Opening a Fresh Coconut – the Safe and Easy Way!

Preheat the oven to 400F with the oven rack placed in the center. Drain the liquid out of the coconut (see note below).

Place the drained coconut in a shallow pan and place it in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the hard outer shell is visibly cracked.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Now, the soft meat of the coconut will separate from the hard outer shell. Pull off the shell, then peel the dark skin from the coconut meat using a vegetable peeler. Your coconut is now ready to slice or shred.

Note: The easiest way I find to puncture the eyes of the coconut is to use an electric drill, but some people report good results using an ice pick, screwdriver, or hammer and nail.