The Home Chef’s Dosing Math Guide: Calculating Potency Per Serving
By Gourmet Edibles Culinary Science Department
1. Why Precision Math Matters
The biggest obstacle to creating predictable, enjoyable edibles at home isn't the recipe; it's the math. A common mistake is assuming that 1 gram of 20% THC flower magically results in 200mg of THC in your final butter or oil. In reality, chemical losses during heating and cooking mean your final potency will be lower—sometimes significantly.
By learning this simple arithmetic, you ensure that every cookie, sauce, or appetizer you serve has a predictable, calculated dose, protecting your guests and elevating your culinary reputation.
2. Know Your Variables
Before you begin any cooking, you must collect four critical pieces of data. If you use medical or recreational dispensary cannabis, this information is printed right on the label (the Certificate of Analysis, or COA).
| Variable | What It Means | Standard Values |
|---|---|---|
| Flower Weight | The total amount of dry cannabis flower you are starting with, measured in grams. | User defined (e.g., 3.5g, 7g) |
| Cannabinoid % | The concentration of THCA (or CBDA) printed on the label. | 15% to 25% (Standard flower) |
| Decarb Loss Factor | A constant mathematical factor that accounts for the loss of mass (carbon dioxide) when heating raw cannabis (THCA) to activate it (THC). | 0.877 (This never changes) |
| Extraction Efficiency | A percentage representing how much of the active THC successfully binds to your carrier fat (butter/oil) during the infusion process. Home extractions are never 100% efficient. | 70% (0.70) is a safe, conservative estimate for home cooking. |
3. The Step-by-Step Formula
Follow these four logical steps to determine exactly what you have created.
Step 1: Calculate Total RAW Cannabinoids (in mg)
First, we convert the raw percentage of the flower into total potential milligrams.
Total Raw Milligrams = Flower Weight (g) x 1000 x (Cannabinoid % / 100)Example: If you use 7 grams of 20% THC flower: 7 x 1000 x 0.20 = 1,400 mg Raw THCA.
Step 2: Account for Decarboxylation Loss (0.877)
When you heat raw cannabis in the oven, it activates, but it also loses physical weight as CO2 gas is released. We multiply by 0.877 to account for this chemistry.
Activated Milligrams = Total Raw Milligrams x 0.877Example: 1,400 mg Raw THCA x 0.877 = 1,227.8 mg Activated THC.
Step 3: Account for Extraction Efficiency (0.70)
We are only infusing into fat, not consuming the flower itself. Home stovetop extractions are inefficient, so we conservatively estimate that you only successfully transfer 70% of that active THC into your final butter or oil.
Final Infused Milligrams = Activated Milligrams x 0.70Example: 1,227.8 mg Activated THC x 0.70 = 859.46 mg THC in your total batch of butter/oil.
Step 4: Calculate Per-Serving Dose
Finally, divide that total batch potency by the number of servings your final recipe makes.
Per-Serving Dose (mg) = Final Infused Milligrams / Total ServingsExample: If your final cookie recipe makes 24 cookies using all of your butter: 859.46 mg / 24 = 35.8 mg THC per cookie.
🧮 Interactive Home Chef Dosing Calculator
Input your variables below to instantly calculate your batch potency and per-serving dose. This calculator uses standard conservative efficiency estimates (87.7% decarb, 70% extraction).
By mastering this math, you move away from guesswork and toward professional, reliable cannabis gastronomy. Accuracy is the hallmark of a true gourmet chef.