How to Easily Crack Open A Coconut
Getting to the goodies inside a coconut is not as challenging as it may seem, and the benefits far outnumber the work. Bake a fresh coconut cake using the coconut milk and topped with freshly grated coconut for a prize-winning dessert. You can also drink the coconut milk as soon as you drain it for a tasty treat. Toast the grated coconut meat or freeze it to use at a later date. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
-
1
Place the coconut in a baking pan. Bake it in the oven at 350 F for 20 minutes; the coconut may crack on its own so if you hear a loud popping sound you can remove it from the oven. Remove the coconut and let it cool.
-
2
Identify the three circular indentations on one end of a coconut. Feel the indentations, which are called eyes, to see which two feel the softest.
-
-
3
Position the point of a sturdy nail in the two softest indentations. Hammer the nail using a mallet through the hard shell to form two holes; you need to form two holes so air can flow into the coconut as it drains.
-
4
Drain the coconut milk out of the coconut through the hole and into a container or glass. Drink the milk immediately or store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days. Shake the refrigerated milk well before serving or using in recipes as the fat of the milk will have separated from the rest of the liquid.
-
5
Hold the coconut with the holes in the palm of your hand. Take a cleaver and turn it so the blade is facing away from the coconut. Bring the backside of the cleaver down against the coconut with a steady force; this should crack the coconut in half in one hit but you may have to hit it a second time to crack it open.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Look for a coconut in stores that has a line already impressed in the shell that will serve as a guide to help you crack the coconut.
References
- Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images
