How to Open a Coconut

I absolutely love young Thai coconuts, so I use them in a lot of recipes. The great thing about these coconuts is that the “meat” inside is very soft and blends smoothly. They are also much easier to open than the little brown coconuts, and their meat is easier to scrape out. (I also think the water from them tastes better). Here are some suggestions to help you figure out how to open them!

Some people use nice sharp cleavers, but I don’t have one of those. So, I use a wannabe cleaver and a hammer. One thing to keep in mind no matter how you open them is: BE CAREFUL!

First, I set the coconut on a stable surface and chop the top with my knife. I usually have to get quite a few good blows in. Notice that my other hand is NOT holding the coconut in place. It’s better to have the coconut hop around than to cut off your fingers.

Once I’ve made a few good smackaroos, I usually take a small serrated knife and cut off the white stringy outer part. When I cut this off, it usually reveals that my first few blows have broken through the coconut and made a small opening.

This opening is just big enough to pour out the tasty coconut water.

You can always try to break it the rest of the way with your knife. But, to be frank, I usually end up grabbing a hammer and placing the coconut on the concrete in my backyard to finish the process. Again, DO NOT hold the coconut with your other hand while you smack the coconut with the hammer. I take no responsibility for those who cut off or smash up their fingers while attempting to open a coconut. I’ve also used my husband’s hand-saw to open them before. You say I should just go buy a nice cleaver? I probably should. I hear you only have to hit it a couple times with those before it breaks open…

You’ll have to clean this up by putting it under running water, of course. We don’t want all of that brown stuff in whatever we’re making with our coconut meat.

It’s pretty easy to scoop out the meat with a spoon. Clean out any leftover brown stuff on the meat, and you’re ready to go!

Some interesting facts about coconuts:

*They are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals

*Medical Journals report that coconuts offer a wide range of health benefits, including killing bacteria and viruses, aiding in tissue repair, improving digestion, reducing inflammation, protecting from tooth decay, supporting thyroid function, and so much more.

*Coconut water is an isotonic beverage, meaning it has the same electrolyte concentration as blood. This makes it the perfect rehydration fluid. (It can even be used for an emergency IV transfusion because the filtration of the coconut makes it sterile) Next time you go work out, rehydrate with coconut water instead of those other sports drinks with artificial ingredients and tons of sugar!

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