OK, I've searched and cannot find....

[theseeker]

How do you crack open a coconut. All the examples I've seen are for the green coconuts. I have a bunch of brown, hard as a rock, shell coconuts. (The kind that look like they have little eyes staring at you...)

So how do you get those things open? Beat it with a sledge hammer? Shoot it what a rifle? How do I get through that cement shell?

Help!! I'm about ready to start using them as self defense weapons!! :eek:

[rawpriestess]

I Love the brown ones, don't care for the Thai ones, this is how I open them.


I take a sharp knife, and find the one eye that is a little softer, I poke it, then stick in a nail when you hear the vacuum, you know it's fresh, then I pour out the water, then I take it in my left hand, and hit it with a hammer around the middle, kind of like cracking an egg, you just go around the outside, and eventually it will crack open, once it does this, just keep hitting the crack, it takes about 10 or so hits to make it break open,

or you can just slam it on the cement, I know people who do this too, but I hate it when it busts into a gazillion pieces, and I have to pick them all up, or it chips the cement, LOL, it does this too.

[PATH301]

hey theseeker,

I like the thai/ young coconuts and the brown ones as well.
I open the brown pretty much like the way that rawpriestess opens hers.
Though sometimes I'll take them, the brown ones, on the kitchen counter top and puta hand towel for a cushion support between the counter top and then used an steel ice cube hammer to break it open - that way it does spread all over the counter. Plus the claws on the ice cube hammer actual dig into the out side of the coconut verses slipping off and damaging the counter or my fingers, ( this has happened to my before :eek: ). I also stick the coconut out in the garage in the work bench vise grip. I'll wrap it in a big freezer zip lock bag and then wrap it in a towel, cotton towel and let the vise grip squeeze it open - this usually works the best for me :D

[Graciebeliever]

How do you crack open a coconut. All the examples I've seen are for the green coconuts. I have a bunch of brown, hard as a rock, shell coconuts. (The kind that look like they have little eyes staring at you...)

So how do you get those things open? Beat it with a sledge hammer? Shoot it what a rifle? How do I get through that cement shell?

Help!! I'm about ready to start using them as self defense weapons!! :eek:

heheh you will get the hang of it :)

http://www.rawfoodsnewsmagazine.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=23

http://www.wiliweld.com/coconuts/benefits.html

http://living-foods.com/articles/youngcoconuts.html

A good knife and it getes easier when you know what you're doing :)

[Coriander74]

Little paring knife in the softer spot, like RP says... then I stick a straw in and enjoy the water.

I put them into a ziplock bag (I reuse the same one for coconuts) then slam it on the concrete. Fun :D

[RawFoodieMom]

That's a great idea of putting them in a ziploc bag before cracking them open, thanks guys! :)

[theseeker]

Thanks for all the advice!

I don't have a garage or a vice, but I do have a small hammer and some screwdrivers.

I'm gonna give it a try this evening...lets hope I don't break anything more than the coconut shell!! :D

[Up LEAP 100 Billion]

Last night I opened my first one by tieing it up in a plastic carrier bag, went outside and stood on my wooden garden table, chucked it overarm high in the air and SMASHED onto the concrete. Luckily I saved most of the water inside but I doubt I'll be so lucky next time...

[swingbolder]

Try this thread from a year ago, it's got links to videos that show you how to open both young and mature coconuts. You really don't need to use a lot of effort or muscle once you learn a good technique:

http://rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3747&highlight=coconut+video