How to Use Kief

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 7, 2021 References Approved

Kief is a concentrated form of cannabis that is quite potent. It looks like powder, but is actually tiny pieces of sticky, crystallized resin. Kief collects in the bottom of jars and grinders and can be used in a variety of ways: you can smoke kief, or ingest it, or even use it to make hash. Keep in mind that the potency will depend on the strain of marijuana the kief comes from as well as your personal tolerance level. Remember to follow all rules and regulations concerning marijuana possession, use, and consumption for your specific region.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Smoking Kief

1
Smoke kief by itself for the most intense effect. Kief is more potent than buds of marijuana, so take that into consideration when determining the amount to use. You can pack a bowl or roll a joint of kief. Keep in mind that kief burns quickly and stays lit until it’s completely gone—meaning that if you get distracted, the kief will burn up on its own.^{[1]
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2
Crown a packed bowl with kief to increase its potency. Pack a bowl of bud into your pipe, bong, or other smoking implement. Then, simply sprinkle a little kief on top of the bowl. Try to “corner” the bowl so the kief doesn’t burn up as quickly.^{[2]
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- “Cornering” the bowl means lighting the edge or a quadrant, rather than the entire surface.
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3
Line a joint with kief for a smoother burn. Sprinkle a little kief in a thin line down a rolling paper. Add ground marijuana on top and roll it up into a joint. An even distribution of kief guarantees a smooth burn.^{[3]
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4
Put it in a spliff if you enjoy tobacco. If you smoke tobacco in addition to marijuana, you can use kief in a spliff. Combine a little kief with ground tobacco and roll it into a joint.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Ingesting Kief

1
Sprinkle kief in your morning coffee or tea. A popular way to use kief is to add a small amount, like ¼ gram, to a cup of hot coffee or tea. The heat activates the cannabinoids, producing a strong and long-lasting effect about 15-30 minutes after consumption. Remember that the potency depends on the strain of marijuana and your personal tolerance level.^{[5]
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2
Make kief butter. Butter infused with kief can be used to create edibles like cookies or brownies. First, decarboxylate the kief to activate the THC by baking it in a covered oven-safe dish for 7 minutes in an oven preheated to 300 °F (149 °C). Allow it to cool with the cover on. Then:
- Melt 2 sticks (½ lb) of high-fat butter in a saucepan on medium-high heat.
- Add 1 gram of decarboxylated kief and stir until it is completely dissolved.
- Use a spatula to transfer the butter to a heat-safe dish.
- Once it cools, cover it and store it in the fridge for up to 2 months.
3
Sprinkle kief over your favorite dishes after cooking. Kief has a very subtle flavor, so it won’t change the taste of your dishes. Sprinkle it over pasta or pizza, or put a dash of it in a soup or stew.^{[6]
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4
Use kief instead of buds in edible recipes. If you have a recipe for edibles that calls for buds, you can substitute them for ½ to ⅔ the amount of kief instead.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Pressing Kief into Hash

1
Heat an iron to the lowest setting. Plug in a clothes iron and turn it on to the lowest setting. You won’t need a “steam” function for this. Alternatively, you could use a hair straightener on the lowest setting.^{[8]
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2
Place folded parchment paper on an ironing board. Choose a large piece of parchment paper, about 1 foot (0.30 m) long. Fold the paper in half before placing it on the ironing board. If you don’t have an ironing board, cover a flat surface with an old blanket.^{[9]
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- Don’t substitute wax paper for parchment paper as the kief will stick to the wax.
3
Spread ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) of kief between the folded parchment paper. Carefully sprinkle kief on the bottom layer of parchment paper. Keep it toward the fold rather than the edge, and make sure it’s no more than ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) thick. Fold the top half of the parchment paper over the kief.^{[10]
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4
Place a buffer over the paper. Use a T-shirt, a thin towel, or damp newspaper as your buffer and put it on top of the parchment paper. This will keep the parchment paper and kief from burning.^{[11]
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5
Iron in 3-second intervals, flipping the parchment paper frequently. Swipe your iron, set on low, over the buffer about 20 times, applying heat for no more than 3 seconds at a time. Flip the parchment paper over carefully every 5 swipes, placing the buffer back between the parchment paper and iron.^{[12]
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- The hash is done when it is compact and no longer sticky. You can smoke it in your preferred manner, or use it in tea or as a food seasoning.