A clean screwdriver

A cup or glass

A heavy knife or cleaver

Optional:

A hammer or mallet

3 to 4 minutes

Tapping two eyes will help drain the coconut milk more quickly

Hold the coconut firmly on a hard surface when whacking it with the back of the knife blade

2torial #0602: Learn2 Open a Coconut Why am I thinking of the Marx brothers? Coconuts are seemingly designed to be as difficult as possible to open. Many of us have given up trying to crack that tough, brown shell in an elegant manner, and instead just beat the darn thing with a hammer until it shatters. When you know the secret of the coconut, however, you not only have a great party trick but you won't get shell fragments in your coconut meat! Coconuts au naturel have several appearances. The coconuts described here are the brown, hairy ones that are commonly found in most large markets. To find a good coconut, buy one that has no cracks. When you shake the coconut, you should be able to feel liquid sloshing around inside. The liquid is coconut milk and it's often used in recipes, or simply drunk by itself. You'll collect this liquid before cracking the shell. Drain the liquid Collecting the coconut milk means that your kitchen will stay a lot drier. Find the three "eyes" of the coconut, on the smaller end of the shell. Take that clean screwdriver, and tap the end of it about two inches into one of the eyes with the knife or hammer. If you use a knife, use the back of it to tap the end of the screwdriver through. Remove the screwdriver, and pour the liquid off into the glass. Crack the shell There's a natural fracture point on the coconut's shell which will become apparent as you follow these steps: Place the coconut on a flat surface, and locate a point about a third of the way from the smaller end. Take the knife and give that spot on the coconut a light whack with the back of the knife blade. Rotate slightly and hit the coconut again the same distance from the end. Repeat this several times as you rotate it on the surface. Once you see the fracture develop, insert the tip of the knife into it and pry upwards. The coconut should separate in such a way that you can easily get at the white "meat."   -end- Learn More!