How to Open a Coconut without Stabbing Yourself

I have been reading so much about coconut water and how good is is for you.  It is apparently excellent at restoring the electrolyte balance according to Liz at Last Chance Training.  So I wanted to show you exactly how to open a coconut without stabbing yourself as experienced by myself and my lovely sister, The Chef, while on vacation in Hawaii late last year.


First :  Find yourself a young green coconut.  This can be an absolute mission in itself.  It is much easier if it has actually fallen off the tree and you don't have to shimmy up it and risk your neck.


Secondly, use a big knife for thinning the outer skin of the coconut, be very careful not to stab yourself.  Fortunately, I had The Chef along with me and trusted her with a big knife, as a chef she is an expert in this regard.


Thirdly, get a good quality corkscrew and use it on the coconut.  Pretend you are opening a bottle of wine, it works like a charm!  Especially if you are as experienced at opening bottles of wine as The Chef is.

Admire your hard work!

The video is very instructional and good for a laugh!

Drain your coconut milk into your glass and drink up!

We also bought coconut water from a store.  It tasted NOTHING like fresh coconut water straight out of the coconut.  The store bought water actually tasted stale, maybe it was.

So next time you are on vacation in Hawaii (or somewhere else with coconut trees) be sure you get yourself a fresh young coconut and drink the water.  It is incredibly refreshing and good for you too.


Have you tried coconut water?

What brand do you drink?

Have you ever managed to open a coconut? Any tips?