coconuts

[momoreg]

Everyone seems to have their own method for opening coconuts, and then removing the meat. Which technique works best for you?

[cape chef]

Whoever is on my S**t list at work gets it cracked open on their head!!
cc
P.s. only kidding

[Live_to_cook]

1. Bang on concrete floor for outer husk.

2. Judiciously apply hammer for shell.

3. Large blade screwdriver as needed.

Works like a charm, although for some reason when I'm in mid-smash Planet of the Apes clips always come to mind.

[Isa]

To open a coconut, pierce the "eyes" with an ice pick or large nail, and drain the liquid from the coconut. To remove the shell
easily, bake the drained coconut at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes, or put it in the freezer for an hour. Then place the
coconut on a firm surface, and tap the shell lightly with a hammer in several places until it cracks. Separate the meat from the
shell.


From The University of Illinois, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, Horticulture Solutions Series
http://www.vegweb.com/glossary/docs/janan060.shtml

[Nick.Shu]

im not sure if you need it shredded, but you can buy specialty devices that you put half a shell on a spike, turn and push the handle, and the attachement shreds the meat inside the shell, no wastage - this is big with ppl from the indian subcontinent for use with their curries.

[Dlee]

momoreg,

Here is how i deal with a coconut.

1. I use a hammer to crack it open over the sink. Then break it into large pieces.

2. I then place it in the oven so that the meat will lift off the shell. To aid in this I use a screwdriver to finish prying the flesh off the shell.

3. After which I then use a veg. peeler to get the hard skin off.

You have left only the meat, to do whatever...

D. Lee

[momoreg]

The reason I ask is that for years, I've always used the standard method: Poke the eyes out with a screwdriver (ooh! sounds brutal!), bake 350 for 25 min. until it cracks, and break off shell. But I find that some coconuts are more stubborn than others, in terms of the meat separating from the shell. I though that maybe there's a better way. The other day, I was trying to pry it off with a screwdriver, and accidentally rammed the screwdriver under my cuticle. (no blood). But that was my reason for posting. I thought that maybe it was so stubborn because it was underripe, but when I finally got a piece off, it tasted fine.

Incidentally, I worked with a Phillipine woman who demonstated how they open coconuts in her country. They take the coconut in their left hand, a cleaver in the right, chop once, toss, chop, toss, chop. Done, in three hits.

I value my hands too much to try it, but it was cool to watch.

[momoreg]

And then you still have the problem of separating the meat.

[youla]

i worked with a phillipino women who opened coconuts in a minute...same as your phillipine . momoreg,,,, the trouble we had was gettint the flesh off the shell.

"Underripe" coconuts have very soft, almost jelly like flesh and lots of juice in the center. The older they get, the more dry the meat and tough skin becomes. A machete is the best tool for removing the outer husk, though watch your fingers. When I lived in the Florida keys, road crews would drive around cutting coconuts from the palm trees to keep them from dropping onto people's cars and houses. I often followed behind on my bike gathering as many of these free "jelly" coconuts as my basket would hold. Once home I'd leave some to ripen and become hard (after removing the husk) for grating. But my favorite breakfast was to wack off the top with a machete, drink the sweet!juice, then wack it in half and scrape out the coco-jelly with a spoon. Yum!
That jelly blended with bananas and the juice mad a fabulous smoothie or pina-colada!

[cookie jim]

about seperating cocunut flesh from shell I have always used a butter knife.Once you start the knife between the meat and shell it will seperate easily. I used a screwdriver and hammer to remove the husk,splitting the husk on 3 sides and pulling it off. I used the hammer to tap it open.When I just had the nut in my kitchen I just taped it open with the back of my 12 in. forchner over a work bowl and strained the juice.Good cookin...cookie.