. I've never tried using leaves only. After harvesting my crop and doing some rough trimming, I have a few pounds of leaves sitting in a garbage bag. To clarify, these are mainly FAN LEAVES which have few/no trichromes. I'm saving the crystally cola leaves for higher quality bubble hash.

Both methods are equally easy, but I'm not sure which would be more efficient at extracting THC assuming equal cooking/sitting time. I'm guessing I might get a bit more out of cannabutter, but I worry that the product will be....unappetizing, considering all the leaf matter that goes into it. Of course I will dry the leaves before cooking and will strain with a cheesecloth, but I can't help but picture a disgusting dark green butter product full of chlorophyll and other nasty impurities. I don't think iso will necessarily have less impurities, and I can't imagine getting much hash oil out of this.

What are your experiences dealing with the fan leaves? I might just throw em out, but it seems a waste.

 

[sekio]

Fan leaves and shake work real good for BHO. I'd assume they'd do pretty good for isopropanol extractions too, but the flavour - especially from the stronger-scented varieties - could be very intense in comparison to the psyhcoactive effect.

 

[Transcendence]

Yeah, at this point I'm leaning towards BHO and away from butter. I mentioned iso instead of BHO because I live in a huge apartment complex with no outdoor privacy so the BHO extraction will be tricky. I guess I can just lug the materials out to the sticks and do it in the woods, but then I have to sit around and watch it evaporate or leave it for the birds.

I'm thinking I should be patient until I find someone's backyard to do a BHO extraction. A quick iso wash will definitely work but you're right about the taste.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

If they have some trichomes it may be worth it, but don't bother with fan leaves with no trichomes whatsoever. They're not worth using at all IMO.

 

[mthightoker]

My friend once made the best cannabutter I've had to date with just leaves. He cooked them in a crockpot full of water and butter for around 24 hours and managed to separate all the impurities, so much so that the butter was white and you could see the trichs in it. I literally woke up high the next day.

 

[Transcendence]

^That's interesting. Do you have any idea what the proportions of leaves:butter:water was? I was going to use a crockpot if I went the butter route but I didn't think of adding water.