How to Open a Coconut

Coconuts have a tough outer shell that seems almost impossible to crack open. Luckily, once you learn the technique, you'll have no problems accessing the fragrant coconut meat and hydrating coconut water inside. If you'd like to incorporate fresh coconut into your smoothie shop or acai bowl business menu, keep reading to learn our easy method of cracking this extra-large tree nut open.

Opening a Fresh Coconut

Check out our video for a quick tutorial on cracking open a coconut:

Differences between Brown and Green Coconuts

Young coconuts, also known as green coconuts, are harvested at an earlier stage of maturity. Young coconuts have a green outer husk and a soft, white flesh inside. Sometimes, you will see young coconuts with the peel removed. In this case, they are a pale cream color with a cone-shaped top. The water found inside a young coconut is often referred to as coconut water or coconut juice. This liquid is not only refreshing but also packed with electrolytes, making it a popular choice for hydrating beverages.

On the other hand, mature coconuts are the more familiar brown-husked variety that you might associate with the tropical fruit. The flesh of a mature coconut is thicker and firmer compared to that of a young coconut. This flesh can be grated, shredded, or pressed to extract coconut milk, a versatile ingredient used in many culinary applications. Mature coconuts contain liquid inside just like young coconuts, but it's a much smaller amount.

How to Open a Mature Coconut (2 Methods)

We'll walk you through two methods of opening a fresh mature coconut. The first method requires freezing the coconut for at least 2 hours, and the second method can be performed more quickly by baking the coconut in an oven for 15 minutes.

Extract the Coconut Water

Before you can crack open a mature coconut, we recommend draining the liquid inside. You'll need a sharp tool like a corkscrew, screwdriver, or nail and hammer. Just make sure that the tool you use is sanitized with a food-safe sanitizer before piercing the coconut.

1. Place a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a bowl.
2. Locate the three germination holes (also known as the “eyes”).
3. Find the hole that is the largest and lightest (this will be the softest hole) and pierce it with the sharp tool.
4. Turn the coconut upside down and place it over the sieve until all the coconut water is drained.
5. Save the coconut water for use in recipes or to drink by itself.

Freeze the Coconut

If you have some time on your hands, freezing the coconut is an easy method to harvest the meat:

1. Place the coconut in the freezer for at least two hours. This causes the shell to pop away from the coconut meat, making it easier to separate the two.
2. Once frozen, hold the coconut in your non-dominant hand.
3. Locate the equator of the coconut. This is an indented line that runs around the center of the coconut.
4. Use a sanitized meat mallet to strike the equator line, rotating the coconut until you have worked your way the whole way around it.
5. You should notice a crack forming in the equator. Keep striking until the shell comes loose.
6. With the shell removed, you will be left with the coconut meat and a layer of brown skin.
7. Use a vegetable peeler to peel away the skin and expose the white coconut meat.
8. Rinse off the coconut meat and pat it dry.

Bake the Coconut

If you’re pressed for time, you can bake the coconut to help separate the meat from the shell:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Hold the coconut in your non-dominant hand.
3. Locate the equator of the coconut. This is an indented line that runs around the center of the coconut.
4. Use a sanitized meat mallet to strike the equator line, rotating the coconut until you have worked your way the whole way around it.
5. You should notice a crack forming in the equator. Keep striking until the shell comes loose.
6. Place the coconut halves or pieces shell-side-up on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the coconut pieces from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes.
8. Using a sharp paring knife, pry the meat out of the shell by sticking the knife’s blade between the shell and the meat. Turn the knife carefully until the meat pops out.
9. With the shell removed, you will be left with the coconut meat and a layer of brown skin.
10. Use a vegetable peeler to peel away the skin and expose the white coconut meat.
11. Rinse off the coconut meat and pat it dry.

How to Choose a Coconut

When selecting a coconut, make sure the coconut is fairly heavy. Then, shake the coconut and listen for the water sloshing inside. Do not choose a coconut that is wet or already cracked.

Uses for Coconut Water

Now that you have fresh coconut water, here are some ways to use it:

• Drink it
• Use in a smoothie
• Blend into a cocktail recipe
• Mix into part of the stock liquid when cooking rice
• Add to a curry recipe

Uses for Fresh Coconut Meat

Here are some great uses for fresh coconut meat:

• Dehydrate to make coconut chips or coconut flour
• Turn it into coconut milk or cream
• Freeze and blend into smoothies, smoothie bowls, or frozen cocktails
• Make homemade shredded coconut for coconut macaroons
• Blend into homemade coconut oil

Learning how to open a coconut is easy and requires only a few tools to get the job done. Whether it’s a young or mature coconut, the tasty freshness of a cracked-open coconut is unbeatable.