Easy Way to Get Coconut Out of the Shell

Locate the three "eyes"---round indentations---on the coconut. All coconuts have two hard eyes and one soft eye. Probe the eyes with your pocket knife to determine which eye is the soft one. When you find the soft eye, drill into it with your pocket knife, making a hole large enough to drain the water from the coconut.

Tip the coconut so that the coconut water drains into your cup. Smell the water. If it smells sweet, take a sip. If it tastes good, proceed. If it smells or tastes at all moldy, then your coconut is spoiled and you need to discard it and find another one.

Place the coconut in a plastic bag and seal it. Drop it on a large rock until the coconut breaks in two. Most of the coconut meat will separate from the shell when the coconut cracks. If any of the meat remains in the shell, insert your pocket knife blade between the coconut shell and the meat and twist. Repeat until the remaining coconut meat is out of the shell.

Unless you are shredding the coconut and want it perfectly white, leave the thin brown layer on. Rinse the coconut meat, and eat it or pack it in your cooler.