How to Open a Brown Coconut in 4 Easy Steps
Coconuts are one of the most popular fruits of the tropics. They are loved for their rich, nutty, white meat that’s housed within their shell. Getting to this delicious treat may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually pretty simple. Here are the 4 easy steps to opening a coconut:
- 1. Pick the Right Coconut – Not all coconuts are harvested equal – and that’s okay! Coconuts are harvested at different stages of maturity. Coconuts harvested at 6-8 months of maturity are considered young coconuts and are mainly used for their sweet, nutty water. Coconuts take roughly a year to fully mature, and those harvested at 11-12 months are considered, you guessed it, mature coconuts. These are the ones that are used for their meat because, as a coconut matures, its water will begin to become sweet and dissipate, forming the meat.
- 2. Look them in the Eye – Find the three round “eyes” on the shell and pick the softest one. Carefully insert a paring knife or screwdriver into the eye and drain any water that comes out.
- 3. It’s Hammer Time – Carefully holding the coconut, use a hammer or the back of a sturdy cleaver to repeatedly whack the coconut shell along the circumference. Do not try to open from top to bottom! Continue this process until you can see a crack in the shell and then carefully pull the two halves apart.
- 4. Extract the Meat – Use a butter knife to remove the meat from the coconut by wedging it in between the meat and shell. Any excess brown fiber can be removed with a vegetable peeler.
See – it’s not that hard! The meat is now ready to be used and incorporated into menus or packaged for processing.
Now that you know how to open a coconut and extract the meat, let’s see how it can be used. Below are 3 delicious recipes that are perfect for consumers looking for sweet or savory dishes:
1 – Coconut Gelato
Starting off with some desserts, Martha Stewart offers the secrets to this creamy coconut gelato, which includes coconut meat as well as dried coconut flakes.
Get the recipe here.
2 – Coconut Burger Buns
Add a tropical flair to summer burgers with these turmeric and coconut burger buns from Teenuja Dahari. Top the burger with some charred pineapple and watercress for a full flavor profile.
Get the recipe here.
3 – Coconut Curry
Finishing it off with a savory dish, Tieghan Gerard proves that coconut can even taste great when used for a coconut beef curry recipe, which incorporates cilantro and green onions – two especially great options to pair with coconut meat.
