Everyone seems to think there is some voodoo involved in making oil. As a medicinal user I can tell you quality issues certainly seem to be more pronounced in edibles. Some of this has to do with the attitudes of certain people (like myself) who don't want to "waste" dry bud on making quality oil. Those piles of shake that you've been saving for a rainy day are usually the first to be sacrificed.
As a grower I end up with a lot of trim. Bubble hash to me is like picking cigarette butts out of an ashtray and rolling one nasty cigarette. There is the option to make shatter and other concentrates but nothing is safer and easier than making oil. I have tried a number of methods and materials with the exception of alcohol. From everything ive read Alcohol seems like a safe option for those of you who can take it. The most popular oils for cooking or to take orally are - Vegetable Glycerin (you see this used in medical situations - popularly used with childrens issues), Coconut oil (extremely versatile - can turn from a liquid to a solid and back - tastes "pretty good" - can be used topically on sores - and is easily stored/frozen). Olive oil is commonly used as well - in my experience it does not have the shelf life that coconut oil has - its also less forgiving (many people burn it) - the upside is it stays liquid without much interference - if your looking to take a teaspoon in the morning it might be your option.
I recommend everyone keep their oil in the fridge once it has cooled down and settled but this seems to be much more important for oils similar to Olive oil or butter than say Coconut oil.
I'm one of those guys who require a lot of edibles to get an effect - so my strategy has always been to cram as much material as I can into the oil. I don't recommend this for most people - a healthy dose is about 0.5 gram per teaspoon/tablespoon with bud and maybe double that with trim.
Instructions for making marijuana Infused oil:
Materials:
Coconut Oil (cheapest one you can find since you will likely cook with it) - the size of the jar depends on what you are looking for. 14-20 oz is usually the size jar I buy.
Cheese Cloth (for straining)
Pyrex measuring up (for straining)
Croc-Pot or other slow cooker (I bought one for $10 at WalMart that I only use for oil).
A spoon to stir and a ladle.
You also require a baking sheet, parchment paper and access to an oven.
An oven thermometer (if you arent sure about the accuracy of your oven).
How To:
The most important step that most people never get right is the very first step. Some people feel that this it is an unnecessary one (because they are stupid). If you do not follow this step properly - the only buzz you'll be catching is "in your head" or very dull at best. Raw marijuana does not have the THC you need in order to get a pronounced "effect"; THC is created when THC-A is converted to THC through exposure to high temperature - when you are smoking or vaping this process happens without you realizing it. This is the single most important step in creating an oil that will give you all of the properties you are looking for.
Everyones situation is different - everyones starting material is different. The goal of the "decarb" or conversion process is to maximize THC conversion without THC loss. The best way to do this is with your oven at 3am. It stinks worse than harvest time - if you live in an apartment it might be advised to use alternative methods. One method is to put your material in a mason jar and submerge it in boiling water for 90 minutes. A bbq might be another alternative for those who have one available.
Preheat the oven to 240F
Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread your material out evenly.
If the material is dry and ground you only need 27 minutes in the oven. If you are using frozen or fresh trim it will likely take about an hour. This is where judgement comes in to play - if you overdo it you will end up with a lot of CBN which will give you a nice sleep but not the effect you want. The material will begin to get darker as time goes on. If the material is really wet I recommend "flipping it over" every 10 minutes (which will give you a more up close view of how things are progressing).
Put your slow cooker on low and pour in the coconut oil. Its easiest if you leave the container of coconut oil in some hot water in order to turn it into a liquid before trying to get it out of the jar.
Mix in the material after you take it out from the oven. Some people "grind" the material your using a second time with a food processor - by all means try adding that step and see if you get better results.
Stir the material every 30 mins. The amount of time you leave the oil on low in the slow cooker depends on you. I feel that after 3 hours most of the THC has been transferred in the oil - some people leave it overnight. If you are leaving it overnight - I recommend adding a cup of water - this will also help filter out some of the impurities after. 3 hours with no added water is fine.
Put cheese close over the mixing up and poor the oil/material from the slow cooker. The material will sit on top of the cheese cloth and drip into the mixing cup - squeeze the oil out of the material once it has cooled a bit.
Throw away the cheesecloth and all the material
Pour the oil from the mixing cup into a mason jar. I put cheese cloth over the mason jar as well to get any particles I might have somehow mixed.
Let stand at room temperature for a few hours before putting the lid on and storing.
Enjoy.