Infusing Calendula

[Bullets]

So I just got my order of calendula. I am going to infuse it into my olive oil with the crock pot. Does anyone have any advice? I wasnt sure how much herb to put into my quart glass jars, what temp setting to put my crock pot on, how long, and lid on or off? I'm a greenhorn! OR can I go as far as infusing it with a Master Batch of olive, coconut, lard, sunflower and such? Thanks!

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

I just did a blog post on herbal infusions:
http://alchemyandashes.blogspot.com/2013/02/of-blossom-leaf-root-and-stem-herbal.html

A good rate of infusion is 250 g Dried Calendula to 750 ml Olive Oil.
Or you can eyeball it...fill a Mason Jar 3/4 full with Calendula, then pour oil over the top , swirl a butter knife or chopstick in the jar to release air bubbles, and fill up the rest of the jar with oil if needed.

 

[Bullets]

Thank you! Can I use the whole flower top or just the petals?

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

You can infuse the whole flower top if you want to sprinkle some on top of your soap, just use the petals.

 

[Bullets]

How long should I leave it in the crock pot for? I have it on low. So like 5 hours?

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

5 hours is too long for Calendula...try 3 hours tops.

 

[hoegarden]

Yeap 5 hours is abit long. You will burn the oil.

 

[christinak]

Shawnee, do you have any ideas about using my wood stove for infusing olive oil with dried herbs? Its roaring because it's freezing here and I could save some propane and electricity if I can use it somehow...maybe a double boiler in a canning jar? What do you think....

 

[lizflowers42]

I haven't tried heat infusion yet. Just throwing petals in my jar, covering with pomace oil and leaving alone in my basement for a few weeks.

 

[christinak]

I made all my tinctures over time by just shaking the bottle but I was hoping to speed this along for some salves.

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Shawnee, do you have any ideas about using my wood stove for infusing olive oil with dried herbs? Its roaring because it's freezing here and I could save some propane and electricity if I can use it somehow...maybe a double boiler in a canning jar? What do you think....

Does your stove have a "warming plate" or other area with indirect heat? If it does, you could set your mason jar on that area as long as it doesn't get too hot...but yes, a double boiler would work too. You just don't want to get your oil too hot and burn the plant matter...so if things start looking "crispy" or if the oil looks like it will start bubbling - take it off the heat.
You could use a crock pot too if you have one...it would use electricity that your wood stove wouldn't though...
I prefer to let my herbs infuse for 6 weeks in a dark cabinet, but if you need to use it ASAP for a salve, the heat method will be fine.

 

[christinak]

Awesome, thanks!!

 

[soap_rat]

Christinak, I have set the infusing jar immediately in front of my woodstove when it's roaring--that spot that's too hot for the cat or dog? I've done it for multiple fire cycles, though, not just one. Or if there's a spot on the stove that doesn't get too hot--maybe you set your tea/coffee there for warming? You could try there.

I have also CPOPed soap on the woodstove when it was NOT roaring, by setting a wooden cutting board on the cooler area (mine has a stepped top) and putting a cardboard box over the soap to create an "oven." (Remember, I only put a cardboard box on my woodstove when it was NOT roaring! I have double-walled stovepipe so the pipe was not creating a dangerous heat zone for the cardboard either.)

 

[green soap]

I have a whole bunch of dried calendula infusing in a 1/2 gallon mason jar, next to an identical jar with nettles, both in olive oil. I have them covered so they are dark, but outside, on a bench that gets sun. However, it is only March, so they are not very warm.

I have a question about safely speeding this up. Shawnee, you probably know this. If I want to keep the skin healing properties intact (will not use in soap but in balms), what do you think is the maximum heating temperature that I can get away with? I think my oven can do pretty low.

A double boiler is about 170F, I have the feeling this is higher than optimum.

Maybe I should be patient and leave them on the garden bench. Two weeks? three? six?

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

You don't really want to go over 140 - 150 degrees F...a double boiler may get to 170, but the oil inside the jar may not get that hot, as long as the jar is not sitting on the bottom of the pan. A crockpot on warm or low will do the trick, though the low setting on most crockpots is about 160 (I think?).
I prefer the cold infusion method for about 6 weeks. Just check on them every week to shake them and make sure no mold is growing (if you infused fresh herbs, this is important) or the herbs aren't releasing gases that need to escape the jar (like a wine, it could pop a cork!).

 

[christinak]

Well I have a rack that was in a canning pot I bought and the legs are tall....probably 3-4 inches above the stove. I have it sitting on there. I can pick it up with my bare hand so it's not getting that hot. How long do you think I should leave it there? Should I take the temp and stop at a certain point?

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Well I have a rack that was in a canning pot I bought and the legs are tall....probably 3-4 inches above the stove. I have it sitting on there. I can pick it up with my bare hand so it's not getting that hot. How long do you think I should leave it there? Should I take the temp and stop at a certain point?

No longer than 3 hours for Calendula.

 

[green soap]

You don't really want to go over 140 - 150 degrees F...a double boiler may get to 170, but the oil inside the jar may not get that hot, as long as the jar is not sitting on the bottom of the pan. A crockpot on warm or low will do the trick, though the low setting on most crockpots is about 160 (I think?).
I prefer the cold infusion method for about 6 weeks. Just check on them every week to shake them and make sure no mold is growing (if you infused fresh herbs, this is important) or the herbs aren't releasing gases that need to escape the jar (like a wine, it could pop a cork!).

Thanks! I just checked my oven and it does not go below 170F, so this idea is out. Calendulas will then be infused at ambient temperature and brought back in April, unless it gets really warm. I just checked them and shook the jar. A lot of the color has already transfered in two days. I live in very dry weather, so my dried herbs are bone dry.

What do you think about the nettles as far as infusion temperature? I also have rosemary drying and I think I can do 170F with it. No prior experience with nettles. I don't want it for color, I want to use it in a pre-shampoo treatment.

I don't own a crockpot. I use my oven to make liquid soap, and double boiler to rebatch or HP, which I rarely do. I have infused using all of these, but the main objective was to color soap, not the herb properties. Now I want the herb properties to stay as intact as possible.

 

[christinak]

Ok great I also have some combinations brewing but they both have calendula in them...so should I follow that 3 hr rule?

You're such a help

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Here's my personal rule of thumb for infusions:
Fragile flowers/petals/or leaves: No higher than 150 for no longer than 3 hours
Barks or Stems or Fibery Roots: No higher than 150 for no longer than 5 hours

If you can find a way to keep the temperature around 100-125 degrees for an extended period of time, you can go a little longer...but that's a hard temp to stay at - I think crockpots on warm are usually about 140 degrees or so...which is why I just prefer the cold infusion method.

You don't want to overheat the oil and cause oxidation and breakdown, and you don't want to boil the benefits from the plant.
The first time I did an infusion years and years ago, it was Comfrey Root...and I managed to "deep fry" it on the stove. :shock: No joke. I don't know what I was thinking, but I'm claiming new mom delirium for that time. I can honestly say, it wasn't a pleasant smell...:sick: