Learn how to cut a coconut in half with these easy steps. You’ll need a sharp knife and a little bit of strength, but anyone can do it!
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Supplies
You will need the following supplies: a coconut, a sharp knife and a cutting board
1 Coconut
coconuts can vary in size, so you’ll want to select one that is around 9-10 inches long and 5-6 inches in diameter. It should feel heavy for its size and the water inside should slosh around when you shake it. Avoid any coconuts with cracks, mold, or leaks. If you’re having trouble finding a good coconut, ask your local grocer or look for them online.
1 Knife
You will need a knife to cut the coconut in half. A sharp knife is best, but any knife will do. If you are using a dull knife, you may need to use a sawing motion to get through the tough outer shell of the coconut.
Cutting the Coconut in Half
To cut the coconut in half, first score the coconut with a knife. You will want to make sure that you cut through the hard shell so that you can get to the soft flesh inside. Once you have scored the coconut, you can then use a saw or a hammer to break the coconut in half.
Place the coconut on a cutting board
Place the coconut on a cutting board Using a sharp knife carefully score the coconut all the way around the center. Apply pressure to the top of the knife and twist it to deepen the cut. Slowly work your way around until you have cut through the hard outer shell of the coconut.
Now that you have cut through the shell, you should be able to easily pull it apart and expose the flesh of the coconut. If the shell is still clinging on, you can use a spoon or your fingers to pry it off. Once you have opened up the coconut, you can use a knife to remove any brown husk that is still attached to the flesh.
The final step is to cut the coconut in half so that you can access the meat and water inside. First, locate the centerline that you scored earlier. Place your knife on this line and apply pressure until you have cut through the flesh of the coconut. You may need to use a sawing motion to get through all of the way. Once you have divided the coconut in half, you can use a spoon or your fingers to scoop out the meat and water inside. Enjoy!
Find the ” equator” of the coconut by spinning it.
When you have a whole coconut, the first step is to find the “equator” of the coconut by spinning it. This is the line that goes around the middle of the coconut. You want to find this line so you know where to cut the coconut in half.
The easiest way to do this is to place the coconut on a cutting board or other surface that will give you stability while you spin it. Use your hand to spin the coconut around until you feel like you’ve found the equator.
Once you’ve found the equator, take a sharp knife and insert it into the center of the coconut along the equator. You want to insert the knife about halfway into the coconut so that you can have a good grip on it when you start cutting
Start sawing back and forth along the equator with your knife until you’ve cut all the way through. It may take a few minutes, but be patient and eventually, you’ll get all the way through.
Once you’ve cut through, carefully pick up each half of the coconut and turn it over so that the cut side is facing down. You may need to use a spoon or other utensil to help scoop out any water or liquid that has pooled in each half of the coconut.
And that’s it! You’ve now successfully cut a coconut in half!
Place the knife at the top of the coconut and hit it with a mallet.
Place the knife at the top of the coconut and hit it with a mallet. The idea is to crack the shell open just enough so you can get a good grip with the knife. You don’t want to crack it too much, or else the coconut water will start to leak out.
Once you have a good grip on the coconut with the knife, start twisting and sawing back and forth until the coconut splits in half. You may need to give it a few good whacks with the mallet to get it started, but be careful not to crack it too much.
Once the coconut is split in half, you can use a spoon or your fingers to scoop out the coconut meat. If you want to use the coconut water, be sure to do so before scooping out the meat, as it will be a lot easier to get at once the shell is removed.
Draining and Eating the Coconut
Once you have a coconut, you will need to drain all of the water out of it. To do this, poke several holes in the “eyes” of the coconut with a knife or screwdriver. Next, hold the coconut over a bowl and let all of the water drain out. You can now move on to cutting the coconut in half.
Turn the coconut over and drain out the water.
Turn the coconut over and drain out the water. Place it on a cutting board, wide side down. Using a sharp knife, start at the top (the pointy end) of the coconut and score it evenly all the way around, making sure not to cut too deep into the meat. You should be able to feel the blade hitting the shell as you make your way around.
Once you’ve made your scoring cut, take a kitchen towel and place it over the coconut. Using both hands, apply pressure and twist the coconut until it breaks in half. You may need to use a little bit of force, but be careful not to put too much pressure on one side or you risk breaking the shell entirely.
Once you’ve broken open the coconut, you can use a spoon to scoop out the meat or use a knife to separate it from the shell. Be sure to remove any brown film that may be clinging to the white flesh. The brown film is edible but many people find it unpleasant.
Use a spoon to scoop out the meat.
Scoop out the coconut meat with a spoon. You can use the back of the spoon to loosen it from the shell if necessary. Eat the coconut meat as is or use it in recipes.
Eat the coconut meat plain or use it in a recipe.
Once you’ve cut your coconut in half, you can either eat the coconut meat plain or use it in a recipe.
If you’re going to eat the coconut meat plain, start by draining any remaining water from the coconut. You can do this by inverting the half coconut over a bowl or sink and allowing the water to drain out.
Once the water has drained, use a spoon to scoop out the coconut meat from the shell. You can eat it as is or slice it into smaller pieces. If you’re not going to eat the coconut meat right away, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you want to use the coconut meat in a recipe, start by draining any remaining water from the half coconut as described above. Once the water has drained, use a spoon (or your hands) to break up the meat into smaller pieces. You can then add it to any recipe that calls for shredded or flaked coconut.
