How To Make Calendula Oil
Calendula’s soothing properties make it a favorite for supporting wound healing, nourishing skin and even promoting gut health. Here are two super easy methods for making it into an infused oil.
Calories
Instructions
Traditional Method
- Place calendula petals in a clean, dry glass jar. Next, pour in the olive oil - add enough so that the petals are covered by about one inch of oil. My petals usually float when I first add the oil and then settle, so I watch the bottom of the jar to make sure there's about 1 inch of pure oil so that I'm sure I've added enough. The reason this is done is that the petals expand as they soak in the liquid, so you add extra to ensure that they stay covered.
- Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and give it a good shake. Place the jar in a paper bag and store near a warm, sunny window. Some people skip the paper bag, but others believe it helps protect some of the valuable constituents found in calendula from breaking down due to UV light - I prefer the bag method. Give the jar a good shake when you walk by it every day.
- Once the oil has been infusing for 4-6 weeks, strain out the calendula petals and pour the oil in a clean, glass jar. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.
Faster Method
- Place calendula petals in a clean, dry glass jar. Next, pour in the olive oil - add enough so that the petals are covered by about one inch of oil. My petals usually float when I first add the oil and then settle, so I watch the bottom of the jar to make sure there's about 1 inch of pure oil so that I'm sure I've added enough. The reason this is done is that the petals expand as they soak in the liquid, so you add extra to ensure that they stay covered.
- Cover the jar with a tight fitting lid and give it a good shake.
- Place a kitchen towel in the bottom of your slow cooker and place your jar inside. Add enough water to cover about half the jar and set to the lowest setting for 2-6 hours. I set mine to warm. Whether or not you place the lid on the slow cooker is largely determined by how hot it gets and how long you plan to infuse it. If you're infusing it on low for 2-3 hours the lid will probably be helpful in helping it warm up more quickly and retain heat better, but if you're infusing for 3-6 hours the lid may cause too much heat to be retained. You can always start with the lid and remove it if you decide to extend the infusing time. If your slow cooker tends to run hot I recommend leaving the lid off.
- Strain out the calendula petals using cheesecloth and pour the oil in a clean, glass jar. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.