Once the coconut is opened, use a small paring knife or spoon to remove the meat from the shell. We crack open coconuts by holding it in the left hand and the blunt edge of an arivaal a cross between a sickle and a machete and whacking it 34 times along the equator, rotating it each time. Im going to walk you through seven easy steps so theres no more fear when it comes to how to crack open and use a whole coconut. Storing fresh coconut how to purchase, open and use.
Holding the coconut with a towel, firmly tap it with a meat mallet or hammer, turning as needed, until the shell starts cracking in half. Do not purchase quick crack coconuts for the coconut water. Notice the coconut has a seam in between the two eyes of the coconut. So simple and allows you to not only enjoy the fresh coconut. Learn the old fashioned secret of how to open a coconut and remove its meat, and you can enjoy the fresh coconut taste for all your baking needs. Learn how to safely crack open and break down a fresh coconut fruit to remove the coconut water and meat from food network. Look for the imperfect equator line that runs around the middle of the coconut. Use the fresh meat in fruit salads or shred it and add it to baked goods. Opening a coconut is easy with the coco jack epicurious. Coconut flesh is good for ceviche, salads, and fruit tarts. The first step in using a fresh, whole coconut is cracking the darn thing open. When youre at the grocery store, be prepared to shakeshakeshake.
You can probably find a local vendor on every corner of the island. When choosing your coconut at the grocery store, be sure to shake it. This turns into harder coconut flesh as the seed ages. Let me explain to you how you can crack open a coconut easily. Coconuts are the largest nut in existence, so naturally, it takes a few special steps to crack em open but its worth it. Luckily, just a quick overnight stay in the freezer.
I bought a coconut today, most people avoid whole coconut in the store because they dont know how easy it will be to open it when they get. This tutorial shows tips for storing fresh coconut as well as how to buy, open, and use the coconut meat in your favorite recipes i will show you how to buy the best coconuts, how to crack them open and how to store coconut meat to keep it from going bad. Fresh coconuts are so much nicer than the dried coconut you get in the shops. However, if you want coconut shavings or grated coconut, you need to crack open some of the. Jan 14, 2014 tall coconut layer cake, coconutcrusted shrimp, and coconut chutney are some of the nuts best showcases the freshgrated meat shining in each, thanks to its rich, perfumed fat. Easiest way to crack open a fresh coconut the tasty bite. Cracking a coconut may seem like a daunting task, but it can be done at home with a little bit of effort. Many cooks have called for placing whole coconuts in an oven and letting the heat crack the shell open. Fresh coconut meat and water tastes a million times yummier than the packaged kind. You need to crack open the coconut, remove the meat, and blend the meat with water. Select a coconut with plenty of juice in it they start off completely filled with juice and slowly, over time, the juice evaporates.
But if youve ever succumbed to the allure of one of these coconuts at the store, you know that cracking it open and getting your treat can present some challenges. Hold it over a bowl with the seam running lengthwise along your palm. The best way to split open a coconut without any tools. No packaged shreds or bottled coconut water can compare to fresh coconut, but cracking them open has always seemed a little intimidating. You can then use a knife to remove the meat from the shell, and then shred it, eat it, or use it as you wish. Even knowing there is a chance of getting a bad one i will be buying more. From the sweet coconut water hidden inside to the soft pulp scooped straight from the shell, fresh coconut is a treat like no other. How to 3 easy ways to open a coconut with tools you already have at home you may not be able to take a tropical vacation right now, but at least you can crack open your own coconut and pretend.
The soft, nutty taste works well in so many different contexts, from desserts to savory dishes. Then place the coconut in a polythene bag and sit it on a hard surface a stone. Using a blunt knife i use a butter knife, carefully run the tip of it. Once you manage to crack open the hard shell, you have access to the coconut milk and the meat, which you mist scrape off the sides of the shell. However, if you want coconut shavings or grated coconut, you need to crack open some of the older gents and pry out the fatty, fibrous white meat and do what you will with it.
Trained martial art masters have been known to crack open coconuts with their bare hands, but if you. How to crack open a fresh coconut quickly and easily with tools that. If youre making a recipe that calls for coconut milk, you can of course open a can. How to crack open and use a whole coconut delightful. If it is still difficult to crack it open, put it back into the oven for another 15 minutes. Jul 24, 2017 this genius tool makes opening a coconut easy.
Take the knife in and strike the center of the coconut several times, while turning the coconut in your hand. To crack the coconut open, you will need to have a few things. Luckily, just a quick overnight stay in the freezer can help the tough stuff pop right off. Split the shell, then put the coconut cut side down on a flat surface. When you are feeling wilted and tired, nothing seems to hydrate better than the water from a fresh, young coconut. A fresh, mature coconut should have about a cup of juice. In spite of how intimidating cracking a coconut can be, with a little kitchen knowhow and a few simple tools, its not as challenging as it first appears. Ive cracked more than my fair share of fresh coconuts, and tried a number of ways to open them, including doing as the monkeys do and lifting them high above my head and crashing them to the ground.
But you might want to take a whack at an actual coconut, to try the mild, clean taste of the fresh stuffand get the delicious coconut water, too. Not to mention, the flavor of fresh young coconut water is absolutely delicious. The water in mature quick crack coconuts is not intended for drinking. Chunks of fresh coconut meat are a world away from the shredded, packaged version. A young coconut is creamcolored and is slightly spongy on the outside. This is a few tips and tricks on how i open a coconut quickly and easily in my kitchen with just a few. A damp coconut likely means that there is a crack or multiple cracks and the water has started to drain out.
F for about 15 minutes and remove it from the oven. Because coconuts can be difficult nuts to crack especially for cooks new to the task we offer a simple method that involves baking the coconut briefly. My mom would share the cooled, sweet coconut water with me and shed help me scoop out the fresh coconut jellylike meat inside, and id devour every bite with a slurp. Additionally, if using a fresh coconut a sharp kitchen knife, hammer, and patience. How to crack open a fresh coconut quickly and easily with. How to crack open and use a whole coconut delightful adventures. Youve heard of people using cleavers and cracking open the coconut against sharp edges. But if youve got fresh coconut on hand, and you know how to open a coconut you can always substitute with freshly shredded. The secret of cracking a coconut steamy kitchen recipes. A young coconut is not one of those brown woody shells with the hard meat. This is because it contains minerals like potassium, sodium, and magnesium that allow for water to pass through cellular pumps and hydrate your cells. So, you got your hands on some fresh coconut, but you arent really sure where to begin. Strain the coconut water through a sieve and into a bowl. Everyone should have the old fashioned fun of cracking open a coconut and preparing the meat from scratch.
Dealing with a fresh coconut which does not, i admit, look userfriendly is not as difficult as it seems. Mar 22, 20 i bought a coconut today, most people avoid whole coconut in the store because they dont know how easy it will be to open it when they get home. To open a coconut, start by poking a hole in the top with a knife and draining out all the water. If the liquid is excessively oily and rancid tasting, the. The best way to crack open a coconut martha stewart.
Lucia is incomplete without sipping water from a fresh coconut. More importantly, i found out how to extract all of that wonderful coconut water without having to use drill, which. Turn the coconut and continue whacking the equator line until the coconut splits open. The water from a fresh, young coconut should be sweet. Using the melissas coconut opener, pierce the softest of the coconuts eyes brown circles on the top of the coconut to drain the water and discard. Heres how i do it choosing a coconut first, a tip on choosing a coconut. Skip the expensive storebought juice and learn how to open fresh coconuts with this easytouse tool. This process sounds simple but it does require finesse. The good ones are excellent tasting i am a diabetic and fresh coconut is a very good snack for me. First push a skewer into the three holes in the top of the coconut and drain out the milk and reserve it if the recipe needs it. Learn how to crack open a fresh coconut to make your own homemade coconut milk. You should be able to hear the juice sloshing about inside.
You can crack a coconut to make your own coconut milk, enjoy the raw coconut meat, or use it in. Using the melissas coconut opener, pierce the softest of the coconut s eyes brown circles on the top of the coconut to drain the water and discard. Which i dont recommend, unless you arent wearing pants like monkeys do because your pants will get all wet. How to handle and store fresh coconut and coconut milk. Storing fresh coconut how to purchase, open and use coconut. In this tutorial i show you the simplest way to crack a coconut in half, and remove its. You can crack a coconut to make your own coconut milk, enjoy the raw coconut meat, or use it in recipes. In addition to how flavorful fresh coconut meat can be, theres also the added bonus of its high nutritional content. Remove the chunks from the towel, and wedge the screwdriver tip between the shell and coconut meat, and start prying. Coconut is high in fiber, potassium, magnesium, calcium and copper.
We buy coconuts weekly since we learned this trick. Keep rotating and hitting until your coconut is open. Use an ice pick or screwdriver to poke out 2 of the coconut s eyes. How to crack open a young coconut whole life nutrition. I love eating slices of fresh coconut, but its also a real treat to use the coconut juice in cooking. Aug 29, 2012 from the sweet coconut water hidden inside to the soft pulp scooped straight from the shell, fresh coconut is a treat like no other. The easiest way to crack a coconut is to freeze it first. Bake the coconut in a preheated 400 degree f oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Here is a detailed stepbystep that will have you using fresh coconut in no time. Take a hammer and whack along the equator line with swift hard hitskeeping the fingers of the hand holding the coconut well out of the way. How to crack a coconut dealing with a fresh coconut which does not, i admit, look userfriendly is not as difficult as it seems. One thing that will make your life much simpler is to. The trick is finding the face of the coconut, or the three dark spots.
Place coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the hard outer shell begins to crack. Then, bake the coconut in the oven at 375 f 190c for 10 minutes or until a crack forms in the shell. How to 3 easy ways to open a coconut with tools you already have at home you may not be able to take a tropical vacation right now, but at least you can crack open your own coconut. Learn the best way to crack open a coconut after youve gone to the trouble of cracking a coconut, what do you do with the meat. Remove coconut and set aside until cool enough to handle. Wondering how to crack open and use a whole coconut. Do this over a bowl in the sink so you can catch the coconut water. One tip should be facing you, and the other should face away from you.
How to crack open a coconut quickly, easily and painlessly. Puncture two of the eye holes with an ice pick or clean screwdriver and set the coconut over a bowl to collect the juice. Release this tropical treat from its hardasarock shell without needing a machete. The last whack cracks open the coconut, so we better need a wide vessel to collect the water the coconut can be pried open at this stage easily. The trick is finding the face of the coconut, or the three dark spots that somewhat. Once you get home, if the coconut is wrapped in plastic, remove the plastic. Jul 25, 20 ive cracked more than my fair share of fresh coconuts, and tried a number of ways to open them, including doing as the monkeys do and lifting them high above my head and crashing them to the ground. In terms of texture and flavor, dried coconut cant touch the fresh stuff, but separating the meat from the shell can be a bit of a struggle. But thanks to my perseverance, i ended up discovering the quickest and easiest way to crack open a coconut and split it into two perfect pieces. If you get it in the right spot, the coconut should crack open cleanly in half.
Tall coconut layer cake, coconut crusted shrimp, and coconut chutney are some of the nuts best showcases the fresh grated meat shining in each, thanks to its rich, perfumed fat. The coconut jelly inside young coconuts is as slippery as it is delicious and works well as a breakfast dish. Once the shell is cracked, take the coconut out of the oven and put it in a plastic bag. Whether you plan to cook with it or eat it as a snack, raw coconut is packed with nutritional benefits, including tons of minerals, fiber, protein, and energyboosting fats.
Since you can get a coconut without a husk at the store, you dont even have to. Marthas technique worked like a charm and ill never again be afraid to crack open a coconut. Shake the coconut gently a fresh coconut full of water will feel heavy and youll hear the water sloshing. If you find fresh coconuts in the shop, hold them up next to your ear and shake them. You will need a butchers knife to crack the coconut. Fresh coconut meat comes from the brown, fuzzy coconuts that the produce sections of some supermarkets sell.
Naturally refreshing, coconut water has a sweet, nutty taste. Opening a coconut the safe and easy way butteryum a. Fresh coconut tastes great and is highly nutritious, but cracking one open is pretty intimidating. You see, i love love love fresh coconut with a passion, but i used to never eat it because cracking open that hard shell to get to the. How to crack open a fresh coconut quickly and easily with tools that everybody owns. First up, how to make coconut milk from a fresh coconut. Nov 01, 2016 if youre not a coconut cracking ninja from samoa, then youll need an easier way to bust coconuts for pleasure, or for survival. Using a hammer, smash the coconut until it cracks open. Apr 25, 20 rotate the coconut away from you and hit it again.