How to prep a coconut

Place the coconut in a plastic bag and, very carefully with a hammer, whack it like a piñata. Whack away from your face or body and watch out for the backswing!! Or drop onto a hard surface.

With a thin blade, score along the hard shell and carefully pry the flesh from the shell.

Shell of coconut.

If the recipe calls for the brown part to be removed, use a potato peeler and shave in a downward motion. It's much easier than trying to peel with a knife.

Cut the coconut into small pieces. Removing the hard skin makes the coconut meat easier to cut and also easier to digest. Rinse and grate in a blender with a vertical blade, a few pieces at a time.

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How to choose a fresh coconut? Please see my guide: https://snapguide.com/guides/easily-tell-if-a-coconut-is-fresh/