COCONUT

When to Buy/In Season:
Season: All year. Best Supplies are from October to December.

How to Select:
Look for: Coconuts that are heavy for their size, filled with juice that sloshes around when coconut is shaken. Avoid fruit with moldy or wet eyes.

Organic Issues:

Pesticide Issues:

How to Store:
Fresh:

To Prepare:
Puncture eyes of coconut with skewer and hammer. Drain the coconut juice into measuring cup (this may take awhile); reserve the juice for recipes or drinks. Open the shell by cracking with a hammer at the widest part. Hit firmly around middle. Pry out coconut meat in pieces from the shell with a small sharp knife.

To shred: Use a small sharp knife to peel the brown skin from coconut meat; shred meat with a coarse grater.

To toast shreds: preheat oven to 350F, spread coconut in a shallow pan. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until desired brownness.

Store unprepared coconut, in the refrigerator, for up to one week.

Store fresh shredded coconut (raw) up to 1 – 2- days

Frozen:
To Freeze from fresh:
Prepare as above. Package and freeze up to 3 months.

Store pre-packaged/bagged/prepared: 12 months, unopened, freeze indefinitely

Canned:
Store commercially canned coconut up to 1 year

Photo Source: de Paula FJ

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