How to Crack Open a Coconut
Showing cracking open a fresh coconut in Hawaii. Learn how to open a coconut safely and easily with simple tools and step-by-step instructions to access fresh coconut water and meat at home.
Servings 1 whole raw coconut
Calories 1405kcal
Equipment
- Large Sturdy Knife (such as stainless steel)
- medium bowl
- Drill - for draining water prior to opening
Ingredients
- Coconut
Instructions
Without Draining First
- Place a bowl in front of you to catch any coconut water that may spill during the process. Hold the coconut securely in your non-dominant hand and a sturdy knife in your dominant hand. Use the back (spine) of the knife rather than the sharpened cutting edge. A strong, durable knife, such as one made from stainless steel, is recommended.
- Strike the coconut with the back of the knife around its midpoint, hitting it across the width rather than from top to bottom. In this position, the top and bottom of the coconut should be on either side of the knife, not above and below it.
- After each strike, rotate the coconut approximately a quarter turn and strike it again along the same middle line. Continue rotating and striking in this manner until the shell cracks open. The number of strikes required can vary depending on the thickness of the shell and the force applied with each hit.
How To Drain The Coconut First
- Start by locating the three small indentations, or "eyes," on one end of the coconut. One or two of these eyes are usually softer than the others and can be pierced with a clean screwdriver, metal skewer, ice pick, or similar pointed tool. We would use an electric drill sometimes.
- Place the coconut over a bowl or measuring cup and carefully pierce one eye to create an opening. For faster drainage, make a second hole in the other eye to allow air to flow into the coconut.
- Turn the coconut upside down over the bowl and let the coconut water drain completely. You can gently shake the coconut to help release any remaining liquid. Once the coconut is empty, you can move on to cracking open the shell.
Notes
Another method we liked was to take a chisel or even the flat end of a pry bar, place that on the coconut, and then pound the end with a hammer or mallet. It will crack right open.
If you want to use the juice from the coconut, you’ll want to strain it through some fine cheesecloth. As you can see in my images, the husk gets inside sometimes, and so you want to strain that out.
Make sure the juice isn’t rotted, as some coconuts from the store can have nice flesh, but gross liquid. Of course, this isn’t necessary if you are opening a fresh coconut.
Once I’ve broken a coconut, I store it in an airtight container or baggie, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. You can absolutely freeze it, and I often do because I have so much. Sometimes I like to take those frozen pieces, cut them into bite-sized pieces, and freeze-dry them for long-term storage. Freeze-dried coconut is AMAZING!
I do not suggest setting the coconut down and doing this, as the coconut will slip out from under the knife and go flying. If you can work outside on the grass - as shown in our video- the coconut moves a bit less.
You don’t have to pull the knife too far from the coconut to give it a good whack. If you reduce how far you pull the knife back, you greatly reduce accidentally missing. It’s hard to miss doing this, so don’t worry, but just in case, this is a great tip!
Nutrition
Serving: 1coconut | Calories: 1405kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 15g