# How does one open a coconut?



## Nemo (Aug 24, 2019)

I saw some coconuts in the grocer yesterday and thought it would be interesting to try, as we rarely see them here.

What's the best way to open one?

Do you drink the water inside?

Any other tips?

TIA


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## Matus (Aug 24, 2019)

Many years back we used to use a hack saw. It wasn’t pretty. But the thing was stone hard.


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## Nemo (Aug 24, 2019)

Matus said:


> Many years back we used to use a hack saw. It wasn’t pretty. But the thing was stone hard.


I was thinking of using a hacksaw.

Or maybe a wood splitting wedge.


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## lagrangeL2 (Aug 24, 2019)




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## parbaked (Aug 24, 2019)

Kato workhorse...


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## Matus (Aug 24, 2019)

If you just want to hack it with an axe, then drill 2 holes on one side first and let the ‘milk’ out. 

I sm assuming you are not talking about fresh/green coconuts.


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## lagrangeL2 (Aug 24, 2019)

try it parbaked...I dare you.


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## lagrangeL2 (Aug 24, 2019)

Matus said:


> If you just want to hack it with an axe, then drill 2 holes on one side first and let the ‘milk’ out.
> 
> I sm assuming you are not talking about fresh/green coconuts.




What Matus said. If the husk is still on there, then its tougher, but you can crack open the coir and shell with a hammer, or use a handheld power drill. Bring a spoon for the flesh too.

Edit: ^ for the whole fruit (green)..you're better off getting a dehusked one. For the processed (brown) ones, put it on top of a roasting pan and use a hammer.


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## Nemo (Aug 24, 2019)

It's brown.

I'll try a hammer. Or maybe a drill...

Thanks.


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## slickmamba (Aug 24, 2019)

I use a thick cleaver and whack the top off. But recently I bought one of those coconut opening tools you whack with a mallet


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## inferno (Aug 24, 2019)

I think the best way is yanagiba/usuba + hammer, same method as lobsters.


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## parbaked (Aug 24, 2019)

https://importfood.com/item/handmade-palm-and-coconut-cleaver-13


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## kayman67 (Aug 24, 2019)

It's not impossible hard. I've cracked a lot of them even with kitchen knives (most cheap german steel can do this even using the cutting edge). 
A hammer will do the trick with no problems. 
It's not the cracking that's the problem, it's the messy nature of the operation. Make sure you have something to hold the liquid and move fast. Don't hit super hard as they can smash like crazy all over the place. Try not the most powerful hits in one place, but several in the middle rotating the coconut. You will hear it. Last one I did was just a couple of days ago.


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## inferno (Aug 24, 2019)

we have a hydraulic press at work. 350 tons. i'm the only one allowed to operate it. thinking about trying this some time. its obviously the most efficient way of opening coconuts.


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## Xenif (Aug 24, 2019)

Heel chop with CCK cleaver x 4-5 times dor the green ones. Use the spine for cracking the brown ones


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## Bensbites (Aug 24, 2019)

I would have used a shibata and a hammer. It such a thin blade, it should slide right through!


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## Michi (Aug 24, 2019)

I’ve opened them in the past by putting them into a big vice. Works well 

More practical: Drill two holes to get the juice out. (Without doing that, you both lose the juice when cracking them open, and make a huge mess from juice flying everywhere.) Then stick the coconut in a plastic bag, put on a truly hard surface (granite kitchen bench, concrete slab, brick, garden rock, etc.) and hit with a hammer until you have manageable-sized chunks.


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## Nemo (Aug 24, 2019)

Thanks for all of the replies, whether practical or humorous.

I used a masonry point to get the water out:


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## Nemo (Aug 24, 2019)

And then a hammer to break it apart:


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## Namaxy (Aug 24, 2019)

Screwdriver or drill into the eyes if you want to be careful collecting the water. Personally, I hold it over a half hotel pan and whack it with the spine of one my big old sabatiers.


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## Kippington (Aug 24, 2019)

You smack it with the spine of a beater knife, spinning the coconut so you're hitting it around the circumference.
Or do what I do, have a few drinks on break and come back to work. Try to open coconut by going wild with a bread knife and cut self instead.


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## Ryndunk (Aug 24, 2019)

CCK bone chopper!


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## Dendrobatez (Aug 24, 2019)




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## Nemo (Aug 25, 2019)

Kippington said:


> You smack it with the spine of a beater knife, spinning the coconut so you're hitting it around the circumference.
> Or do what I do, have a few drinks on break and come back to work. Try to open coconut by going wild with a bread knife and cut self instead.


The closest knife I had at the time was the Kippington Laser [emoji43]

Decided not to do any extreme durability testing.... [emoji16]


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## chinacats (Aug 25, 2019)

spine of a cheap cleaver... make sure you hear liquid when you shake it...

also enjoy the young soft ones...but you shouldn't hear liquid when you shake these

fresh coconut is delicious!


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## zizirex (Aug 25, 2019)

usually, people use a machete to crack the husk and shell, then it just left with the 'core', I would save the shell and use it to smoke some fish or meat.


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## Matus (Aug 25, 2019)

Job well done.


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## Michi (Aug 25, 2019)

Just found this freezer method. Never tried this, but will next time. Looks pretty effective.


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## Migraine (Aug 25, 2019)

Michi said:


> Just found this freezer method. Never tried this, but will next time. Looks pretty effective.




"How to...in under 30 seconds

Step 1: ....for 12 hours"


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## Michi (Aug 25, 2019)

Migraine said:


> Step 1: ....for 12 hours


Yes, there's that  Plus the wait until the thing is defrosted again before I can drain the juice and cut it up.

Still, I thought it's intriguing, particularly if I want perfect presentation. It looks like this method will allow me to make perfect wedges of coconut for a fancy arrangement.

I'll find out next time I spot a coconut at the supermarket


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## Migraine (Aug 25, 2019)

Oh I'm not arguing it looks like a good method, just amused me.


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## Michi (Aug 25, 2019)

Migraine said:


> Oh I'm not arguing it looks like a good method, just amused me.


Yes, same here. To boldly go where no chef has gone before…


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## playero (Aug 25, 2019)

The water is good and sweet and full of electrolytes. Any good doctor will tell you to drink coconut water. We have like a ss straw that you can smack into the coconut and take out the water. Amazon has them sometimes. After that you smack the coconut into concrete until it breaks apart or with a machete you cut it to get the skim or milk.


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## slickmamba (Aug 25, 2019)

Some poor idiot is going to read this thread and destroy their knives


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## panda (Aug 25, 2019)

with a mirror polished honyaki yanagi or a western damascus gyuto with huge belly


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## DamageInc (Aug 26, 2019)

Coconuts were not meant to be opened. They are the devil's nut and shouldn't be consumed.


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## Dhoff (Aug 26, 2019)

02:30 an onwards for how to.
all before that mark for the laughs.


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## Migraine (Aug 26, 2019)

panda said:


> with a mirror polished honyaki yanagi or a western damascus gyuto with huge belly



I'm planning to buy that knife nutmeg has up on BST as my coconut knife.


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## zeaderan (Aug 26, 2019)

I was taught to hold the coconut in the plam of my non dominant hand and strike the middle of the coconut with the spine of a heavy clever until you get the center to crack. Holding the coconut against a cutting board usually causes me to stike too hard and it explodes the juice everywhere or I miss and almost crush important fingers... Once cracked enough you squeeze open the crack to extract the juice then continue to rotate and strike the coconut, again with the blunt spine until it cracks enough to rip apart the two halves. From my experience if you strike the middle the hairline cracks form almost at the center of the coconut every time. It takes me 5 to 10 strikes usually to get the initial crack opening to form but the subsequent strikes will be much more effective

Edit: strike the center belly of the coconut with the top end (three holes) and bottom end facing your right and left. If it were a sheet of paper, your trying to split it hamburger wise not hotdog.


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## thirsty0ne (Aug 27, 2019)

I drill 2 holes with a cordless, collect the milk... after that I hold it in my left hand and I work round the equator with a midsize hammer.. usually it cracks in half easily...


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## playero (Sep 2, 2019)




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## playero (Sep 2, 2019)

If


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## daveb (Sep 2, 2019)

Alexa, Open the Coconut....


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## larrybard (Sep 2, 2019)

Nemo said:


> Thanks for all of the replies, whether practical or humorous.
> 
> I used a masonry point to get the water out:
> 
> ...


After sticking that masonry point in the coconut you drank the water? Nothing personal, but that masonry point doesn't look all that clean.


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## Nemo (Sep 3, 2019)

A little surface rust at the tip perhaps. It was pretty thoroughly cleaned beforehand.


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## daddy yo yo (Sep 3, 2019)

I only open green coconuts. For this purpose I brought one of these from a trip to Guatemala:


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## M1k3 (Sep 5, 2019)

Put the lime inside...


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## podzap (Sep 15, 2019)

I usually whack at it with the sharp edge of my Kai Shun Kaji chef's knife until it gives in.

Resistance is futile!


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## M1k3 (Sep 15, 2019)

podzap said:


> I usually whack at it with the sharp edge of my Kai Shun Kaji chef's knife until it gives in.
> 
> Resistance is futile!


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## Michi (Sep 15, 2019)

This appears to be a "must have" in any properly-equipped kitchen:

https://www.amazon.com/FANATU-Coconut-Opener-Young-Coconuts/dp/B07CM5RD56


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## Bert2368 (Sep 15, 2019)

In the past (before metal tools) it was done by sharpening a hard wood stake, which was fixed in the ground point up. People took a husked coconut and smacked it down hard on the sharp point, being careful not to miss...


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