What is the best way to open a coconut???

Question

I'm trying to get the milk and meat out of a coconut and having trouble getting it open...any ideas?

Answer 1

Quick version:
Hold coconut over a bowl in one hand such that the "midriff" rests in the middle of your palm, with the tip on one end and the eyes on the other.
Whack the coconut with the back (that is to say the blunt side) of the cleaver a few times all around the center until it cracks open cleanly into two nearly equal halves. Make sure you use the blunt side of the cleaver.
Catch the juice in the bowl as it drains from the cracks.
(http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/crackcoc.html)

Gather the items listed in the Things You'll Need section below.
Place the coconut on a hard, flat surface that will not be damaged. A sturdy cutting board will usually do.
Find the soft "eye" of the coconut that will be soft enough to push a Philips screwdriver through. If not, get an ice pick and a hammer to create the hole.
Drain the coconut juice into the bowl.
Note the seam that runs between the "eyes." Follow the seam to the equator of the coconut. A sharp whack with a hand-sized rock will start a crack that runs perpdendicular to the seam. A few more whacks arond the circumference started by this frst blow should finish the job. If it's done right, you end up with two equal halves.



Alternate Method
Gather a machete and a bowl.
Locate the three ribs which run between the 3 eyes at the top and trisect the coconut running to the bottom.
Place the coconut in your hand with one of the 3 ribs facing up.
Using a bush knife/machete or a large meat cleaver, hit the coconut very firmly along the equator of the coconut.
Holding the coconut over a large dish or bowl to catch the water, repeat step 4 along the circumference until the coconut cracks into two clean halves.



Tips
Do this outside the house (on cement) to avoid risking any damage to your kitchen counter.
Try using the drain opening of your kitchen sink to hold the coconut while you hammer an awl or ice pick in the eyes to drain the juice.
Once opened, cutting the 'meaty' part of the coconut off its shell can be done with a knife. It's easier to do if the shell is in small pieces.
Use a dull table knife or spoon to remove meat from the shell. Cutting through the meat all the way to the shell, then prying a bit will pop strips and chunks out. Sometimes it's possible to get underneath the meat with a spoon and pry away from the shell progressively.
Cutting a groove all the way around the equator of the coconut with a serrated knife, then whacking it against a concrete or brick surface, can crack it into two nice neat pieces (with a little luck).
If you do not have any of these materials (or are in a hurry), but still wish to open your coconut, you can put it in a tough plastic bag and throw it against a hard surface. You will lose the juice, but still be able to eat the nut. (But make sure that you do not hit anybody!)
If you need perfectly symmetrical halves (i.e. for props, musical instruments, etc.) you can make a straighter cut (carefully) with a bandsaw.
After draining the cocount juice, you can put the coconut in an oven, at about 350 for 20 minutes. This will cause the meat to contract causing partial separation from the shell and makes the remaining steps easier.
If the coconut is not green and you want to get even halves, hold the coconut side against a thin stream of tap water. Rotate the coconut so as to make the water create line all around the coconut. Turn the coconut several times. Then use the hammer to hit along this line. A few blows should crack the shell along the line drawn by the water.
A quarter inch drill bit is just the right size to drill out the eyes, and is faster and probably safer than an ice pick.
Once the meat is out of the outer shell, a potato peeler works nicely to peel off the inner husk.
Warnings
Unless you're confident in your hammering skills and you have steady hand coordination, avoid holding the coconut when hammering it. This way, you will not risk whacking your hand by accident.
Whack it along the groove you cut, and don't get your fingers caught in the crack (ouch!).
Things You'll Need
(http://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Open-a-Coconut)

Answer 2

Take a nail that is about 3 inches long. FInd the "eyes" of th coconut - there should be like 3 of them on one end. Gently tap the nail into them with a hammer - not all the way just until it goes through the husk. Turn cocout upside down to get the milk out.

Then whack it with a hammer to break it open!

Answer 3

Use a screwdriver or awl and a hammer to poke through one of the 3 eyes. But do it over a bowl or the juice/milk will make a huge mess. And use your hammer to break into pieces after milk is drained out.

Answer 4

there are three holes on the top that you can stab with something sharp to get the milk out. once thats out, you can slam the coconut on the ground to split it into 2 pieces - then use a spoon to scoop out the meat. im not kidding this is what we do...good luck

Answer 5

FYI the liquid is NOT milk. It's water. Milk is made by grating or pureeing the meat and squeezing out the oils and solids.

Answer 6

Go pound it on a fire hydrant.....they do it here in Hawai'i and it works! :)

Seriously though, click the link below for step by step proceedings with pics....this should help you.....

Enjoy! Healthy stuff BTW!

:)
Peace!

Answer 7

Use an ice pick and a hammer.

Answer 8

chuck it on the floor...but then that would defy the whole concept of collecting the milk :s LOL HAHAHAHA

Answer 9

hammer always does the trick

Answer 10

they use a machete in hawaii..but a saw or small hatchet should work fine.