Coconut, Opening a Coconut
Caution: Opening a coconut must be done by an adult on a hard surface and away from children for safety.
To Drain Water:
Look for the eyes, the dark spots at the top of the coconut, and place pressure on them to locate the softest spot.
With a heavy, sharp pointed object, such as a corkscrew or Melissa’s Young Coconut Punch, pierce the coconut’s softest eye to create a hole.
For an easier pour, puncture 2 of the 3 eyes.
Pour water into a glass and enjoy.
To Open Coconut:
Find the equator (middle) of the coconut.
Hold coconut with a towel to avoid any injury to the hand.
Using a heavy, cooking mallet, or the blunt side of a heavy knife’s blade, tap firmly along the equator.
As you tap, rotate the coconut in the palm of your hand. Coconut will begin to crack.
Continue to tap and rotate until the coconut shell is cracked all around.
Once fully cracked all around, separate the coconut shell in two.
Carefully pry out the flesh with a dull knife, or continue tapping the shell until it further breaks apart freeing the flesh.
To pry the flesh easier from the coconut’s shell, place the broken pieces on to a baking pan face down.
Preheat oven to 350° and bake coconut pieces for 10 minutes. This helps loosen the flesh from the shell making it a little bit easier to pry it off. Allow coconut to cool down before handling.
