How do you open a coconut? Instructions would be appreciated!?

Answer 1

When I was younger, my dad used a screwdriver and a hammer.

It appears there are online steps you should find very helpful - pictures and everything!

Answer 2

You need a:

coconut
heavy knife
bowl or container for the coconut water

Optional items:

hammer
nail
screwdriver
ice pick
strong garbage bag


Okay Here's how:

Hold the coconut in the palm of your hand over a sink or large bowl. The bowl will catch the coconut juice when the coconut splits open.
Note the seam that runs between the "eyes." Follow the seam to the equator of the coconut. Using the blunt edge (not the blade)of a heavy knife (i.e. chefs knife, meat cleaver, machete) tap firmly around its equator as you rotate the coconut in the palm of your hand. Continue to tap and rotate until the coconut splits completely open. If it's done right, the coconut will break open after just a few turns into two equal halves.
If you do not have a heavy knife, grip the coconut and firmly tap the coconut around its equator on a hard and solid edge. A corner on a very large rock or brick wall or the edge of a contrete slab works well for this (patio, street curb, concrete stairs). Continue to tap and rotate until the coconut splits completely open.
If you prefer you can drain the coconut juice before cracking it open:

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 a nail and a hammer to create the hole.
Drain the coconut juice into the bowl.
Follow the method outlined above to split the coconut open.



Tips:


You can also freeze the small coconut pices for 30 minutes and then the meat will come off easily.
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.
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, bikini, 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 (180° C, Gas Mark 4) 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 a heavy knife 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.
You can also place the drained coconut in a sturdy plastic bag and hit it against the wall or ground to break it.


Warnings:

Be very carefull when hitting the coconut with the knife. The coconut should be hit firmly but not so hard that you lose control of the knife. You do not want to wack, cut, or stab anything by accident, especially your hand.
When the coconut begins to crack it may quickly split open and then close again before it breaks. Be careful not to get any part of your hand caught in the crack (ouch!).
If you are not confident handling a knife in this manner, it is best to have someone else do this for you.
Always smell the inside of the coconut. If it smells moldy or sour, it's bad. Don't eat it or drink the water!
Don't put the nut with the water inside. It might explode if it is left for too long and ferments.

Answer 3

. Find an "eye", a dark indentation in the husk. Stick a pointed instrument through to make a hole. Drain out the coconut water (N.B. this is NOT coconut milk - you get that by soaking the grated flesh in hot water). When drained, whack the shell with a hammer and crack open the coconut. Then break into pieces and remove outer husk with a knife. Then wash the flesh to remove bits of husk etc. and dry. If you are grating the flesh then just grate it down to the brown skin. If you need pieces scrape/cut off the brown skin as best you can with a knife.
Grated coconut keeps well in the freezer so even if you only need a little you won't waste the rest and all that effort.

Answer 4

there r 2 ways to open a coconut that i know of:
1- take a driller and drill through the 3 holes on the top one at a time. once u have done that the coconut should fall apart. if not keep drilling holes. do this in a large bowl!
2- if you have a large knife that is like the Japanese knifes ( u know the ones that look like a mini cutting board) hold a towel in ur hand (saftey first) place the coconut on top and wack the coconut with the knife. it should crack open. make sure u have a bowl under!

Answer 5

Well i lived in Jamaica for 4 years and climb many coconut trees ....the men has a HUGE knife ...i dont know how to spell that word ..mashedi ??? Anyway ...they would cut off the top and then drink the coconut water !
Now the ones i always saw in canada were much smaller , so my mum and i just used a hammer !! It works ....uuuuummmmmmmmcoconut !!

Answer 6

Depends upon what implement you use. A chopper is a handy tool. Take the coconut with husk, place it on the floor. With the chopper strike at the top, twist the chopper to lever off the husk. Chop a little lower. Likewise twist the chopper. Next strike lower. Twist. Repeat the same performance a little to the left. Twist the chopper again as earlier. The husk comes off longitudinally and the coconut is what remains.

Answer 7

Let me know, what you find out. When I was 25, my parents and I took a trip to Hawaii and we found a coconut, in a field some where. I think Dad hit it with a rock, or something. Whatever he did, it broke half of it. He had me and Mother try pieces of it. It wasn't too bad. It was still moist inside, but didn't see any milk.
Anyway, I imagine you could hit it with a hammer and a chisel.

Answer 8

my husband used to hammer a nail into each of the 3 dimples, draining the juice. he'd then saw in half so I could use the halves as decorationns (or horse hoof sound effects) but my sis in law from phillippines with lotsa coconuts uses a light tapping all around the coconut to loosen the meat. then smash with a hammer. I like the sawing myself.

Answer 9

Use a hand saw to cut it in half.
Let the coconut milk fall down the drain and throw away the copra.
When the shells of the coconut dry, you can use them to make a sound like horses approaching.
"You've got coconuts!"

Answer 10

poke a hole in one of the eyes, drain, then take a chf knife and place the corner nearest the handle into the grain north to south and hit the blunt edge w/ a hammer firmly this will split it in half.