How to Shell a Coconut
Coconuts are the fruit of palm trees grown in the tropics. The coconut is large and oval shaped with a hard shell. Cracking through the fibrous husk to get to the white meat can prove challenging for a novice. Your reward will be the tasty white meat that can be eaten naturally or used in recipes. Follow these helpful tips to shell a coconut and soon you will feel like a pro. Your friends and family will be impressed with your ability to crack open a coconut with ease. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Pierce the end of the coconut that has the appearance of three eyes. Use a large nail or ice pick to open a hole that reaches the center of the coconut.
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2
Drain the coconut liquid found in the center into a bowl. This liquid is good to drink, or if you are following a recipe, the liquid may be part of that recipe.
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3
Hold the thickest part of the coconut firmly in the palm of your hand or on a hard surface. The eyes must be pointing either left or right. If the eyes are pointing up or are not visible, reposition the coconut.
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4
Hold a heavy knife firmly with the blade facing up and hit the center of the coconut with the blunt side. This will produce a crack in the shell.
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5
Rotate the coconut and continue hitting the center until the crack has completed the circumference of the nut.
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6
Break the nut into smaller pieces using your hands.
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7
Remove the meat from the husk with a flexible knife. A grapefruit knife will bend with the curve of the husk and make removal of the meat easier than a hard blade.
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8
Wrap the meat or place into a covered bowl until needed.
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Tips & Warnings
A hammer can be used in Step 4 in place of a knife. A hammer could smash the coconut rather than split the husk.
Caution is advised while handling a knife when cracking a coconut and removing meat.
