How To Effortlessly Crack Open Coconuts Using Your Freezer

A fresh coconut can be a delicious and organic treat, whether you plan to eat the meat on its own or incorporate it into various recipes, such as adding it to a coconut fish curry. However, opening up and using a coconut can prove to be a bit more difficult than with other fruits, thanks to its hard shell. If you're intimidated by the task, however, fear not; there's a simple solution to cracking open a coconut. All you need is your home freezer.

If you let your coconut sit in the freezer overnight, it will be much easier to open up the shell. Simply hit the frozen coconut with the dull side of a cleaver a few times, and it will crack in half. Then, after you scrape out the frozen coconut water, the shell can be easily popped off the coconut meat. You might have to let the meat thaw, but it should be totally separated from the shell and pretty much ready to eat after a quick rinse. This makes opening up a coconut a breeze and takes any struggle out of using a fresh coconut.

There are tons of uses for each part of a cracked, fresh coconut. The meat makes a wonderful snack on its own, or you can dice it for a fresher alternative to store-bought coconut flakes in recipes like this coconut custard pie. Fresh coconut meat provides a lot of nutrients that might not be present in dried coconut flakes, and of course, you'll get the most authentic coconut taste. You can also use it to make fresh coconut milk, which can be incorporated into a ton of different recipes or used to make coconut oil, which is often used for hair and skincare products or for adding flavor to dishes when cooking.

The meat isn't the only part of a whole coconut you can use. You can also save the frozen coconut water and let it thaw for use in recipes and for diluting cocktails. A bit of coconut water is a refreshing addition to many drinks and recipes, and Tasting Table has a list of 12 different ways to use it if you're on the hunt for ideas after opening up a fresh coconut. Even the shell can be used as a fun, tropical bowl or cocktail glass. With some creative use, a whole coconut can be a zero-waste product, making it a super worthwhile item to pick up next time you see one at the grocery store.