How to Extract Virgin Coconut Oil
Most commercial-grade coconut oils are made from copra--the dried meat of the coconut. But to be edible, oil made from copra must be purified (refined) because the copra is not sanitary, according to Tropical Traditions. Virgin coconut oil is made by extracting the oil from fresh coconut meat. The virgin oil is extracted without chemicals, which allows the oil to have a stable shelf life and retain the fresh scent and taste of the coconuts. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Break open a mature coconut with a knife and pour out the liquid into a clean bowl or container. Put aside the collected coconut water.
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2
Cut the whole coconut into small chunks for easier grating.
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3
Grate the chunks of coconut meat using a sharp food grater.
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Place the grated coconut in the cheesecloth and gently wrap the cloth around the coconut.
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Tie the cheesecloth, then press it over the bowl to extract the coconut milk. Do this a number of times until no more liquid comes out from the cloth.
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6
Dip the squeezed cloth in the coconut water again, then press the cheesecloth again to release any remaining milk. Do this a couple of times until there is almost nothing left to be squeezed from the cloth.
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7
Refrigerate the expressed milk in the container for about 10-17 hours to separate the solids and the milk from the oil. This is called wet milling. Other methods that can be used also to separate the oil from the milk include fermentation, use of boiling water and enzyme; however, refrigeration is the simplest method.
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Skim the mixture in the container carefully to separate the virgin coconut oil from the solids and water at the bottom. The oil will look clear and colorless. Pour the oil into a clean, airtight container.
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References
- Photo Credit coconut image by citylights from Fotolia.com
