How to open a coconut.

Engineering systems 21.10.2019
Engineering systems

Opening a coconut at home is easy. It is necessary to pour out the milk and crack the shell.

  • Coconut is considered a fatty nut. Even scientists, until recently, doubted its benefits - they were sure that it adversely affects blood vessels, clogging them with cholesterol.
  • But many studies have been carried out, and now the whole world knows that coconut successfully fights cholesterol plaques in blood vessels. It is useful due to plant fiber and high content of vitamins and minerals
  • Many people avoid buying coconuts despite their health benefits. All this is due to the fact that it is difficult to open it at home. If you know how to open a nut correctly, then it is not at all difficult to do it yourself.

So you bought a coconut from the supermarket, what's next?

How to open a coconut properly at home?

Ripe and tasty coconut will be large in size. Its shell is hard and durable. How to properly open a coconut at home so that you can get a truly heavenly pleasure from its taste?

Follow these steps:

  • Rinse the nut well under running water
  • Study it: the top end of the coconut has three indentations or three large dark dots.
  • Take an ice pick or screwdriver and push through one of the holes
  • Now you can insert a cocktail straw and drink coke milk, or you can pour it into a mug


Important: If you cannot make a hole, then tap on the knife inserted into the recess with a hammer.

  • After that, put the coconut on the table and knock on it with a hammer from all sides - the nut will begin to split into pieces.

Important: Be careful with the hammer to avoid injuring your hands and fingers!

  • The pulp can be picked out with a knife in small pieces.

Tip: If the pulp does not separate well from the shell, then put the chopped halves in a preheated oven (200 degrees) for 15 minutes. You can use the microwave.

Important: After that, the delicious snow-white pulp will be well separated even with a spoon.



If everything is done correctly, then there is nothing complicated in this process. Nowadays, almost everyone knows how to peel a coconut. You can buy this nut in any supermarket. Its price is low, and both adults and children like the taste - it is a tasty and satisfying nut.

Tips and feedback from other people will tell you about little tricks that can help you quickly and easily get a treat out of a hard shell.

Tip: If you want to surprise your guests with such a dish, then remove the pulp from the nut in advance so as not to spoil the impression of a delicious dessert by cutting.

Tip: Coconut shells can be a decorative addition to the interior. Its halves will look beautiful in an aquarium as a decor or as flower pots for small cacti. In this case, the nut should not be broken with a hammer, but cut in half with a hacksaw.



Important: Before cutting with a hacksaw, do not forget to drain the milk first. This method of cleaning requires a lot of effort and time, but the halves of the shell are excellently used on the farm.

Tip: When you pick out the pulp with a knife, be careful not to cut your fingers!

Important: The pulp must be eaten within 24 hours. After 24 hours, it starts to turn sour.

Feel like paradise - try coconut! Bon Appetit!

Video: How to open a coconut?

The video will help you to visually see how to open a coconut yourself.

Video: How to open a coconut at home?

In southern countries, they use a special tool, but this can be done without it. To preserve the milk and pulp for which this product is bought, you must follow the instructions. It is worth cutting only after the juice is drained. Drink and eat the contents on the same day. Do not store opened coconut in the refrigerator, it will spoil quickly.

How to open a coconut at home

Even without any experience, everyone can cope with the task. The following DIY tools can help you easily open a coconut:

  • hammer;
  • drill;
  • hacksaw.

If there is at least one item listed, then it will not be difficult to open the shell, even at home. Lay the fruit on a towel while cutting to prevent it from sliding on the table. Wash the peel thoroughly and you can start, but be careful, as the tool easily jumps off the surface, and this leads to injuries.

How to crack a coconut

It is necessary to cut the coconut so that the milk inside the fruit does not spill. The technology is simple: there are dark spots on one side of the fruit - the pores leading to the seed, which are the most vulnerable spot. Use a corkscrew, drill, or hammer and nail to make holes in these places. When you hear the sound of a soda bottle being opened, drain or insert a straw and drink straight from the coconut.

How to break a coconut

The hard shell of the fruit can be broken or cracked. To choose the right method, be guided by the tools that you have at your disposal and the purpose for which you plan to use the pulp. The coconut has a weak point, which can be identified by a thin convex fold in the middle or slightly towards the dark points. In this place, it is worth applying force. So, the ways to quickly open a coconut:

  1. A bit noisy, but always effective. Suitable if only the pulp is needed, and the appearance does not matter. Wrap the fruit in a towel, hit the coconut with a hammer. The shell will break, allowing the pulp to be removed.
  2. Take a sharp knife and strike gently. It is best to keep the nut hanging. Turn slightly and repeat the movement. When a crack appears, you need to insert a blade there and cut the coconut into two even halves. You can use a hacksaw.

1 year ago

Coconuts are very healthy and tasty, the pulp of these exotic fruits is included in many salads, desserts, pies and even first courses. But in order to cook these "goodies" or just enjoy the contents of a nut, you need to learn in practice how to open a coconut. This task is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

There are several options for quickly extracting the coconut milk and pulp from the shell. But sometimes you can hear complaints that this or that method turned out to be ineffective. The fact is that only high-quality fruit can be easily opened. Buy coconut if:

  • when shaking near the ear, you hear milk splashing inside the nut;
  • the shell is free from damage, traces of mold and decay processes;
  • it has three small holes at the base.

If you have a handsome coconut that meets these requirements in your hands, you can make him "reveal his secrets" using one of the following methods.

Splitting with a hammer

This is the most popular way to open a coconut easily.

  1. Use a nail or screwdriver to make three holes in the nut. One of them should be the widest, most transparent.
  2. Pour the liquid out of the fruit.
  3. Tap the coconut with the hammer from the side of the holes without using too much force.
  4. When cracks appear, split the shell in half at the split.

Opening with a knife

Using a regular kitchen knife will help open the coconut without a hammer, just as experienced cooks do.

  1. Place the fruit on a cutting board.
  2. Use a nail or screwdriver to punch a hole and drain the milk.
  3. Insert a knife into the resulting hole and hit the handle well - the integrity of the shell will be broken.

Splitting in a package

  1. Screw a screwdriver or nail into one of the three natural holes in the nut.
  2. Pour the juice into a jar.
  3. Place the fruit in a plastic bag and hit it with something heavy using maximum force.
  4. Remove the broken shells and pulp from the bag.

Safety regulations

Everyone who wants to open the fruit on their own needs to remember the basic safety rules:

  • when acting on the shell with a knife, considerable physical force must be applied so that it does not bounce off the nut, otherwise you can seriously injure yourself;
  • a crack in the shell may close again - don't let your fingers get caught in it;
  • clearly follow the instructions on how to open the coconut correctly, otherwise fragments may fly in different directions, threatening injury, including the eyes;
  • if you decide to warm up the shell so that you can easily separate the pulp, be sure to drain the juice before heating so that the fruit does not explode.

Coconut storage: solving a complex issue

How to store an open coconut is not an idle question, because this fruit is not always consumed immediately after splitting. To prevent an exotic treat from becoming unhealthy, store it in one of the following ways.

In fridge

Once opened, the coconut can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of + 2-5 ° C for only two days. If the temperature regime is violated, expect unpleasant surprises: when overheated, the fruit begins to rot, and when it is too cold it becomes tasteless and watery. Temperature changes will also impair the taste of the coconut pulp.

Please note: if the pulp has a sour smell or has a bitter taste, in no case use it or milk.

To prolong the shelf life of the pulp, you can fill it with water. As a result, the dense content of the coconut will be usable for another 3-4 days, although, unfortunately, it will lose its normal taste. But if you are going to use coconut pulp as an ingredient in a certain dish, perhaps the appearance of "wateriness" in the taste will not significantly affect its quality.

Fill a container with coconut milk that can be hermetically sealed. The container should be as far away from bananas, apples, pears, melons and beets as possible: these fruits release ethylene. The milk remains usable for 6-7 days. If a creamy mass forms on its surface, just remove it.

In the freezer

Upset that open coconut has very little storage time? Use the freezer - freezing will keep the pulp for about six months, and the milk will retain its characteristic flavor for another 2-3 months. Freeze the contents of the nut in this way:

  • pour the milk into molds or small jars;
  • Separate the flesh from the shell and chop with a blender, then lightly drizzle with coconut juice and pack in portions in airtight bags.

Coconut pulp and juice must not be thawed. They are used immediately after being removed from the freezer. It is also unacceptable to defrost and re-freeze parts of the fruit.

Drying from coconut

If you are satisfied with the taste of dried coconut, feel free to take up the preparation of your favorite delicacy: coconut flakes are stored for about a year. Grind the flesh of an exotic nut in a food processor and dry in an oven with a slightly open door or in a microwave oven at a temperature of 50 to 60 ° C (this will take 3.5 hours). Pack the resulting product in tightly closed containers or bags made of cotton or linen. Keep shavings in a dry, cool room with good air circulation, as this product can deteriorate in the refrigerator.

So, we bought it for the first time. The questions arose: “How to split this coconut? How to open it so that the juice does not flow out and the fragments are not scattered all over?! "

First of all, you need to find that of the three holes on the top of the coconut, which is softer than the others, simply by inserting a corkscrew into them. How they groped screw in the corkscrew (3-4 cm), and take out... If the pulp gets into the hole, you need to push it.

Turn the coconut over, put it in a cup or jar, from it juice will flow.

When the juice (or "coconut water") is all drained out (by the way, it is very tasty, especially chilled), wrap the coconut in a film or bag, and tap with a hammer(you can also chop, kitchen) in a circle in the widest place. You don't have to bludgeon with all your might, just the usual battering movements.

In general, coconuts spread throughout the world, leaving Southeast Asia. The coconut tree is considered one of the 10 most beneficial plants for humans! Coconut is considered a strong aphrodisiac, it normalizes the reproductive system, restores strength well and improves vision.

When the coconut gave in and broke, remove the film. Now the task is to remove the shell from the pulp. Sometimes it immediately kind of comes off slightly, and you can easily separate it with your hands. But more often it sits close, then you need to insert a teaspoon between the shell and the pulp with the back side (handle) and press, separating the shell. It is much easier to do this if you put the previously chopped coconut in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

The coconut pulp also has a tough outer skin that can be removed with a regular knife or vegetable peeler.
Now you can enjoy the flavor and texture, grate the coconut or make coconut milk.

By the way, coconut milk is prepared by crushing coconut pulp with water in a blender. It contains a lot of fats and sugars. Milk and pulp are used to make cocktails, sauces, ice cream and other desserts.

Grated coconut can be stored for up to 1 month by moistening it with coconut liquid in sachets in the freezer.

Coconut is known for its unique flavor as well as its absorbent properties. When eating a nut, its unique composition is able to remove toxins and toxins from the body. Also, coconut is used in the treatment of certain diseases. The only drawback of the nut is the thick shell, it is not so easy to crack it without the proper skill. To extract the pulp, you need to arm yourself with some tools.

Choosing a coconut

  1. It is best to choose an exotic nut in a place where there are a lot of nuts. This can be a supermarket or a vegetable market. First, compare coconuts to each other in appearance.
  2. Next, take the nut you like, bring it to your ear, shake the coconut. You should hear the characteristic bubbling of liquid. Also keep in mind that the nut should be relatively heavy relative to its size.
  3. After that, carefully examine the coconut for abrasions and cracks. The integrity of the shell must not be compromised. Avoid buying moldy specimens by looking for healthy nuts.
  4. Examine the eyes of the coconut carefully, they should be free of rot or similar factors. Press down on the indentations to assess the hardness. If the eye sockets are soft, the nut is unusable. Choose a coconut with a light shell.

Step # 1. Extracting coconut milk

  1. To open a nut, you need a screwdriver with a cross at the end. Take a coconut, make an effort to pierce the eye sockets. Take your time, start with the middle indentation, then probe them in order.
  2. Prepare a container in advance that fits the size of the coconut. As soon as you pierce the eye sockets, turn the nut over and drain the milk. When doing this, try not to shake the coconut, otherwise the shell particles will fall into the liquid.
  3. Be patient and leave the coconut upside down for a few minutes. Milk has a viscous structure, so it will drain for a long time. Then check for liquid residues above the sink. Shake the nut slightly and dispose of any milk residues.

Step # 2. Preparatory part

  1. After you have removed the milk from the cavity of the nut, proceed directly to opening the shell. Do not rush to resort to barbaric methods, it is better to use a thick sharp knife and hammer.
  2. In this case, you need to act carefully, do not rush to hit the coconut with a heavy device. Take a foam sponge, dampen it and place it on a wooden cutting board. Next, place the nut on its side.

Step # 3. Opening the shell

  1. Place the tip of your knife flat in the middle of the coconut. Use a small amount of hammer to strike the kitchen appliance. Roll the coconut a little and repeat the manipulation, repeat the steps with the entire circumference of the nut.
  2. Secure the plank in any convenient way, such a trifle will help prevent you from injury, and the fetus from damage. Lay the coconut sideways so that you can clearly see the cut.
  3. Start tapping the line while turning the nut. Next, it is worth tightly squeezing the coconut and moving on to drastic measures. Begin hitting the shell vigorously with the hammer, applying enough force. After these manipulations, the coconut should split into equal parts.

Step # 4. Extracting the pulp

  1. To easily extract the tasty part of the coconut, use a little trick. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Place the halved nuts on a baking sheet. Once the oven has warmed up, send the coconut into it.
  2. The procedure takes 4-5 minutes. The heat helps the pulp to shrink without damaging it. After the allotted time, remove the coconut from the oven and easily remove the fruit. Peel the peel in a way convenient for you, the pulp can be consumed.

  1. After opening the coconut, notice the smell. The milk should have a characteristic pleasant and fresh aroma. Otherwise, the fruit has a sour smell, and the taste will give off bitterness.
  2. There is a significant difference between young and old coconut. In the second, the pulp is tough and not tasty, it can give off a little soap. You will not get pleasure from eating such a fruit.
  3. Also, do not rush to purchase unripe coconuts. This factor can be evidenced by the easily separated flesh from the shell.
  1. If it is not possible to pierce the eye sockets with a screwdriver, resort to using a hammer, a thick awl, or a nail. Get some precise and powerful hits. Next, drain the liquid from the nut.
  2. With small eye sockets, milk will drain slowly. To speed up the process, use a drill and drill a hole in the opposite side of the nut. Place the coconut over the container, blow air into the cavity if necessary. The liquid will drain many times faster.
  3. If you carefully examine the nut, you will see two depressions next to each other, and the third will be at a considerable distance. It is the last eye socket that has a vulnerable spot, start piercing the shell from it.
  4. Before splitting the coconut, secure it to the surface to avoid injury. When you start punching holes in the eye sockets, place the nut in the sink drain.
  5. If you are not going to use coconut in the classical way, cut it in two with a jigsaw, drain the milk. The walnut halves can be used as a cocktail container or a Hawaiian themed swimsuit.

Many people find it difficult to open a coconut, and this is not surprising. Due to the hard shell, there is a risk of damage to the pulp. The process must be approached thoroughly, armed with a hammer, knife, screwdriver and some patience. Follow the step-by-step instructions, follow the practical advice.

Video: how to open a coconut correctly

Recommended to read

To the top